CBS Retcons NCIS’s 18-Year History By Breaking 1 Trend

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Okay, huge spoilers ahead for NCIS season 23, so be warned! As a big fan, I was completely shocked by a recent reveal that seriously changes things for McGee’s future – it’s a bit of a retcon, altering established history. It seems the show is really diving into its past lately, especially in the 2025-2026 season. We’ve already seen some amazing returns, like Vera Strickland appearing in the NCIS: Origins crossover, and then Ellie Bishop unexpectedly coming back from her undercover work to set the record straight. It’s been a wild ride seeing these familiar faces again!

Despite the changes, season 23 of NCIS has given its main team plenty of attention. Each member has faced a compelling storyline this year, with a particular focus on McGee’s personal life. Shortly after Thom E. Gemcity returned and released his new book, episode 11, “In Too Deep,” revealed a major new detail about McGee’s character – the biggest in years.

NCIS Introduces McGee’s Twist Son From Season 5

Just before its 500th episode, NCIS reveals a shocking secret to McGee: he has a son he didn’t know about. What begins as a simple murder investigation at Rock Creek Park quickly becomes personal when McGee discovers the case involves a past girlfriend, Olivia Garcia, from 18 years ago. This relationship occurred during NCIS season 5, when Tony and Ziva were the show’s main couple, and hadn’t been mentioned before now.

During an investigation, McGee unexpectedly comes across his ex-girlfriend’s son, Matteo. Sean Murray, the actor playing McGee, suspected a family connection due to Matteo’s age and quickly requested a paternity test. The test results arrived just as the team rescued Olivia, confirming that Matteo is, in fact, McGee’s son. His ex-girlfriend then explained that she didn’t realize she was pregnant when they broke up, and after finding out, she chose not to tell him, believing it would have forced them into a relationship that wasn’t meant to be.

It’s no surprise McGee is upset about missing so much of his son’s childhood. Thankfully, his wife, Delilah, has been understanding and supportive. And it’s great that both Olivia and Matteo seem willing to let him be a bigger part of their lives now.

What McGee’s Son Twist Means For His Future & NCIS’s Story

It’s not unusual for an NCIS agent to discover a secret child, as happened with Gibbs early in the series – though it turned out not to be his son. Ziva David previously kept her daughter, Tali, a secret from Tony DiNozzo, which set a pattern. Now, with the introduction of Matteo, it’s interesting to consider how much of a role he’ll play, especially since the show rarely features Tony and Delilah’s twins, Morgan and Johnny. Matteo’s arrival could signal a change in this established pattern, potentially making him a regular character on the show.

Because he’s still supposedly a student, NCIS can justify not making him a regular character. However, given how important this reunion is for McGee’s story, the show needs to explore it further. Otherwise, the whole thing will feel like a meaningless twist with no lasting impact. At the very least, NCIS should provide updates on how their relationship is progressing, even if they don’t show them together on screen very often.

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2026-04-09 15:21