It turns out one of the unique quirks of Tim McGee on NCIS has a special reason pertaining to its actor!
Tim McGee has blossomed on NCIS from the nerdy “probie” to a capable agent and team leader when he has to be. Yet at heart, McGee remains a somewhat geeky and unusual figure, and that includes his footwear. While his early appearances had McGee wearing standard dark dress suits befitting an NCIS agent, he’s since been known for showing up at crime scenes in bright white or otherwise colored tennis shoes or loafers. They sometimes clash with whatever other gear he wears yet McGee keeps showing up in them.
It’s an odd style, and his footwear choice has turned the heads of many fans. Some fans have speculated that it's likely McGee is given leeway with his footwear due to his experience and skills; however, it turns out there is actually a sweet tribute behind the character's choice of shoes.
Speaking to Matt Webb Mitovich’s Inside Line column, Sean Murray shared how this is his own trademark touch for the character.
"The truth is that I sneak a little of my personal style into McGee's shoes... They are always a pair of white Off-Whites, which is a nod to Virgil Abloh, founder of the fashion label Off-White and the former creative director of Louis Vuitton menswear (R.I.P.). He passed a few years ago, and these particular shoes are a famous design of his," Murray revealed
This is a fun tidbit and insight into McGee’s character, and it’s the personal touches that make NCIS shine so well.
The shoes are a good character touch for McGee. He’s mentioned in the series that he has a real affinity for sneakers, even going into their history and minute details. While a humble guy in many ways, McGee’s indulgence shows he can enjoy something fancy and is likely able to afford it with his wealth as a best-selling author.
It’s also intriguing how this style coincided with McGee getting married and becoming a father. He doesn’t want to put on a fancy persona, but just something he can comfortably slip on and off that also doesn’t hurt his feet when wearing them for hours in the office or the field. In short, they're both practical and effective, which fits McGee to a T.
Given how the shoes have turned heads, it would be fun for him to wear some nicer gear to a messy crime scene and work in a comedic scene about McGee not wanting to get his shoes dirty. NCIS loves a good comedic moment, and McGee trying to keep his shoes from getting dirty would certainly bring some laughs.
NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.