When Sean Murray first appeared as Timothy McGee in NCIS Season 1, nobody knew the nervous young “probie” would eventually become one of the most enduring faces in the franchise. McGee debuted in “Sub Rosa” on November 18, 2003, initially as a recurring character before becoming a series regular.

More than two decades later, Murray is still there. With Mark Harmon having stepped away from the original series as a regular, Murray is now the longest-serving member of the current NCIS cast. CBS still lists him among the stars returning for Season 24.

That makes McGee’s transformation even more remarkable. Fans watched him go from the inexperienced agent intimidated by Gibbs and teased by Tony to a veteran senior field agent and one of the team’s most trusted figures.

And there’s another nostalgic twist coming: Michael Weatherly is returning as Tony DiNozzo for a season-long Season 24 arc. That means viewers will once again see two characters whose NCIS history stretches back more than 20 years sharing the same series.