Contains spoilers for “NCIS” Season 23, Episode 6 — “Page-Turner”
Tim McGee (Sean Murray) is in a whole world of trouble in “Page-Turner.” Kidnapped and held hostage while on tour promoting the latest entry in his “Deep Six” series of books (which he wrote under the pen name Thom E. Gemcity), he starts hallucinating about the characters he’s created. His vision of the acrobatic Knightingdale (the “Deep Six” version of Katrina Law’s Jessica Knight) may trigger some déjà vu among fans. If you’ve been wondering why the whole thing feels familiar — that wirework jump and the leather outfit, in particular — it’s because it’s very similar to the fantasy McGee has about the late Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander) in “Kill Ari: Part 1,” the Season 3 premiere.
In said fantasy, Tim envisions Kate (who was shockingly killed in “Twilight,” the Season 2 finale) calling him a “naughty boy.” She lands on his desk wearing an outfit similar to the one worn by Knightingdale in “Page-Turner,” then proceeds to do a backflip. When she hits the floor, her outfit changes to a teddy. She snarls and cracks her leather whip. Tim is simultaneously impressed and horrified by his vision of a more sexualized version of Kate, but he soon returns to reality. His vision of Knightingdale in “Page-Turner” isn’t quite as sexually charged (he seems more interested in getting free of his bonds and going home than anything else), but they’re still very similar.
McGee’s book series has taken on a life of its own
The characters in Tim McGee’s “Deep Six” novels are loosely based on his real-life friends and colleagues. As a matter of fact, one of the biggest mistakes McGee ever made was basing his characters on them and then lying about it, which almost got Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) killed. Still, McGee’s fictionalization of his teammates is amusing for viewers. What’s interesting is that, despite all the leather, the “Deep Six” version of Jessica Knight probably comes closest to her real-life counterpart.
Nick Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) surfaces as the nerdy Rick Soares in “Page-Turner.” He’s nebbish and retiring — the exact opposite of the tough, streetwise Torres. Alden Parker (Gary Cole) is portrayed as the erudite, bow tie-wearing Professor Parkman, who is more dignified and sophisticated than his real-life counterpart. Their appearances make the episode a lot of fun, despite the high stakes — McGee’s characters have come to him at a dire time, and he’ll need to survive his kidnapping if he’s going to finish their stories.
An interesting side note is that Knightingdale’s accent in “Page-Turner” is virtually identical to the one Katrina Law used for Nyssa al Ghul in “Arrow,” her best-known character away from Jessica Knight. Here’s everything you need to know about the Batman villain Law played before her time on “NCIS.”