#paley event

  Interviewer: Right here. 

Sean: Hi. 

Interviewer: Hi. I'm Lydia from ...[???]

Sean: How are you? 

Interviewer: ...we're a fan-based site, so I wanted to say "Hello" from the fans. 

Sean: Oh, alright. *turns to the camera* Hello! 

Interviewer: The first question I have, is - If you look at the way your character started off, and where you are now, what is...are the different aspects of your character? What...

Sean: I think McGee's gotten quite a bit more...he's much more of an agent than he was...he was pretty shaky when he started. You know, he's involved in interrogations, he goes out, he's been through...he's been through the, you know,  what we though real law enforcement is about, which is, you know  if you ever actually take someones life, you know, which McGee's done. He's gone through all that stuff. He's...he's a much better agent [now]. He's just not as clumsy, and socially inept, as he was at one point. He can do quite a bit.  

Interviewer: Yeah, as shown by the 'prison episode' 

Sean: Oh, by the 'prison episode' ... that's right. We try to do one every year where we kinda ...[???] ... but the progression of the characters is really important. I think the writers have been really good at...you know... pushing that, too. 

Interviewer: What about the McGee/DiNozzo relationship? You're very much like...you're kinda...your character's really much kinda like the little brother of the family.

Sean: Yes.

Interviewer: .. And now I think it feels more like an equal brother. Going into that direction.  

Sean: *nods*  It's going in that direction.  Which is not bad, because then, you know... The Tony-McGee relationship is very complicated. Because, you know,  everyone says - not everyone, but you know occasionally it comes up and someone says - you know that DiNozzo has to stop being so …mean to McGee. But I think McGee likes it. That’s how he knows he’s part of the family. That’s the sibling… you know… rivalry. That’s part of the way it works for them. And deep down they love each other. [That’s honestly how I feel]

Interviewer: I feel the same way when I watch it. I tell people - It's a family. It's a family show. 

Sean: Actually we're doing an episode now, where we kind of touch on that. The Tony/McGee relationship, and the...you know, the oddness of it....sort of. Right where they are ...[???] ....each others feelings, and miss each other, and that kind of stuff. Cause we've done instances  where I've pulled him over a wall, and he grabs me - where Tony grabs me, and says 'I love you, man.'

Interviewer: What about... can you give revelation to the whole McGee/Abby thing. What the heck happened? I'm really confused. I've watched every episode...in a row... 

Sean: You're right. 

Interviewer: When did they split up? I'm very confused. 

Sean: It's very ambiguous, isn't it? 

Interviewer: Yes. 

Sean: Cause people ask Pauley and I  that all the time, and we're never quite sure. I do like that we're kinda are keeping it ambiguous, cause there's jealousy there, and... you know, people ask Pauley and I that question all the time, and  we always sort of have different answers for it. It's... I think once we knew McGee was really gonna be there...you know, as a permanent fixture...then behind-the-scenes they thought "we don't...we probably wanna ease up on the romance a little bit" ... [???]...  but also to me, I think it's better to...hold back... and have it at quite where you're not sure...That's... 

     TRANSCRIPT BY: ME