The Most Heartbreaking McGee Moment From NCIS

In a Reddit thread titled "Any episodes of NCIS that made you cry?" posted to the "NCIS" subreddit, a reply by user Skalkeda simply reading "McGee's letter to his dad" received more upvotes than any other comment, and even more than the thread itself.

McGee writes a letter to his dad in Season 12 Episode 10, titled "House Rules." In past episodes, McGee's father Admiral John McGee (Jamey Sheridan) is revealed to be stern and serious, in marked contrast to McGee's laid back demeanor. It's their strained relationship, thought, that fuels McGee's letter, which he writes over the course of the episode and ultimately delivers to his dad's casket at its end, recontextualizing McGee's words as a reconciliatory conversation he never got to have with his late father.

In another Reddit thread, titled "McGee's Father," a comment by user oylaura summed up the impact of this scene. "The fact that McGee eventually reconciles with him, even in the form of a posthumous letter, was a testament to McGee and the fact that his forgiveness was a gift that he was giving himself, and it wasn't being done for his father," they wrote.

So, while not every "NCIS" fan may agree that McGee's relationship to his father is realistic, the fact that he attempts emotional closure with his dad in a letter after his passing resonated with many viewers all the same.