NCIS McGee is he theater, or actual geek?

McGee has some textbook "geek" checkboxes:

old mac computers
online role playing games
problem retaining girlfriends

However, I don't think McGee does "R", "Python", or "MatLab".

What actual scripting (fast turnaround) language does he use for his "programs" that doesn't require him to take a week to write code that does some amazingly complex function?

I know a ton of admins who use excel. I don't see McGee or Abby using things much more complex than that - how can it qualify as actually technical?

Numb3rs at least, had some mathematica.

If he is a real geek, and not a hand-wavey geek, what are the tools that he uses to do the things he allegedly does? Is he a writer-created cliche or does the movie give details that back up his "geek" credentials?

character ncis

Best Answer

NCIS is well known for being completely inaccurate in any and all things technical when it comes to computers, to the point of ridicule. It has no relation to real hacking or programming at all. One episode has Mcgee and Abbey sharing a keyboard to fight a hacker, as in each took half the keyboard to type...

_{Utterly. Painfully .Wrong.}

That said, in universe, McGee has credentials and training in computers. We learn in Season 1 Episode 7 he graduated highly from MIT.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Science degree in computer forensics from MIT. His college GPA was 3.9

He also did it fairly young. He is considered an expert in Cyber Security and regularly hacks into top level security networks of other US and International intelligence and Crime Fighting departments, without getting caught most of the time.