I agree with some of the posts above, I don't see him as Super!Mac, either. Yeah, some fans see him as a bit of a know-it-all, and he is, in some respects, but I don't see that as OTT or particularly out of character. For anyone who also watches NCIS, I see Mac and Gibbs as very similar characters in many respects. Both men were in the military and had seen up front action, are knowledgeable about weapons and other related things. Both are smart and tenacious when it comes to tracking down the bad guys, and both have put themselves in danger and have managed to live through it - but not unscathed.
Gibbs and Mac are very similar in those respects. Their knowledge of weapons comes not from being know-it-alls, but from experience. I also agree that their attitude towards catching/tracking down bad guys is the same - if I was a criminal, I would NOT want either of them coming after me, and similarly, they're the type of investigators I want on my case if I were a victim. I also think both share a certain compassion and softness, which they don't show often, but which we do see. There's Mac's interaction with the women in Blink and Night, Mother, and with the kid in Necrophilia Americana, and several times we have seen Gibbs be very compassionate towards victims' families too. Of course, both men have also had the women they loved (and in Gibbs' case a child he loved too) murdered in circumstances they were powerless to stop - Mac could do nothing when the Towers fell, and Gibbs was either away in the first Gulf or in a coma (I forget which) when his family was killed. I think both men are also similar in their attitude towards their team - they can be very strict, and at times emotionally distant, but both are fiercely loyal to their teams, and do show compassion/caring for them.
On the other hand, both have weaknesses - neither one likes dealing with politics or the chain of power in some situations, both are stubborn (especially when they think they're right!), both of them are a bit technologically handicapped :lol: And both have experienced failed relationships with women. But I think both are very realistic characters. I don't see either as a Superman type guy, only a guy who is very capable and knowledgeable in numerous areas, making him exceptionally good at his job.
Yes. Mac is a bit more technologically savvy than Gibbs, but both men I think prefer the 'old-fashioned' method of investigating - using your head- over technology. Both also dislike dealing with the chain of power in some situations - as Marines they're trained to follow it, but I'm betting as fighting men who were 'among the ranks' in the Marines, not particularly high-up - Mac I think was a Lieutenant, and Gibbs a Gunny, - both have seen the ugly side of the chain of command too, been involved in decisions by the chain of command, or made by politicians, that have cost men's lives. Both certainly have distaste for politics -neither are in their jobs for politcal reasons or advancement. Both have the failed relationships too - Gibbs 3 marriages after his first family died, and Mac's with Peyton.
Both men also have their own private distractions/hobbies out of work - Gibbs' boat, and Mac's playing bass, and I think both activities are a way for them to deal with the pain they still feel over the death of their loved ones (Mac still aches over Claire, and Gibbs is still in a lot of pain over Shannon and Kelly's deaths too). Both men have hung on to relics of their loved ones - I believe both have photos of them, and Mac has the beach ball Claire blew up, and Gibbs has the flask Shannon and Kelly gave him.
The reason why I brought up the Gibbs/NCIS analogy is because, as I said, I view both as very similar character types. But as often as I've heard the "SuperMac" criticism leveled at Mac, I've never really seen NCIS fans say the same about Gibbs, and I've often wondered why, when they're so similar. Perhaps it's the way Gary plays Mac, or maybe because NCIS brings more humor into Gibbs' interactions with his team, thus softening any Super!Gibbs effect. Anyone else have some insights on this?
I think it is that Gibbs is given more humour than Mac is. NCIS as a show is less serious than any of the CSIs. I think the humour in NCIS makes all the characters come across as a little softer. Tony was very cocky in season 1 of NCIS, but it made him funny rather than unlikable because of the nature of the show. Had Tony been in NY's first season, he would have seemed a total a**hole, because of the show's more serious nature.
But I've never seen either man as Super!Mac or Super!Gibbs. They're both slightly know-it-alls, but then so are other characters on the shows. I see that as being part of the nature of their jobs, rather than a substantial character flaw. Grissom on Vegas seems to me to know more odd facts than either of them, but I've never viewed him as a know-it-all either.
Back to Gibbs and Mac, both may know a lot, but there are things they don't know too - how to play politics, and certain technological stuff.
Both Gibbs and Mac also have good, strong relationships (non-romantic) with strong women - Gibbs with Jenny/Ziva/Kate and Mac with Stella. Neither are intimidated by strong women but instead work very well with them, despite the occasional conflict.
And, of course, both men are HAWT!:drool:
