We loved NCIS: Tony & Ziva. Getting the resolution to a love story we saw start on our screens so many years ago was cathartic. And the show was so well done, too. All the characters worked, and of course, the chemistry between Michael Weatherly and Cote De Pablo was still very much there. The show then ended about as happily as it could. And we weren’t happy to see it end, but at least the characters got the ending they deserved.
It just turns out it’s not an ending. And that, well, that has us feeling a tad conflicted; we’re not gonna lie.
That’s right, in a very unsurprising move, NCIS has announced that Michael Weatherly will return to the show for Season 24. We always figured this could be the case, as the show ended in a way that made the return very easy, and CBS & Paramount have continued to have a good relationship with Weatherly, despite the sexual harassment settlement on the set of Bull. The question now, of course, is… is Cote de Pablo also returning? And will we get to see more of Tony and Ziva’s daughter, Tali?
CBS is staying mum on that for now, but for us, the answer better be yes. NCIS: Tony & Ziva ended with enough hints at what could be coming next in their story that it would be really easy to pick that storyline back up and tie it to whatever’s happening on NCIS this season. Not to mention, Tony’s happy ending always has and always will include Ziva. And for us fans who have followed their story since the beginning, the return of Tony, particularly for such a long arc, only makes sense if Ziva is returning too.
Weatherly gave some hints about what we’ll see during a fan convention, saying, “I just know that it’s going to be an exciting return,” according to TV Insider. “I have really enjoyed watching what the show has done over the last 10 years since I left, but it’s a different show now. So I’m very much about respecting the show I’m coming into and being aware that they’ve built an extraordinarily successful tenure… but that doesn’t mean that what we did isn’t going to be able to live alongside and inside that show.”
Not all that much information. De Pablo was with him, and she didn’t hint at a return. Though, of course, that’s no confirmation either way. She could be coming later, and they’re just saving the announcement. Or, at least we hope that’s the case.
“I can tell you this: There is a definite connection between [‘Tony & Ziva’] and the canon that that created… There’s not going to be retconning of, like, oh, ‘Tony & Ziva’ never happened,” Weatherly promised.
“So it’s not going to be a dream sequence?” de Pablo joked.
All of this might seem obvious, but we’re glad for the confirmation. Because Weatherly isn’t just coming back for a cameo. He’s coming back for a season-long arc. SEASON-LONG ARC. He’s there in the first episode table read! De Pablo isn’t. A short appearance, we would have understood, but we’re going to be honest: a long arc means Ziva is needed.
He can’t just leave the love of his life and his daughter for such a long time. He wouldn’t. Particularly considering their family history. Not to mention his company! And even if they’re not retconning what happened, we still don’t want Tony going on adventures by himself at this point. He’s got a partner, in all the ways that word can be used. It’s Ziva.
So, basically, this only makes sense if we get Tony and Ziva. And Tali. Give us that, and we can enjoy this… even if it’s not the Season 2 we would have wanted. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Season 24 of NCIS will air Tuesdays at 8/7C this fall on CBS and will stream on Paramount+.
I am beyond livid I ever supported the spinoff if the first thing Michael does, is sell out Cote and go back to the mother ship to ruin all healing we got with the NCIS: Tony and Ziva spinoff.
I am speechless. I can’t even string two words together right now. I’m done.