The spinoff that will explore major NCIS characters Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) can finally solve one of the biggest problems in the couple’s romantic storyline. Both agents were major mainstay characters in the original NCIS show, and the spinoff will explore where Tony and Ziva are today and what’s happened since they departed the flagship series. Details about the Tony & Ziva story reveal that the couple will be dealing with an attack on Tony’s security firm brought on by an unknown force.

It was announced earlier this year that the special agents would be returning to the NCISverse. NCIS: Tony & Ziva will explore the couple’s life together in Paris and Europe and likely fill in the details of their romance that were missed in the flagship series. The original actors for the characters, Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, will be reprising their roles. The spinoff breaks a 15-year NCIS franchise tradition, opting to delve deeper into the show’s original characters rather than exploring new ones, and it’s a change that will allow for needed resolution in the couple’s romance.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s Serialized Format Can Finally Center Their Relationship

Tony & Ziva Had A Will-They-Won’t-They Relationship On NCIS

In their upcoming spinoff, Tony and Ziva’s relationship will get the spotlight it needs. The serialized format of NCIS: Tony & Ziva will add further depth to their relationship, and beckon in exciting firsts for the NCIS franchise. Rather than follow the case-of-the-week format that the NCIS franchise typically employs in its shows, the Tony & Ziva spinoff will feature a narrative that carries over from one episode to the next. The more seamless narrative approach to Tony and Ziva’s relationship feels like an obvious choice, and it will give the romance the clarity it lacked in the main series.

In the flagship series, Tony and Ziva’s romance followed a will-they-won’t-they arc that played out across multiple seasons. While the answer was ultimately “they will,” it’s a moment that was never fully realized on-screen. It was disappointing for viewers who followed the relationship as it burned slowly from season 3 to 11 because when the pair finally committed to one another, both characters had already departed the series. The serialized format of NCIS: Tony & Ziva will provide opportunities to explore all the unresolved issues from the flagship, with many opportunities to truly evolve the franchise.

In a video posted to his TikTok, Tony actor Michael Weatherly expressed his excitement to do “a version of NCIS where it really ups the stakes.” He attributes the ability to do this to the show’s serialized format, which he describes as “a ten-hour movie.” He says that each episode requiring less recap and exposition (which set up background for the case-of-the-week on the flagship NCIS series) will allow for more depth to Tony and Ziva’s characterization. This further highlights how NCIS: Tony & Ziva will transform how the characters are portrayed.

Major Moments That Happened Off-Screen For Tony & Ziva

Several Moments Need To Be Built Into The Narrative On NCIS: Tony & Ziva

Since Ziva David left NCIS in season 11 and Tony DiNozzo left at the end of 13 after learning the pair had a daughter, there have been major moments that played out for the couple off-screen, considering they were never featured on the show together again. After the team discovered that Ziva was alive in NCIS season 16, it began a short story arc for her character in the original series that ended with Ziva departing the show again in season 17 to finally join her family in Paris after faking her own death and living life on the run.

The most significant moment that happened off-screen for Tony and Ziva is the moment the couple were reunited. It’s easy to imagine Tony DiNozzo – now a dedicated father – dutifully waiting for the return of Ziva at the airport with their daughter, Tali David-DiNozzo, in tow. There was likely a familiar look of relief and joy on Ziva’s face as she embraced her family. Dedicated viewers have been left to imagine the couple’s emotional reunion, since Tony and Ziva reunited off-screen. The Tony & Ziva spinoff will likely visualize the moment in a flashback to rebuild that part of the narrative.

Key episodes for the couple that need representation in their spinoff include moments between seasons 11 and 13, after Ziva departed the main series, and when she gave birth to her and Tony’s daughter. How Ziva felt about finding out she had a child, and then having to conceal it, should be explored in the spinoff. It was a key moment in her characterization. NCIS: Tony & Ziva will also need to feature moments between seasons 13 and 16. Tony was living life as a single dad, experiencing major milestones, raising Tali under the assumption that Ziva was dead.

NCIS Episodes That Set Up The NCIS: Tony & Ziva Storyline

Key Episodes For The Characters On NCIS Set Up Their Spinoff Story

There are some essential Tony & Ziva NCIS episodes that set up their story moving forward. The most important episode is the season 13 finale: NCIS season 13, episode 24, “Family First.” The episode marked Michael Weatherly’s last regular appearance on the show as Tony DiNozzo, although Michael Weatherly returned for Ducky’s tribute episode in season 21. The episode introduced one of the most important aspects of their story moving forward – their daughter Tali – and established Tony’s dedication to his role as a father.

Another major episode that set up the NCIS: Tony & Ziva story was the season 16 season finale: NCIS season 16, episode 13, “She.” The episode implied that Ziva was still alive, and it set up the possibility of a reunion between Tony and Ziva. Then, in season 16, episode 24, “Daughters,” it was confirmed that Ziva was alive when she showed up unannounced in Gibbs’ basement to warn him that his life was in danger. It was Ziva’s first appearance on the show since she departed the series in season 11, episode 2, “Past, Present, and Future.”

Ziva returns again in season 17, and it marks the final series of moments that set up the spinoff story. Ziva appears in season 17, episode 1, “Out of the Darkness” to kick off the season and answer the questions as to why she had to fake her own death and cut herself off from her family and former team. Then, in season 17, episode 11, it’s finally safe for Ziva to return to her family. Ziva says goodbye to the team and heads to the airport, leading to another transformation for her character.

It’s understandable that NCIS opted to give Tony and Ziva a will-they-won’t they narrative in the original series. It’s a trope commonly employed by television shows to keep viewers interested in the main characters, with showrunners often not wanting to risk the lack of interest that could come with finally allowing characters to settle into a romance. That said, it’s been almost 20 years since Ziva’s character was introduced in the flagship series, and with many viewers still wondering what’s next for “Tiva,” it’s time that NCIS: Tony & Ziva finally honored the special agents’ relationship with some clarity.

Source: TikTok