NCIS: Tony & Ziva may have just premiered its first three episodes on Paramount+, but the new series is already stirring excitement among longtime fans of the franchise. The spinoff brings back Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, who originally played Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David on NCIS, now heading into its 23rd season.
For both actors, returning to their iconic characters felt special. De Pablo described filming the first season as “a dream,” saying it was incredibly fun to step back into the world of Tony and Ziva. She explained that she and Weatherly felt they owed it to fans to revisit the characters, and they were thrilled when the project finally came together under showrunner John McNamara.
According to de Pablo, the series’ European settings play a major role in shaping the story. She noted that the backdrop of Europe almost feels like a character itself, adding a romantic and cinematic quality to the show.
While the future of the series isn’t guaranteed yet, both stars made it clear they would gladly return if given the chance. “If we got to do it again, we’d be thrilled,” she said.
Weatherly also reminisced about the early days on NCIS, recalling the running joke he shared with de Pablo and Sean Murray, who plays Timothy McGee. At crime scenes—where they’d be suited up in gloves, jackets, and gear—they would often turn to each other and joke, “How many more seasons you got?” The question usually ended in laughter.
De Pablo pointed out that back then the show produced 24 episodes per season, which meant nearly ten months of intense work every year. Despite the long hours and little sleep, she said the cast loved showing up every day and spent much of their time laughing together on set.
Weatherly also remembered one of Mark Harmon’s famous on-set lines as Gibbs: “Grab your gear.” De Pablo added that Harmon often reminded the cast how rare and special their experience was, telling them they had no idea how unique that moment in television really was.
Looking back, both actors now see those years as a “golden time.” Still, de Pablo says working on Tony & Ziva felt just as magical. She recalled many moments on set when she and Weatherly would look at each other in disbelief that they were once again playing the beloved characters.
As for the show’s future, McNamara says he’s focused on finishing the first season as strong as possible. Whether the story continues will ultimately depend on fan response and the decision of Paramount and CBS.
For now, fans can only wait—and hope—that Tony and Ziva’s story is just getting started.