‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva’ Just Dropped a Callback to the Franchise’s Most Iconic Character

Back in the early days of NCIS, the original mentor-mentee relationship we fell in love with was that of Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) and Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly). Initially, Tony had a healthy amount of fear and respect for Gibbs, but slowly, their bond evolved until Gibbs almost became a father figure. So, it was fitting that Tony eventually left the series to become a full-time father, but it did mean it was the last time we would see these two characters interact. This year, Tony returned to the franchise alongside Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) in their spin-off NCIS: Tony & Ziva, and even though Harmon isn’t slated to make an appearance, Episode 8 proves that he is still around in spirit through his relationship with Tony.

‘Tony & Ziva’ Episode 8 Calls Back to the Early Days of ‘NCIS’

There was no way we were going to go through an entire spin-off without a distinct Gibbs reference, and Tony finally delivered us not one, but two, in Episode 8, “Fire Sale.” The Tony & Ziva crew is back in Paris at a weapons convention in disguise, and Tony is in charge of smooth-talking a security guard as a distraction. As usual, he rambles on with witty remarks, but in between his silky delivery, he mentions how his old boss used to smack the back of his head. Throughout Tony and Gibbs’ relationship on NCIS, Gibbs would always playfully wack Tony whenever he said something inane — well, sometimes not so playfully and with a little bit of heat.

Apart from the nostalgia the smack evokes, the reference is actually pretty significant in measuring Tony’s growth throughout the franchise. It reminds us of when Tony was a class clown through and through, never really taking anything as seriously as Gibbs needed him to in the beginning, or cracking jokes at some of the most inopportune times. In fact, only a couple of episodes ago, during the five-year flashback, Ziva told him that these specific qualities upset her. So, including this Gibbs callback reminds us how much Tony has matured over the years, but specifically during this spin-off, where his defensive mechanism of humor is being overtly addressed. Tony may still be the class clown who occasionally deserves a Gibbs’ wack, but he’s one who now has the capacity for emotional intelligence.

Later in Episode 8  Tony is also forced to use Claudette’s (Amita Suman) tablet while she remotely gives him instructions to rifle through the drone’s data. His begrudging acceptance of using this modern technology and discomfort around it echoes Gibbs’ stubborn refusal to learn anything about computers in the 2000s. It’s as if Tony is finally filling the huge footsteps Gibbs left by acquiring his trait of distrusting modernity, once again highlighting the character’s growth as he has symbolically become the man he looked up to in NCIS. The mentee has become the master: experienced, skilled, and bad with technology.

The ‘NCIS’ Spin-off Pays Tribute to Tony and Gibbs’ Relationship

Together, these two callbacks to NCIS also pay homage to Tony and Gibbs’ relationship, not just Tony’s growth. The smack itself, including the endearing way Tony mentioned it, reinforces just how much their bond meant to Tony. Despite his mischievous demeanor, we always knew that Tony had the utmost respect for Gibbs and would even purposely goad him into smacking the back of his head. Out of everything, the fact that he references the wack is significant, since it was the most fatherly thing Gibbs would do to him, even if it was a reprimand. By the end of Tony’s run on NCIS, Gibbs had truly become a paternal figure for him, something that probably inspired how he prioritizes Tali (Isla Gie) over his job (though, ironically, Gibbs was never known to have a healthy work-life balance).

The playfulness of their relationship is also clearly carried through via these two references and helps ground Tony & Ziva. While Tony is furrowing his eyebrows, mumbling to himself, and tapping buttons on the tablet, we can almost imagine Gibbs standing in the corner, smirking at him. Tony, along with the rest of the NCIS cast, would always tease Gibbs about his aversion to contemporary technology, and now, here Tony was, only able to keep up with the technology through Claudette’s simplified instructions. This direct parallel between the characters is a clever way to contextualize the spin-off, which frequently uses high-tech jargon, concepts, and visuals. The reference to the relationship grounds the espionage advancement of it all by reminding us that they are technically contemporary ideas (even if some veer into futuristic, like weaponized robot jaguars), just in an era where we’re like Gibbs playing catch-up.

In just two fleeting scenes, the history behind these references is felt dearly. It was the most seamless way to incorporate Gibbs into this European spy show, especially as it acted as a baseline to measure how much character development Tony had gone through. And on top of that, the punch of nostalgia and heart that pays tribute to their relationship is always welcome in this long-running franchise. Tony & Ziva Episode 8 proves that Gibbs doesn’t need to be around to have his presence felt; apparently, Tony wearing a fake mustache does the trick. Gibbs’ idiosyncrasies will probably forever impact the show, and in this spin-off, it is Tony who carries on the torch.