Not only did it feature the highly anticipated returns of two of the franchise’s biggest stars, Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly, it promised to finally resolve the long-simmering tension between their characters. Ziva and Tony’s NCIS journey spanned multiple seasons, even after de Pablo and Weatherly made their respective exits. For longtime fans, NCIS: Tony & Ziva was a dream come true, even though it was short-lived.
‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva’ Season 1 Left It All on the Table in the Best Way
The series was first announced in early 2024 and came as a big surprise to NCIS fans. Picking up with Tony and Ziva in Paris, it finally reveals how the two reunited after several years apart and began co-parenting their daughter Tali (Isla Gie). When an attack on Tony’s security company turns them into fugitives, he and Ziva must go on the run to clear their names and prevent a deadly plot. It was a huge departure for the NCIS franchise in many ways, from its character-driven focus to its espionage-heavy, action-packed plot.
Though the creative team made it clear that they had ideas for a Season 2, NCIS: Tony & Ziva didn’t waste any time. The show managed to balance both the romance and the intrigue, and it gave proper attention to the emotional arcs of its central duo. Ziva spent much of Season 1 grappling with her PTSD and how her time on the run disrupted her relationships with Tony and Tali, while Tony had his own trust issues to work through. During their time on NCIS, they both had their fair share of character-defining moments, but they would often be relegated to standalone episodes. Getting to dig deeper into their psyches beyond their work as agents was a special joy.
It helped that NCIS: Tony & Ziva delivered on the one thing fans had desperately craved for decades: a Tiva endgame. Their story had always felt incomplete; de Pablo left rather suddenly at the very start of Season 11, and when Tony left years later, he still clearly had unresolved feelings for her. It was one thing to know Ziva would be reuniting with him off-screen, but it was another to actually see them together again, happy and properly expressing their love. Every single episode of NCIS: Tony & Ziva showed that de Pablo, Weatherly, and the rest of the creative team cared about the legacy of these characters and their relationship, and they made every decision for the fans.
‘Tony & Ziva’ Season 2 Would’ve Been Nice, but Season 1 of the ‘NCIS’ Spin-Off Was Already a Dream
There’s no such thing as too much time with one’s favorite characters. It’s partially the reason so many franchises continue for so many years. After finally getting to see Tony and Ziva find their happy ending, it would’ve been equally delightful to see their next adventure as a full-blown couple. Season 1 provided some glimpses of that through flashbacks, but in the present day, they worked their way back to each other gradually. With all the emotional work out of the way, Season 2 could’ve realized their full potential.
Still, as disappointing as NCIS: Tony & Ziva‘s cancellation is, one could argue Season 2 wasn’t even necessary. The show told a complete story with its ten episodes, wrapping up the 9.4 storyline in an exhilarating and satisfying way. The supporting characters — Boris (Maximilian Osinski), Claudette (Amita Suman), and Sophie (Lara Rossi) — all got conclusive endings, and while there was definitely room for another case for this ragtag team, it also would’ve made sense to end it there.
It’s a disappointing blow, losing Ziva and Tony again after only just getting them back. However, seeing as there was once a time when the main NCIS claimed Ziva died and Tony took off with Tali, even getting this surprise epilogue was a special gift. After so many years of flirtatious conversations, lingering looks, and almost-confessions, NCIS: Tony & Ziva honored this fan-favorite pairing and gave them the ending they deserve.
