As NCIS: Tony & Ziva will feature two iconic NCIS characters, the show is bound to feature some classic NCIS elements. The show’s premise of Tony and Ziva having to protect their daughter, Tali, when new threats emerge also feels reminiscent of some of NCIS‘ darker plots. However, there is one big difference in an unexpected way.
Michael Weatherly Revealed NCIS: Tony & Ziva Is An Unreliable Narrator
In a recent interview with TV Guide, Michael Weatherly, who plays Tony, revealed that NCIS: Tony & Ziva is different from other NCIS spinoffs not because the show focuses on a family unit, but because “the show itself is an unreliable narrator.” This opens the door to several questions as plots unfold. It also highlights the ingenuity of the spinoff.
While Weatherly discussed the show’s reliability in terms of its representation of Tony and Ziva’s relationship, the implications of his comment go deeper. If the show truly is unreliable, then nothing is out of the question. Plots that seem straightforward may actually be more profound than they first seem. This heightens the excitement for the series in many ways.
Tony & Ziva Could Recontextualize Major NCIS Moments & Rewrite Franchise History
NCIS: Tony & Ziva being an unreliable narrator opens the door to gaining a new perspective. Assuming that NCIS: Tony & Ziva has flashbacks just like NCIS and its other spinoffs do, then it is plausible that we could revisit some key NCIS scenes in a new light. The flashbacks could make us question which version of events is true.
At the very least, the combination of NCIS: Tony & Ziva‘s unreliability and the show’s flashbacks could work towards recontextualizing major NCIS moments. We have already seen major instances of recontextualizing in NCIS: Origins, as the writers have worked with NCIS canon to deepen certain storylines. The same could happen with NCIS: Tony & Ziva.
The only difference with NCIS: Tony & Ziva is that, so far, we have always taken scenes in the NCIS universe at face value. Now with Weatherly’s comment, we know that won’t be the case. NCIS: Tony & Ziva has the potential to change the way we see NCIS scenes and change how we view the franchise as a whole.
