The return of two beloved NCIS characters, Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), to the flagship could be all the more likely after a disappointing update from Paramount+. Both essential members of the Navy procedural’s Major Case Response Team (MCRT), under the leadership of Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), the agents are essential fan-favorites.
Why NCIS Officially Canceled Its Tony And Ziva Spinoff
At the end of the year, Paramount+ canceled Tony and Ziva’s NCIS spinoff after one season, ending the couple’s unique return to the franchise. While Paramount+ has not confirmed the official reason for the cancellation, a possible reason for the streaming service not renewing the series is declining viewership, despite an initially positive reception from fans and critics.
Over its run, debuting on September 4, NCIS: Tony & Ziva saw a decline in viewership after its opening. Viewership decreased 51% over the first three episodes, according to Luminate data (Variety). The series kicked off with the agents living in Paris with their daughter, Tali (Isla Gie), then going on the run after an attack on Tony’s cybersecurity firm.
The series had a lot of promise, picking up years after their story on NCIS. The agents go on the run after they are framed for the attack on Tony’s company, which causes them to flee across Europe. While evading the police, cybercriminals, and other international threats, Tony and Ziva rekindle their emotional connection, confronting their previously unresolved feelings.
With that, Tony and Ziva’s spinoff story ends things on a resolute note, choosing to try being together romantically again. It left things on a hopeful note in case the series wasn’t renewed, bringing a silver lining to NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s cancellation. Still, there’s a golden window of opportunity now that the spinoff has come to an end.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s Cancellation Could Open The Door To A Flagship Comeback
While it was doubtlessly a sad development for fans of the beloved franchise characters, one closed door leads to another open one in this case. Tony and Ziva were given their own spinoff story due to their enduring popularity in the franchise, and that hasn’t waned since their comeback, allowing the agents to revisit the flagship NCIS series.
Tony and Ziva contributed to a beloved run of classic NCIS episodes, the agents primarily working alongside Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard (David McCallum), Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), and Special Agent-in-Charge Gibbs. While some characters have left the series, other familiar faces remain, and Tony and Ziva’s return presents the opportunity to reunite formative cast members.
Weatherly has already returned to the flagship since his departure, returning in NCIS Season 21 in a special NCIS tribute episode to David McCallum and his Dr. Mallard character after the actor’s death. While many fans would have liked more characters to return for the installment, Tony’s presence was a heartfelt and fitting addition to the sendoff.
Weatherly’s flagship return presents a blueprint for Tony and Ziva’s comeback and proves that their return can enhance the NCIS mothership. While their own spinoff was a great idea, the former special agents may be able to make more of an impact on the original, benefiting from the Navy procedural’s dedicated fans who engage with their series on network TV.
While some characters that are the most emotionally connected to Tony and Ziva, like NCIS forensic scientist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) or Gibbs, aren’t on the flagship anymore and haven’t returned since their departure, it would still doubtlessly make for a great episode to see Tony and Ziva reunite with McGee, Jimmy, and NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll).
