NCIS: Tony & Ziva – What We Know So Far
What’s the Name of the Show? While initially nicknamed NCIS: Europe, the official title of the new series is NCIS: Tony & Ziva. This was announced by Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo in a video shared on social media on May 7.
What Is the Tony & Ziva Spin-Off About? The new series picks up after Tony and Ziva were reunited in Paris (off-screen) following the revelation that she was alive and had completed one final mission with NCIS. According to the official description, “Since then, Tony and Ziva have been raising their daughter, Tali, together. When Tony’s security company is attacked, they must go on the run across Europe, try to figure out who is after them, and maybe even learn to trust each other again so that they can finally have their unconventional happily ever after.”
In the announcement video, de Pablo teased that fans should expect “intrigue, romance, the backdrop of Europe, impossible situations that will complicate our lives, but somehow a little something about love.”
Why Will It Be Streaming on Paramount+ and Not Airing on CBS? The rest of the NCIS franchise—the original series, NCIS: Hawai’i, NCIS: Sydney, and the upcoming NCIS: Origins—air on CBS, so why is the Tony and Ziva spin-off a streaming series? CBS Studios President David Stapf explained to Deadline, “It was always designed to be. Because it’s going to be on Paramount+, it can exist within the universe without, in our minds, cannibalizing anything else.”
Who’s Starring in the New NCIS Show? Currently, the only confirmed actors are Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, who will also serve as executive producers. The casting for their daughter, Tali, is yet to be announced, though previously, Emelia and Layla Golfieri played the role.
How Many Episodes Will It Be? As a streaming show, the initial order is for 10 episodes. Future seasons, if the show is renewed, are also expected to follow the 10-episode format.
When Will It Air? Production is slated to begin later this year, according to Paramount+.
Will Any Other NCIS Characters Appear? Stapf mentioned to Deadline in March that, as designed, no other former NCIS stars are set to appear, but he didn’t rule out crossovers entirely. Sean Murray (who plays McGee) hinted at the possibility of crossovers, stating, “Yeah, it’s very possible, I’ll say that. Especially inside of our franchise. We like to have fun with some of that stuff, and it’s all in the family, so we’ll see what happens.”
Why Is There a Tony & Ziva Spin-Off? Weatherly and de Pablo had been discussing the possibility of a spin-off for years. According to Stapf, they approached writer John McNamara with the idea, and the timing was right. “They’re constantly getting hit up by fans as to, oh my god, I miss you. When are you going to be back together, what happened to your child and all that stuff,” Stapf told Deadline. “There was an organic reason for this show to exist; it was almost like a fan demand for it.”