Will 'NCIS: Tony & Ziva' Return for Season 2? Stars Weigh In

The Legacy of NCIS and the New Spinoff

The latest addition to the NCIS universe, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, has just launched on Paramount+ with its first three episodes. This marks the latest spinoff in a long-running franchise that has captivated audiences for years. The original NCIS series, where both Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo first introduced their iconic characters, is currently entering its 23rd season. Both actors have spoken about how fortunate they feel to have been part of such a successful show and are eager to continue portraying their characters.

Weatherly and de Pablo have expressed their deep appreciation for the opportunity to revisit their roles. De Pablo shared her thoughts with TV Insider, saying, “I think we’d be lucky to play these characters for — look, I’ll say this: Season 1 was like a dream. It was so much fun to go back and revisit these characters. Where this goes, we know not.” She emphasized the importance of the project, noting that both she and Weatherly felt a sense of responsibility to the fans. “We felt we owed it to the fans,” she said. “And so we’re really happy about this just being able to happen. We manifested it. It came together beautifully.”

De Pablo also praised the creative direction of the show, particularly highlighting the work of showrunner John McNamara. “He came up with a world that is beautiful. I mean, visually. You saw how beautiful the backdrop of Europe is and how it almost is like a character in itself, like how that backdrop is its own sort of romantic character that allows the story to so beautifully be played out.”

She added, “We’re just grateful that we got a chance to do it, and the rest is the rest. If we got a chance to do it again, we’d be thrilled.”

Nostalgia and Humor from the Original Cast

Weatherly shared a humorous memory from his time on the original NCIS series. He recalled a joke he and de Pablo, along with Sean Murray (who plays Timothy McGee), would make at every crime scene. “It was a weekly occurrence for us, and we had to wear the rubber gloves and the hats,” he said. De Pablo interjected, “And the jackets.” Weatherly continued, “And the backpack, and it’s like a Halloween costume. We did so many of those things that you forget that there’s a decapitated corpse in front of you or whatever. You’re just walking around eating a sandwich.”

The trio often joked about how many more seasons they had left. “Depending on who was feeling particularly squirrelly that day, we’d turn to the other two and go, ‘How many more seasons you got? How many more seasons you got?’” de Pablo said. “And we’d just die laughing.”

She also reflected on the intensity of working on the original NCIS series. “Back then, we had 24-episode seasons, which was the result of 10 months straight of work. Thank God we were much younger. Very little sleep,” she admitted. “We were going on Episode, like, 15. We were already, of course, very third, but thank God, we showed up to work and we just loved it. We laughed every day.”

Memories of Gibbs and the Golden Era

Weatherly also remembered the iconic line from Gibbs, played by Mark Harmon. “‘Grab your gear’ is something I remember well,” he said. De Pablo added that Harmon often shared a meaningful message with the cast. “He used to always say something, which could not have been more true. He said, ‘You have no idea how special and how rare this is.’ And Michael and I often talk about that. We say, ‘Boy, that was such a beautiful time, a golden time.’”

She described the magic of the first season of T&Z. “Season 1 of T&Z was very magical. And Michael and I looked at each other many a time, and I’d have to pinch myself. I’d have to go, ‘I can’t believe we’re doing this. I can’t believe we’re playing these characters, and I can’t believe I get to play with you.’ And I was happy every single time I showed up to work.”

Looking Ahead

McNamara, the showrunner, remains cautious about the future of the series. “I try never to count my chickens before they’re hatched. I’m just focused on finishing this season and trying to make it as good as possible,” he said. “And honestly, it is going to be entirely up to the fans and the subscribers to Paramount+ and ultimately to Paramount and CBS. It’s their property and it’s their money.”

As fans eagerly await the next episodes, many are hoping for multiple seasons of NCIS: Tony & Ziva. The show continues to bring back the charm and nostalgia of the original NCIS while offering a fresh perspective on the beloved characters.