Will Mark Harmon's Gibbs Return to NCIS: Tony & Ziva? OG Stars Get Ignored in Show's History Recap
NCIS: Tony & Ziva is ready to premiere in September, and the 2 stars, Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, appeared for a panel at Comedian-Con just lately. The duo play the titular characters from the NCIS unique sequence, who appeared collectively for 9 seasons on the present. The final time we noticed them collectively was in the course of the eleventh season of the present.
When the fan favourite ‘Tiva’ returns to the display, all of us need Mark Harmon‘s Gibbs to be there to witness it. Harmon stayed lengthy after each Weatherly and Pablo had been gone from the OG present. He exited the present in Season 19, however stays connected to the franchise as an government producer of NCIS: Origins.
It isn’t simply Gibbs that we wish to see along with Tony and Ziva. We’d love to see the outdated MCRT unit come collectively, together with Sean Murray’s McGee, Rocky Carroll’s Director Vance, and Brian Dietzen’s Jimmy Palmer. However one replace on the San Diego Comedian-Con means that none of those stars will seem in this new spin-off.
The Tony & Ziva panel confirmed a video to the followers in attendance, which recapped the titular characters’ total historical past in the NCIS franchise. This historical past recap will function in the premiere episode of the present. Whereas followers love to see the outdated Tiva moments, it has additionally raised considerations since not one of the solid members from the OG present appeared in this video.
Gibbs and the remainder of the MCRT crew have been like a household to the duo and are one of many greatest cheerleaders of this relationship. Their absence nearly looks like a disrespect in direction of these characters. It additionally means that this spin-off will in all probability keep distance from the OG present.
Mark Harmon’s Gibbs and His MCRT Crew Had been Essential to Tony & Ziva’s Storyline
Ignoring the OG stars of NCIS in the upcoming spinoff, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, can be an enormous mistake. Michael Weatherly was a part of the crew from its first season up till Season 13. Cote de Pablo entered the present in its third season, after the loss of life of Sasha Alexander’s Kate in the Season 2 finale. She exited in Season 11 and was presumed useless by Season 13.
It was the information of Ziva’s alleged loss of life in the thirteenth season that served as an exit storyline for Weatherly’s Tony. Their preliminary relationship started sourly as Tony couldn’t settle for working with the sister of Kate’s killer. Nonetheless, they finally turned an ideal crew.
When Ziva left NCIS to return to Mossad in Season 6 and acquired captured in Somalia, the MCRT crew was deployed to safely carry her again. In Season 11, when assassins pursued Ziva, Gibbs allowed Tony to go to Israel for weeks in search of her. They categorical their emotions for one another, however she finally decides to keep again.
The crew additionally supported Tony when he had to go away the NCIS to care for his daughter in Paris. In Season 16, followers realized that Ziva was nonetheless alive. In Season 17, the MCRT crew, together with Nick Torres and Kate Bishop, intervenes to assist Ziva as she is on the run from Sahar. The 2 episodes in the season additionally explored the father-daughter bond between Gibbs and Ziva.
It may be stated that the MCRT crew performed an enormous position in reuniting the couple in Paris. No matter their present scenario is, ignoring the OG crew from the plot won’t sit properly with followers.
Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo Teased Tony & Ziva’s Connection to the Previous MCRT Crew
Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo recommend that the brand new spinoff isn’t totally ignoring their origin. Throughout their look at Comedian-Con, Pablo opened up about how they’ve by no means forgotten their work with Mark Harmon’s Gibbs. She described it as “such an ideal reminiscence.”
They confirmed a gesture—arms raised, fists balled and swiveling—one thing Weatherly described as “[Harmon’s] signal language factor from an episode.” They shared that they continued to use that gesture all over the place they go. Pablo shared (via Entertainment Weekly):
It was a tribute to Gibbs. I feel we had been in a faculty, proper? On a bus. There was a digicam, and he was form of speaking with us. He felt nobody was watching him. So since that second, each time Michael and I — we could possibly be anyplace in the world — and I’ll simply go (performs the hand gesture) and we all know.
NCIS common Brian Dietzen appeared on the panel as a moderator. He and Weatherly shared an in-show element, which instructed that Tony and Palmer remained buddies even after they left. Their change went like this (via ScreenRant):
Dietzen: Has Tali been getting all of the presents that Jimmy’s been sending her from America?
Weatherly: You probably did give Tali the presents that you just despatched. Good. She appreciated them.
This little in-universe clarification will likely be sufficient to make plenty of followers glad. Michael Weatherly made an look in Season 21, when the OG sequence paid tribute to David McCallum.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva premieres on Paramount+ on September 4, 2025.