Fans of the long-running CBS police procedural NCIS were in for a treat when a spin-off several years in the making was finally announced. Years after departing the original series, Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo are back together again for an all-new NCIS adventure. NCIS: Tony & Ziva will center around the pair’s adventures across Europe, but details about the series have been minimal. However, new information has come to light, revealing an unexpected twist regarding the show’s timeline.
According to Deadline, NCIS: Tony & Ziva will be operating on an entirely different timeline from the original series. Instead of taking place in the present, the spin-off will rewind time to help fill in some gaps for viewers. Fans of NCIS might remember when Ziva was presumed dead, and Tony was left to care for their daughter, whom he was entirely unaware existed. This series will document what happened when the pair were finally reunited several years ago.
With NCIS: Tony & Ziva set nearly a decade in the past, the possibilities for who might pop up on the series are endless. Fans could get a glimpse of Gibbs (Mark Harmon) interacting with two of his favorite former agents or perhaps Pauley Perrette could be convinced to come out of retirement to reprise her iconic role as Abby Sciuto. In a recent appearance at MIPCOM, Pablo commented on reuniting with Weatherly, teasing the new timeline and explaining why it was needed to tell the story of Tony & Ziva.
“We haven’t seen these characters since 2013 and I think the fans have always wanted to see what happened between them. In our first season, they’re going to get a fix of what has happened.”
The NCIS Universe Continues To Expand
After several cancellations in the NCIS universe, including Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Hawaii, the franchise appears to be in a new renaissance period. Besides the aforementioned Tony & Ziva spin-off, NCIS is on the 22nd season of its flagship program, and a new origin series centered around a young Gibbs is also airing. While the franchise appeared to possibly be on its last legs in recent years, the revamped lineup proves otherwise, telling tales across several different moments in time.
Weatherly also chimed in during the panel about the new series, giving fans some insight regarding the decision to film across Europe. The actor shared the desire to give the show an “international, global feel,” which is aided by backdrops like Budapest.