By Robert Scucci
| Published 8 seconds ago
Anthony DiNozzo and Ziva David are finally back in action with the premiere of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, and I decided to give the new spinoff a go out of morbid curiosity. Diehard fans are flocking to the Paramount+ exclusive, and the series currently boasts an 88 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes after dropping its first three episodes last week. After barreling through the premiere myself, I found there’s one thing missing from Tony & Ziva that was ever-present in the flagship series: natural chemistry between Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo.
I’m hoping they’re just shaking off the rust after being absent from the NCIS-verse, and that we’ll soon see more snark and passion behind two characters who deserve a proper reprisal.
The Developing Story in Tony & Ziva
Kicking off in Paris, NCIS: Tony & Ziva reintroduces an older, wiser, and somehow more chiseled Anthony DiNozzo, who now runs a private cybersecurity firm named Salus Mondiale. Ziva, Tony’s on-again-off-again lover (also in excellent shape after years away from the field), now owns a language school in Paris and co-parents Tali out of wedlock from a safe but reachable distance.
When a massive cyber threat known as 9.4 nearly destroys Tony’s reputation, the hackers behind it target Tali, forcing the kinda-couple to put their heads together to find out who’s orchestrating the attacks. Through flashback sequences, we learn about Tony and Ziva’s relationship and parenting struggles in the years after their NCIS tenure. With much focus on Ziva’s PTSD from her years as a Mossad officer and NCIS agent, we learn how desperately she needs to let go of the past and live a normal civilian life.
My biggest gripe with NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which I think has a ton of potential once it finds its groove, is how wooden the acting feels. What drew me to the screen in the original series was top-notch crime procedural banter rooted in deep affection between two complicated characters. The best way to describe what’s happening now is to say that it’s as if both Weatherly and de Pablo had their memories wiped, were handed an AI-generated rundown of their characters, and told to start over.
Ziva, known for her classic “Ziva-isms” – the botched idioms that became a fan-favorite part of her character – once said things like “I feel like a donkey’s butt,” or “look who’s calling the pot black.” In episode 2, she offers, “I feel like I’m pulling teeth, which by the way, I’m not above.”
Cote de Pablo as Ziva
It’s reasonable to assume that after more than a decade, she might have improved her colloquialisms, but part of her charm was always her intimidating intelligence paired with her inability to fully blend into a conversation. That mix created both tension and comic relief, and it’s exactly what Tony & Ziva is missing.
Meanwhile, Tony, the resident movie buff, drops the limp line, “We’re like a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde with better snacks.” It’s a nice callback, but it doesn’t land like the sharp, deep-cut references he used to weave into casual dialogue on NCIS.
There’s Still Hope
NCIS: Tony & Ziva has plenty of potential despite its shortcomings, and I’ll be tuning in on September 11, 2025 for the next episode, “Wedding Crashers.” The hacker plot has serious legs, and Interpol’s involvement sets up a juicy story about corrupt officials while our heroes flee safehouses, investigate the 9.4 chip, and weigh the national and international security risks it poses.
Michael Weatherly as Tony
What excites me most is the potential crossover with the flagship series, hinted at in the marketing. In my mind, Tony & Ziva is the NCIS-verse’s way to soft-reboot the characters without breaking continuity; they’re doing their own thing until audiences are ready to welcome them back. Until then, all the elements of a great spinoff are here. It just hasn’t found its footing yet.
And honestly, I just hope we get a car chase that tops 20 miles per hour.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva is a Paramount+ exclusive, and can be streamed with an active subscription.