After new details about the series’ release plans, NCIS: Tony & Ziva is now in the perfect position to potentially cross over with the core NCIS story. Most fans of earlier NCIS seasons only truly care about two members of the NCIS: Tony & Ziva cast, but many have hoped their return could eventually lead to a reunion with McGee and an adventure with the rest of the current MCRT. The couple have been fan favorites from almost the second of Ziva’s arrival in the wake of Caitlin Todd’s death on NCIS.
Meanwhile, aside from a single appearance by LL Cool J as Sam Hanna and a minor update about the other spinoff offices when Kasey was trying to sell them coffee, the flagship series hasn’t featured much in the way of crossovers at all in recent episodes. With the series’ long history, there are virtually countless ways for the creatives in charge to find reasons to change that, but NCIS season 23 has a unique chance to bring two of the franchise’s most beloved characters back to CBS.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva Is Confirmed To Debut On Paramount This Fall
Season 1 Will Run For A Total Of 10 Episodes
From the moment an NCIS series starring Michael Weatherly’s Anthony DiNozzo and Cote de Pablo’s Ziva David was first announced, long-time fans of the franchise were on the edge of their seats awaiting a release date. That date has yet to receive a formal announcement, but it’s been confirmed that the release window for NCIS: Tony & Ziva will be in fall of 2025. The series will run for 10 episodes on Paramount+ and will partly serve to further explain what both characters have been up to since leaving MCRT.
NCIS Season 23 & Tony & Ziva Airing Concurrently Makes Staging A Crossover Easier
Events Can More Easily Overlap Between The Two Series
With two fan-favorite characters receiving their own spinoff, one of the biggest unanswered questions after NCIS season 22 has been whether next season could now feature the franchise’s most adored power couple. NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s European setting makes a crossover slightly more difficult to justify, but it’s a little easier now that the series are both set to air in fall. Something like a two-part crossover wouldn’t have to wait to air its second half, an issue that occurred recently between the series Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Why NCIS & Tony & Ziva’s Spinoff Needs A Crossover
It’s The Most Plausible Crossover For The Franchise Right Now
The best argument for a crossover between NCIS: Tony & Ziva and the flagship series is simply that neither NCIS: Origins nor NCIS: Sydney provide equally plausible crossover opportunities. One is a prequel set long before Tony and Ziva even joined the agency, and NCIS: Sydney has been far enough removed not to feature a crossover at all in its first two seasons. But after Parker’s tragedy in the NCIS season 22 finale, he might be out of sorts enough going into the next season that he could use some help from McGee’s old friends.
Even if Sydney weren’t in a different timezone to make coordinating with MCRT easier, a crossover between NCIS: Tony & Ziva and the flagship NCIS series would ultimately perform better with long-time followers of the procedural. Fans would undoubtedly be pleased with even a few cameos in the Tony and Ziva spinoff, but seeing them grace the halls of the MCRT offices again would be like a warm blanket for viewers who have waited so long for their return.
