CBS is going big on the NCIS franchise this fall in the 2025 TV schedule with three full hours, but fans can also use a Paramount+ subscription to check back in with Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo and Cote de Pablo’s Ziva David. NCIS: Tony & Ziva will deliver the on-screen reunion of Tony and Ziva that fans have been eagerly anticipating for years… except I only knew about Tony and Ziva insofar as I’d see people eagerly shipping “Tiva” online and pick up some crumbs here and there if I’d catch a stray episode of the original series.
All of that is to say that I did not go into Tony & Ziva as a fan of the original show, but I was curious enough after all the chatter that I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. I watched the first three episodes, all of which will be available on premiere day on September 4, and I’m ready to concede that all the Tiva fans were definitely onto something!
What NCIS: Tony & Ziva Is About For Newcomers
An NCIS fan could use this opportunity for a rundown of all the history between Tony and Ziva over their years together on the original show. I can’t do that, but I can share that the show picks up years after Tony and Ziva's post-NCIS reunion, which is a pretty blank slate.
More relevant to newcomers is the fact that they've been co-parenting their young daughter, Tali, without being in a romantic relationship. The action begins when Tony's security company is attacked, which means relying on their old law enforcement skills to try and crack the case while getting closer in the process. The first trailer set up the backstory well enough to sell me on the idea that I could follow along without needing to binge-watch seasons of old episodes.
Before I even streamed the first episode, I was encouraged by knowing the show not starting with Tony and Ziva together as a couple, so newbies can enjoy a will they/won’t they instead of being tossed into an established romance. The trailer also looked different enough from what little I’ve seen of OG NCIS that the show comes across as more of a spy thriller than a network TV procedural.
Plus, releasing on Paramount+ presumably meant that perhaps the original CBS characters could drop an F-bomb or two on the streaming series. Hey, if Law & Order: Organized Crime could do it when switching from NBC to Peacock, why not this NCIS spinoff on Paramount+?
Still, even knowing that the showrunner intended Tony & Ziva to work for newcomers as well as longtime fans, I had my doubts about jumping into the deep end of what I gather is the franchise’s most iconic relationship without knowing much more than what I picked up by chance on CBS and/or spotted on social media.
What Worked For Me As A Non-NCIS Fan
As expected, there are some NCIS references that I knew enough to recognize but are surely a lot more exciting to fans of the show than they were to me. The action and adventure of Tony & Ziva are entertaining enough to watch, and the scenery proves that the show definitely made the most of filming in Budapest, with CBS’ FBI: International already proving how well the city in Hungary can double for other locations as needed. (Alas, FBI: International’s cancellation presumably means I’ll never get my wild wish for a CBS crossover with Tony & Ziva.)
If we don't account for the chemistry between Tony and Ziva and just focus instead on what can be written in a script, planned on a location, and choreographed as a stunt, the first three episodes of the new show are a perfectly adequate but not super memorable way to pass a few hours. Accounting for that chemistry, however, I didn’t feel out of my depth at all as somebody who doesn’t know all the ins and outs of the NCIS world.
The show does benefit by picking up with the main characters not in a romantic relationship, because it provides something to root for beyond car chases, explosions, and races through Europe. I 100% will understand if any longtime fans are on the opposite end of the spectrum, considering that The X-Files – of which I’m practically a lifetime fan – did something similar with its revival.
What works for me is that the series makes the most of the stars’ chemistry without making it feel contrived that the characters aren’t together from the jump. I do wonder if I would have latched onto the chemistry as quickly as I did if I wasn’t already aware of the passionate (and patient) Tiva fanbase, but it worked. What might have basically just been a fine start to an okay series hooked me to at least another episode.
Do I Recommend Tony & Ziva To Newcomers?
All of this said, is NCIS: Tony & Ziva worth checking out for newbies to the franchise? It might just be up your alley if you enjoy a serialized crime story released weekly, and it could actually be of interest for any recovering FBI: International fans.
I felt fine going in without knowing the full saga of Tiva, and definitely was able to enjoy the chemistry of the leads. What can I say? I love a will they/won’t they in a show that otherwise doesn’t focus a lot on romance… even if the existence of their daughter is very much proof that they did at least temporarily resolve that dynamic once upon a time.
I do think it will benefit from releasing episodes weekly, since I was hooked enough to watch all three in a row, but not quite hooked enough that I was ready to commit to the next seven right off the bat. Keep streaming one new installment weekly? Sure. Binge-watch all ten at once? Maybe not. If you’re on the fence, I’d suggest checking out the trailer below:
The first three episodes of NCIS: Tony & Ziva premiere on Thursday, September 4, with one new episode releasing weekly afterwards through the end of October. If I haven’t convinced you and you want to check out episodes of the OG series to enhance the Tony & Ziva experience, you can also find every episode of that series on the Paramount streamer.
Personally, I’m curious to learn if the original NCIS will nod to Tony & Ziva when it arrives back on CBS in October. I may just have to ask CinemaBlend’s NCIS expert about it next month!
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