{"id":3773,"date":"2026-07-11T17:24:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-11T12:24:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=3773"},"modified":"2026-07-11T17:24:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-11T12:24:25","slug":"6-ncis-theories-about-the-real-reason-for-tony-dinozzos-ncis-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=3773","title":{"rendered":"6 NCIS Theories About The Real Reason For Tony Dinozzo&#8217;s NCIS Return"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div xmlns:default=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/db\/tv-show\/ncis\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em><strong>NCIS<\/strong><\/em><\/a> is still months away from returning to CBS for season 24, but a piece of casting news has given fans something to talk about for the rest of summer hiatus. Michael Weatherly is returning to the long-running procedural in <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/cbs-complete-fall-2026-schedule\/\" target=\"_blank\">CBS fall 2026 schedule<\/a> as Tony DiNozzo, just one year after the premiere of <em>NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva<\/em> and months after the Paramount+ series was cancelled. It will be Weatherly&#8217;s first return to the original show since a one-off appearance in 2024, and the big question is why he&#8217;ll be back. <\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<p>This won&#8217;t be another one-off return for the actor, and certainly not a guest appearance for the purpose of recruiting an audience for the <em>Tony &amp; Ziva<\/em> spinoff. Weatherly will be <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ncis-season-24-michael-weatherly-dinozzo-return-confirmed\/\" target=\"_blank\">back for a &#8220;season-long arc&#8221;<\/a> in season 24. That technically could mean anything from two episodes to twenty, and Cote de Pablo&#8217;s arc when she returned for season 17 over four episodes. Still, even with details currently scarce, all signs point to a fair amount of Tony, starting in the fall, back on the original <em>JAG<\/em> spinoff.<\/p>\n<p>The big question now is what will bring Tony to <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ncis-season-24-explained\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>NCIS<\/em> season 24<\/a> so many years after Weatherly left as a series regular, back in the finale of season 13. The spinoff already resolved his open ending when he left the agency to take care of Tali, so there&#8217;s a blank slate ahead of him for the new season. <\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"something-happened-to-ziva-or-tali\">\n                        Something Happened To Ziva Or Tali<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;Paramount+&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tony, Ziva, and Tali in NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/tony-ziva-and-tali-in-ncis_-tony-ziva.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Tony, Ziva, and Tali in NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva<\/figcaption><small class=\"body-img-caption\">Paramount+<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Despite a fan campaign for more of <em>NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva<\/em> after the series was cancelled, the first season didn&#8217;t end on any unresolved cliffhangers. Tony and Ziva were ready to give their tumultuous romance another try, and they were happily reunited with their daughter after Tali had been kidnapped. Notably, the announcement that Michael Weatherly was coming to <em>NCIS<\/em> for season 24 didn&#8217;t come with any news about Cote de Pablo returning as Ziva.<\/p>\n<p>While it&#8217;s possible that Tony just left Ziva and Tali overseas for a bit to take care of some business solo in the U.S., the odds seem better than something happened to one or both of them that requires him to recruit the help of his old team. A lot likely depends on whether there&#8217;s a forthcoming announcement that de Pablo is coming back to the original show as well<em>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"an-old-case-causes-new-problems\">\n                        An Old Case Causes New Problems<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;MovieStillsDB&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tony making a sign to McGee in NCIS season 10\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-08-05-am-5986.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Tony making a sign to McGee in NCIS season 10<\/figcaption><small class=\"body-img-caption\">MovieStillsDB<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Michael Weatherly&#8217;s most recent adventures in the franchise were on <em>NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva<\/em>, but he didn&#8217;t spend 13 seasons and more than 300 episodes on the original show without working high-profile cases and making enemies. An old case that wasn&#8217;t entirely resolved the first time around could resurface, and the team could require Tony&#8217;s services to close it for good in season 24. <em>NCIS<\/em> is mostly procedural, so there aren&#8217;t too many serialized arcs across those 300 episodes compared to one-off episodes. Still, it would be a straightforward way to bring him back.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"ncis-season-24-michael-weatherly-dinozzo-return-confirmed\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                                                                                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ncis-season-24-michael-weatherly-dinozzo-return-confirmed\/\"><br \/>\n                        <img width=\"440\" height=\"248\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The early cast of NCIS, including Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly, standing together in a promotional photo\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/the-early-cast-of-ncis-standing-together-in-a-promotional-photo.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/the-early-cast-of-ncis-standing-together-in-a-promotional-photo.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ncis-season-24-michael-weatherly-dinozzo-return-confirmed\/\" title=\"Another 13-Season NCIS Veteran Confirms Franchise Return\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tAnother 13-Season NCIS Veteran Confirms Franchise Return<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">It&#8217;s the season of returns for NCIS, with another fan-favorite veteran actor making his way back to the CBS procedural for an extended arc.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>One factor that might require his services is simply that the cast heading into season 24 is almost entirely different from the cast when Tony was a member of the team. Gibbs (Mark Harmon), Abby (Pauley Perrette), Bishop (Emily Wickersham), Ducky (David McCallum), and Vance (Rocky Carroll) are all gone. Perhaps McGee and Jimmy will need to call on Tony to revisit a case from their mutual pasts, without any of the others to call on.<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tony-39-s-security-firm-ties-to-the-team\">\n                        Tony&#8217;s Security Firm Ties To The Team<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;MovieStillsDB&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tony wielding a gun in NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-56-am-7782.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Tony wielding a gun in NCIS: Tony &amp; Ziva<\/figcaption><small class=\"body-img-caption\">MovieStillsDB<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Tony may have spent the majority of his time in the <em>NCIS<\/em> franchise as a field agent, but he returned in <em>Tony &amp; Ziva<\/em> as the CEO of Salus Mondiale Security Services, based out of Paris. Being on the run for the majority of the season meant that Tony wasn&#8217;t actively running his security firm for most of the ten episodes, but one of his employees had a key role. Claudette Caron, played by Amita Suman, was pivotal as the Chief Technical Officer. <\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s feasible that the main NCIS team comes across a case that involves Salus Mondiale Security Services and requires them to get in touch with Tony. Alternatively, Tony could come across a case in Europe that requires the involvement of NCIS. The possibility of Claudette Caron returning would be a perk, especially if Cote de Pablo won&#8217;t be back for an arc. Tony&#8217;s work in the private sector could be an interesting contrast to the agents who have to go by the book. <\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"a-connection-to-gibbs-on-ncis-origins\">\n                        A Connection To Gibbs On NCIS: Origins<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mark Harmon wearing his hat in an episode of NCIS and smiling\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/mark-harmon-wearing-his-hat-in-an-episode-of-ncis-and-smiling.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Mark Harmon wearing his hat in an episode of NCIS and smiling<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Michael Weatherly isn&#8217;t the only longtime <em>NCIS<\/em> star who is returning to the franchise on CBS starting in the fall. <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/mark-harmon-gibbs-ncis-origins-season-3-return-confirmed\/\" target=\"_blank\">Mark Harmon will reprise his role as Gibbs<\/a> for the third season of <em>NCIS: Origins<\/em>, and is set to appear in every episode. Details are scarce about what exactly will require Gibbs to return in the flesh, as opposed to just continuing to narrate the story. This will be the first time that Harmon is back in a regular (or even recurring) role in the franchise after departing in season 19. <\/p>\n<aside class=\"display-card  article article-card small  no-badge  active-content                              \" data-include-community-rating=\"false\" id=\"ncis-origins-season-3-sydney-season-4-downgrage-episode-count\" data-nosnippet=\"\">\n<p>                                                                                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ncis-origins-season-3-sydney-season-4-downgrage-episode-count\/\"><br \/>\n                        <img width=\"440\" height=\"248\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mark Harmon as Gibbs in NCIS: Origins\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/mark-harmon-as-gibbs-in-ncis_-origins.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/mark-harmon-as-gibbs-in-ncis_-origins.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=220&amp;h=124&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                    <\/a><\/p>\n<p>                    <span data-field=\"label\" class=\"article-card-label\"><label>Related<\/label><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-content regular article-block\">\n<h5 class=\"display-card-title \">\n<p>\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ncis-origins-season-3-sydney-season-4-downgrage-episode-count\/\" title=\"NCIS Officially Gets Significant Downgrade From CBS Despite Continued Popularity\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tNCIS Officially Gets Significant Downgrade From CBS Despite Continued Popularity<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t<\/h5>\n<p class=\"display-card-excerpt\">CBS makes a few more changes to its roster for the 2026-2027 cycle, including a significant downgrade for the NCIS universe although it&#8217;s still a hit.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Without any key details for either Tony&#8217;s return to <em>NCIS<\/em> or Gibbs&#8217; big role on <em>Origins<\/em> this fall, it&#8217;s hard to predict exactly how their arcs will (or will not) overlap. Whatever happens, it would be a shame if the franchise brings both characters back after so many years, only to not reunite them on camera. Whether via Ziva and Tali, an old case, or his security firm, Tony crossing paths with Gibbs again could be a perk in season 24 of the original (or season 3 of <em>NCIS: Origins<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"reconnecting-after-vance-39-s-death\">\n                        Reconnecting After Vance&#8217;s Death<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;MovieStillsDB&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rocky Carroll as Vance in NCIS season 21\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-9185.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Rocky Carroll as Vance in NCIS season 21<\/figcaption><small class=\"body-img-caption\">MovieStillsDB<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Despite <em>NCIS<\/em> season 23 ending on a cliffhanger for Torres and bringing Bishop back for a couple of episodes, the biggest twist from last season was undoubtedly the death of Leon Vance. The drama <a href=\"https:\/\/screenrant.com\/ncis-season-23-episode-13-leon-vance-dead\/\" target=\"_blank\">killed the director off in the 500th episode<\/a>, and a big question for the reason of the season concerned who would replace him. While it&#8217;s technically possible that Tony could return to take a new leadership position within NCIS after Vance&#8217;s death, the former agent jumping from the private sector in Paris to a major role in his old agency would be a stretch.<\/p>\n<p>It seems more likely that Tony would want to reconnect with members of his old team after getting the bad news about Vance. Even though most of his former peers are gone by the time season 24 kicks off, he worked with McGee and Jimmy for many years during Vance&#8217;s time as director. If Tony is in the U.S. for some reason, he could touch base with them, and then get sucked into a case when he had only intended to pay his respects. <\/p>\n<p>    <!-- No AdsNinja v10 Client! --><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tony-39-s-dad-dies\">\n                        Tony&#8217;s Dad Dies<br \/>\n               <\/h2>\n<div class=\"body-img landscape mobile-optimized\">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  image-expandable  img-article-item\" style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;MovieStillsDB&quot;\">\n<figure><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=500&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=800&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"1650\" height=\"928\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tony DiNozzo and his dad in NCIS\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-52-am-3121.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=825&amp;dpr=2\"\/>\n        <\/picture><figcaption style=\"display: none;\">Tony DiNozzo and his dad in NCIS<\/figcaption><small class=\"body-img-caption\">MovieStillsDB<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>A tragic twist could be what brings Tony back, if <em>NCIS<\/em> would go so far as to kill off his father. Even though actor Robert Wagner only appeared in 23 episodes as Tony Dinozzo Sr. and his relationship with his son was strained, the former agent losing his dad could certainly bring him back to the United States. Wagner hasn&#8217;t appeared in the franchise since season 16, but longtime fans would undoubtedly welcome him as Tony Sr. That said, Wagner is 96 years old at the time of writing, and that 2019 episode of <em>NCIS<\/em> remains his last TV credit (via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/name\/nm0001822\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><em>IMDb<\/em><\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>If Tony Jr. were to lose his dad due to natural causes, his return to <em>NCIS<\/em> might be fairly straightforward. If Tony Sr. were to due under mysterious circumstances, however, he might want to bring his suspicions to the NCIS team. It would be a shame for Tony to lose his dad so soon after stepping for as Tali&#8217;s dad on <em>Tony &amp; Ziva<\/em>, but his father dying would be a logical way to bring him back in some form or other. <\/p>\n<div class=\"display-card type-screen large\" data-show-streamrentbuy-links=\"true\" data-include-community-rating=\"true\" id=\"671e-4416-aeb54ae9fb83\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"display-card-main-content\">\n<div class=\"display-card-content image-column\">\n<p>                        <!--    Rating block community and brand ratings --><br \/>\n                        <!--  Image --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-img  has-image-group\" data-stnl=\"%7B%22category%22%3A%22Click%20Interactions%22%2C%22name%22%3A%22Tag%20Display%20Card%22%2C%22action%22%3A%22Fullscreen%20Image%20Load%22%2C%22once%22%3Atrue%7D\" data-stnl-group-once=\"axY4j2iaZX\">\n<div class=\"body-img portrait \">\n<div class=\"responsive-img  img-article-square\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg\" data-modal-id=\"single-image-modal\" data-modal-container-id=\"single-image-modal-container\" data-img-caption=\"&quot;&quot;\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=300&amp;dpr=2\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=400&amp;dpr=1\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=320&amp;dpr=2\"\/><img width=\"480\" height=\"720\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=1\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/0383007_poster_w780-1.jpg?q=70&amp;fit=contain&amp;w=480&amp;dpr=1\"\/>\n        <\/picture>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        <!-- User Rating widget --><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"display-card-content info-column\">\n                                                                                                                            <!--  Display card tags widget --><\/p>\n<p>                                                <!--  Display card community and brand rating widget --><br \/>\n                                                                <!--  Display card main info widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-info main-info\">\n<dl>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Release Date<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSeptember 23, 2003<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<p><dt>\n                                            <strong>Showrunner<\/strong>\n                                        <\/dt>\n<dd>\n                                            <span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDonald P. Bellisario<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/span>\n                                        <\/dd>\n<\/p>\n<\/dl><\/div>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card main info widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!--  Display card media widget start --><\/p>\n<p>                                        <!--  Display card media widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Cast widget start --><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-display-card-cast\">\n<ul class=\"cast-tab-list\">\n<li class=\"cast-tab full-width\">\n                                                                                <img width=\"100\" height=\"130\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Headshot Of Sean Murray\" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/instar53701932.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=50&amp;h=65&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/instar53701932.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=50&amp;h=65&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-cast-info flex\">\n<p>Sean Murray<\/p>\n<p>\n                                                    Timothy McGee\n                                                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"cast-tab full-width\">\n                                                                                <img width=\"100\" height=\"130\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Headshot Of David McCallum \" data-img-url=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/instar49192673.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=50&amp;h=65&amp;dpr=2\" src=\"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/instar49192673.jpg?q=49&amp;fit=crop&amp;w=50&amp;h=65&amp;dpr=2\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"w-cast-info flex\">\n<p>David McCallum<\/p>\n<p>\n                                                    Dr. Donald &#8216;Ducky&#8217; Mallard\n                                                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>                                        <!-- Cast widget end --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to watch button preview --><\/p>\n<p>                    <!-- Where to watch preview end --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>            <!-- Extra content section, display hidden by default --><br \/>\n            <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"extra-content-671e-4416-aeb54ae9fb83\" name=\"extra-content-671e-4416-aeb54ae9fb83\" class=\"expand-extra-info-checkbox css-menu-checkbox\"\/> <!-- Checkbox: control the expandable behavior  of the extra info --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- Display card footer --><\/p>\n<p>            <!-- PROS and CONS section --><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NCIS is still months away from returning to CBS for season 24, but a piece of casting news has given fans something to talk about for the rest of summer hiatus. Michael Weatherly is returning to the long-running procedural in CBS fall 2026 schedule as Tony DiNozzo, just one year after the premiere of NCIS:&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static0.srcdn.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/mixcollage-09-jul-2026-07-53-am-5672.jpg?w=1600&h=900&fit=crop","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3773","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3773\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}