NCIS Season 24: Michael Weatherly Returns as Tony DiNozzo for a Full Season Arc

How long was Michael Weatherly actually on the original NCIS?

Thirteen seasons and over 300 episodes, making him one of the show's five original series regulars when it launched. He first played DiNozzo in a two-part backdoor pilot on JAG back in 2003, before NCIS spun off as its own show. He departed as a series regular in the Season 13 episode "Family First," when Tony resigned from the team to raise his daughter Tali after learning Ziva David, his partner in both work and life, was believed dead.

Did he ever come back before this announcement?

Yes, twice, in different forms. He made a brief cameo appearance in Season 21, during a tribute episode honoring the late David McCallum's character, medical examiner Donald "Ducky" Mallard. Then, in 2025, he reunited more fully with Cote de Pablo, who played Ziva, in the Paramount+ spinoff NCIS: Tony & Ziva, following the two characters and their daughter as they lived and worked in Europe while Tony ran his own private security company, Salus Mondiale.

Why is he back on the flagship show now instead of continuing the spinoff?

Because Paramount+ cancelled NCIS: Tony & Ziva after just one season, in December 2025, a genuinely surprising decision given the character's popularity. Weatherly and de Pablo released a joint statement at the time saying, "We feel incredibly lucky to have had the chance to play these characters once again and to tell the next chapter of Tony and Ziva's story," thanking their crew and Paramount+ partners. Roughly six months later, this new season-long NCIS arc was announced, effectively bringing Tony back into the mothership series rather than continuing the standalone spinoff format.

What's the actual story bringing him back into NCIS specifically?

According to showrunner Steven D. Binder, "When we meet Tony this season, he's back in Washington expanding his private security company, Salus Mondiale, and finds himself drawn into a case that feels right at home in the NCIS universe." Binder specifically highlighted that the return lets the show explore how Tony has changed since audiences last saw him: "He's still the charismatic, quick-witted DiNozzo fans know and love, but now he's also a parent navigating life with a daughter, which has given him a little more perspective, maturity, and emotional depth."

Who will Tony actually be working with this season, given how much the cast has changed?

Almost an entirely different team than the one he left. The current NCIS cast includes Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Katrina Law, and Gary Cole, meaning Tony will be meeting series regulars Nick Torres, Jessica Knight, Alden Parker, and Kasie Hines for the first time, while reuniting with longtime cohorts Timothy McGee and Jimmy Palmer, both of whom he already knows from his original run.

Is there a bigger structural reason the show needed a familiar face like Tony back right now?

Genuinely yes, and it's tied to a real gap the show has been navigating. Director Leon Vance, played by Rocky Carroll for 18 years, was killed off in the show's milestone 500th episode, and that leadership void has remained unfilled since. Brian Dietzen, who plays Jimmy Palmer, told TVLine back in April that he'd personally like to see "a familiar face" step into that role, suggesting the show's own cast and crew have been hoping for exactly this kind of returning character to help fill the gap Vance's death left behind.

Is Cote de Pablo also expected to return alongside Weatherly?

Unconfirmed as of this announcement. CBS has declined to comment on whether de Pablo will also appear, or whether the show plans to directly continue or retcon the storylines established in the now-cancelled Tony & Ziva spinoff. It's also unclear whether Ziva herself will factor into Tony's story this season at all, or whether his arc will focus more narrowly on his own security company and daughter.

Is Weatherly the only major NCIS alum returning around the same time?

No, he's actually the second high-profile alum announced in short succession. Mark Harmon is also set to reprise his iconic role as Gibbs in a season-long arc on the prequel spinoff NCIS: Origins, meaning the broader NCIS franchise is leaning heavily on nostalgia and beloved returning characters across multiple shows at once this fall.

When does Season 24 actually premiere?

This fall on CBS, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with new episodes also streaming on Paramount+, ahead of the premiere of a new spinoff, NCIS: New York.

Frequently asked questions

Is Michael Weatherly returning to NCIS permanently? No, it's described as a season-long arc for Season 24, not a permanent return to the main cast.

Why was NCIS: Tony & Ziva cancelled? Paramount+ cancelled the spinoff after one season in December 2025; no official reason was given publicly.

Will Cote de Pablo also appear in NCIS Season 24? Unconfirmed as of this announcement. CBS has not commented on whether she'll return alongside Weatherly.

Who else is returning to the NCIS franchise around the same time? Mark Harmon is reprising Gibbs for a season-long arc on the prequel spinoff, NCIS: Origins.

How many episodes did Michael Weatherly originally appear in as Tony DiNozzo? Over 300 episodes across his original 13 seasons on the flagship series.

Why did Tony DiNozzo originally leave NCIS? He resigned in Season 13 to raise his daughter Tali after Ziva David was believed dead.

Is there still a vacancy for NCIS director following Leon Vance's death? Yes, the role has remained unfilled since Vance was killed off in the show's 500th episode, and cast members have expressed hope a familiar face might fill it.

When does NCIS Season 24 premiere? This fall on CBS, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with episodes also streaming on Paramount+.

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