By channeling the energy of a Fast & Furious rooftop chase and the emotional resonance of a Marvel reunion, Paramount+’s NCIS: Tony & Ziva trailer delivers a masterclass in how to reignite fan passion through character, chemistry, and carnage.
Dropping just in time for the NCIS Season 22 finale on CBS, the first full trailer for the highly anticipated spinoff starring Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo doesn't just tease what's coming — it promises a genre-bending, tone-smashing thrill ride across Europe. And it does so with the kind of confidence that only a decade-and-a-half-old TV love story could provide.
Paramount+ turns up the heat on TV's most iconic on-again-off-again duo
After years of fan theories, wishful thinking, and emotionally loaded rewatching, NCIS: Tony & Ziva gives Tiva believers what they've been craving. But it’s not just about bringing the duo back together — it's about giving them a story that dares to be as messy, dangerous, and affectionate as their original dynamic.
The plot — if you can call it that in a trailer this packed — finds Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David raising their daughter Tali (offscreen born before Weatherly’s exit from the main series) in what looks like a tenuous partnership at best. And yet, when Tony’s security company is attacked, the former agents are plunged into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse across the continent. It's parental protection meets covert chaos, with a side of relationship therapy that’s as sharp-witted as you'd hope.
What the trailer reveals about their relationship—and what it’s called back to
One of the most intriguing threads in the trailer is how it plays with the status of Tony and Ziva’s relationship. Are they broken up? Just co-parenting? Emotionally estranged but operationally unstoppable? Ziva’s offhand line—“On again, maybe again, kind of again, and where we are now”—perfectly sums up the emotional tightrope the series seems ready to walk.
And yet, when Tali is threatened, they snap back into the familiar rhythm that made NCIS TV gold for years. There’s a deliciously meta moment when Tony asks Ziva, “Do you still keep all that deadly stuff in your cookie jars?” —and of course, she does. It’s a line that echoes their original dynamic: one part playful, one part lethal, and always deeply connected.
A tone as bold as a Rob Reiner romcom meets John Wick excursion
What sets NCIS: Tony & Ziva apart from the main show and its previous spinoffs is its willingness to blend genres. The trailer seamlessly shifts from gritty espionage to dark humor to emotional intimacy. Ziva fighting in what looks like a wedding dress one moment, then joking about therapy the next, gives the series a tonal range that feels both fresh and earned.
“So what we’re depending on to save all of these lives is me being charmingly persuasive and you kicking ass?” Ziva quips. Tony’s reply: “Not ideal, but here we go.” It’s the kind of exchange that sums up the series’ promise — to lean into what made these characters iconic, while putting them in new, high-stakes scenarios that force them to evolve.
Behind the scenes powerplayers elevate the Paramount+ original
With John McNamara at the helm—a showrunner whose resume includes The Magicians and Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman—the creative team behind Tony & Ziva clearly knows how to balance serialized storytelling with character-driven drama. McNamara’s comment about plunging the characters into a “dangerous, fun, romantic, exciting chase across Europe” hits the mark perfectly.
And it’s not just about the chase. Both Weatherly and de Pablo serve as executive producers, adding another layer of commitment to getting these characters right. Weatherly’s reflection on how they “fell into this new place with our characters” speaks to a creative energy that’s informed by the past but eager to explore the present—and future.
European locations and new faces add flavor to a familiar franchise
Filmed in Budapest and across other European locales, the series uses its setting to break free from the often procedural, domestic feel of the main NCIS series. This is globe-trotting espionage with a personal twist. Alongside Weatherly and de Pablo, the cast includes Amita Suman, Maximilian Osinski, Julian Ovenden, and James D’Arcy, among others—adding fresh energy to a story that’s as much about survival as it is about trust.
Paramount+ proves fandom and fearless storytelling are a winning combo
NCIS: Tony & Ziva isn’t just a spinoff—it’s a statement from Paramount+ about the kind of storytelling that connects legacy fans with new viewers. It’s about tapping into the emotional core of characters that have become cultural fixtures and giving them a mission—and a family—that matters.
Whether you’re in it for the wild European chases, the deadly-smart Ziva one-liners, or the chance to see Tony DiNozzo back in full charming-ass-kicking mode, this series promises to deliver. And with a serialized format across 10 episodes, it might just be the most combustible—and heartfelt—entry in the NCIS universe yet.
Paramount+’s NCIS: Tony & Ziva premieres this fall. Strap in. It’s going to be a hell of a ride.