‘NCIS’ Fans Want Ziva to Replace Bishop After Surprise Return

NCIS fans are hoping Ziva David’s return means she will take the place of another member of the team. The CBS crime procedural followed the action-packed second part of Cote de Pablo‘s surprise return, and her reunion and chemistry with the other members of the cast had them wishing she could stay forever.

Spoilers ahead for NCIS Season 17, Episode 2: “Into the Light”

The episode followed as Ziva and the rest of the team worked to stop a series of terrorist attacks linked to Sahar, the woman who put Ziva and Gibbs’ (Mark Harmon) life in danger. The investigation took a turn when it seemed to point at Ziva betraying her old friends to help Sahar in exchange for her safety so she could finally reunite with her love Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Tali.

After revealing that Ziva was actually playing Sahar the whole time, the terrorist ordered her own death as part of a mysterious “Part C” that lead Ziva to leave town again, with the promise of returning later in the season.

The episode also featured her many reunion with Ducky (David McCallum), McGee (Sean Murray) as well as meeting Bishop (Emily Wickersham) and Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) for the first time.

The episode had some fans wishing that Ziva could stay in place of Bishop, noting de Pablo’s chemistry with many of her co-stars.

Some fans even took issue with how Bishop treated Ziva, remembering how it was her who first found out Ziva was still alive in Season 16.

Cote de Pablo is only set to return for two more episodes this season, with series co-showrunner Steven Binder telling Entertainment Tonight Ziva’s story will wrap up at the end of her latest arc.

“There will be a very large full circle when all is said and done,” Binder said ahead of the Season 17 premiere. It will be emotionally obvious. It will be for a lot of characters, not just Ziva. There’s a big bookend here. When you see the B-side, you will know instantly what the A-side was.”

The outlet also asked the bosses if “the door [was] open where [Ziva] could appear in more episodes this season.”

“I will say that, because we’re in the middle of the season and moving fast, all of these things are planned out far in advance. So, our plan right now is our plan,” Binder responded at the time. “We’ve always been a show that thinks quickly on our feet and adapts to change, so I can’t give you anything definitive except that we’ve planned ahead and yet we’re also very nimble. If the opportunity presents itself, which it often does in this show…”

“Many times we’re cruising to the last four episodes and creating our world because things have changed and we’re changing what we’re doing,” he added. “We have a plan right now and it could change. Or it may not. We’ll see how the reception is and what our writers come up with if… watching [these episodes] sparks new ideas. But, we’re a fluid, nimble show for sure.”

NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.