‘NCIS’ Showrunners Tease Answers About Tony After Ziva’s Big Return

NCIS already brought back Ziva David for a twisty new arc in Season 17, but could her return bring another fan-favorite character back to the show? The long running CBS crime procedural is set to bring back Cote de Pablo’s elusive character for the first two episodes of the upcoming season, and some more later.

The series brought the beloved character back in the last scene of the Season 16 finale, leading to an avalanche of speculation from fans.

In a new interview with TVLine, NCIS showrunners Steve Binder and Frank Cardea spoke about what is coming when the series returns, including what questions fans should really be asking.

The outlet writes that what Gibbs knew and when he knew it about the Ziva twist “is the elephant in the room,” Binder said. He also teased that “answers will be forthcoming” about baby daddy Tony’s (Michael Weatherly) potential involvement in Ziva staying hidden, as well as where he is now. Whether that means the Weatherly will reprise the role in a future episode remains to be seen.

The show will not be revolving entirely on Ziva this season, as Cardea teased more moments surrounding Gibbs’ existential crisis at the end of last season, when he decided to let go of Rule 10: Not getting emotionally involved in his cases.

“He’s had his best friend’s daughter in a life-or-death situation, and now he’s got Ziva reappearing in his life,” Binder told the outlet. “We’re going to see a bit more of what happens when a guy like Gibbs decides to start doing things because his emotions are taking him there.”

The producers also teased some reveals about Jimmy Palmer’s (Brian Dietzen) personal life.

“We may dig into Jimmy Palmer’s home life a little,” Binder added, also teasing some new information about Kasie (Diona Reasonover) coming up.

“We’re introducing a few more people who work in the NCIS headquarters,” he teased further. “Maybe something fun will come from that.”

The preview comes a few weeks after Binder gave some context to the Ziva mystery ahead, including the fight against a dangerous enemy coming soon.

“The initial genesis of this story was — and this is a clue — it’s something that has been part of the fabric of the show, her character and the introduction of her character from the very beginning,” Binder told Parade earlier this summer. “So, we’re playing with the DNA of Ziva David in terms of this jeopardy. This isn’t some newly created arch-nemesis conspiracy theory or conspiracy that she’s tried to get out from beneath. This will tie into the lore and history of the show.”

NCIS will return for its Season 17 premiere Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.