The Cancellation of ‘NCIS L.A’ Opens Up Space For A ‘DiNozzo & Ziva’ Spinoff

CBS now has a massive opportunity with NCIS: Los Angeles out of the way. It should reintroduce Tony and Ziva from NCIS in their own spinoff.

The cast of NCIS is one of the show’s strongest points. The hit cr1me procedural has adapted and reinvented itself numerous times over the years to accommodate new actors and their strengths. And, thanks to NCIS’s dependable procedural format, the series has been a success with the team’s new members. While fans support them, they would like to see some of their favorites, particularly Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David, return.

It’s not out of the question that Tony and Ziva will make another appearance on NCIS. It’s even possible that the two could launch their own venture. The cancellation of NCIS: Los Angeles by CBS opens the door for a new iteration of the show, and Tony and Ziva would be ideal to lead it.

The Cancellation of NCIS: Los Angeles Makes Way for a Spinoff

NCIS: Los Angeles was the first and longest-running NCIS spinoff, but CBS has announced that Season 14 will be the series’ final season. According to Deadline, the series was the top scripted program during its timeslot, averaging 6.06 million viewers per episode. The same article speculated that the cancellation was due to network budget cuts, but canceling such a successful series would appear to necessitate a compelling reason. It’s possible that CBS is planning to launch a new NCIS spinoff, similar to how they canceled NCIS: New Orleans and launched NCIS: Hawai’i.

The NCIS brand continues to have a large fan base, as evidenced by its successful three-way crossover. And since all of television’s biggest franchises have three shows on the air, adding another NCIS makes logistical sense. However, NCIS has always based its spinoffs on locations; it’s long past time for the franchise to embark on a character-driven spinoff. A Tony and Ziva spinoff, in particular, would be the best way forward. Fans still adore Tiva, and the couple has plenty of story material to work with.

Tony and Ziva Could Appear in the Latest NCIS Spinoff

There is precedent for reintroducing Tony and Ziva to the NCIS family. Cote de Pablo reprised her role as Ziva in Season 17, and fans learned that she and Tony were living in France with their daughter Tali. However, Tiva hasn’t been seen together since Season 11, nearly ten seasons ago. A Tony and Ziva spinoff would be even better than a cameo appearance in NCIS Season 20.

It could be set in France, similar to CBS’ hit FBI: International, but it doesn’t have to be. Whatever setting the hypothetical spinoff takes, Tony and Ziva will be at the helm. They’ve always made a great team with Tony’s comic relief and Ziva’s incredible skills, and finally seeing them together in person would be a fan’s dream come true. Another storyline would be added if they became parents.

Aside from the return of de Pablo, Michael Weatherly has always been eager to reprise his role. When he left the show in Season 13, he stated, “I would absolutely be open to anything and everything, including things that no one’s even thought of yet.” Since then, the actor has teased fans with the possibility of a Tony comeback. Recently, a fan commented on one of Weatherly’s New Year’s tweets, saying that fans “would rather look at you and Ziva reuniting and enjoying that moment.” “Stay tuned… for this could be an interesting year for such “moments,” he replied. As a result, fans are hoping Tony and Ziva return to NCIS in some capacity – and they could easily helm their own series.