For the NCIS spinoff, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, to be a hit, it needs to include the most tragic element of the two beloved characters. Special agents Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) are back onscreen together after being last seen as partners in NCIS season 11. Although the special agents have managed professionally in the crime procedural, the two have never been able to settle into a personal and romantic relationship.
The pairing between Tony and Ziva is what made the previous seasons of NCIS stand out. They seemed unlikely to work as a great team, but the pair succeeded under pressure against criminal and terrorist threats. Due to Ziva's trust issues and Tony's fear of commitment, the two had a will-they/won't-they relationship that became complicated after they slept together.
The relationship between Tony and Ziva has moved on since the flagship series ended on CBS. The former agents are now raising a daughter, Tali (Isla Gie), as they live abroad in Paris. The agents-turned-parents find themselves on the run as they struggle to keep their daughter safe from unknown threats.
Despite having a child together, Tony and Ziva find themselves at odds with becoming a couple and wonder if their relationship can truly last. "Tiva" fans will have to wait longer before seeing them romantically involved. Yet, it's exactly that uncertain relationship status that is such a vital, if frustrating, element of their thus-far tragically doomed romance.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva Are Not Together When The Spinoff Starts (& That's Frustrating)
Tony and Ziva dancing together in Berlin in NCIS
Image via CBS
What's frustrating about Tony and Ziva not being together as a married couple is that the show seems to be avoiding the inevitable. It also seems strange how Tony and Ziva are seemingly unclear about their relationship in front of their daughter. They just seem like bad parents with their kid caught in the crosshairs. However, part of the appeal of Tony and Ziva is how noncommittal they are to their long-running on-and-off relationship.
Tony & Ziva's On-And-Off Relationship Is Integral To The Appeal Of Their Partnership
Michael Weatherly as Tony DiNozzo, Cote de Pablo as Ziva David, and Isla Gie as Tali in NCIS: Tony & Ziva
The attraction between Tony and Ziva came about from the onscreen chemistry between Weatherly and de Pablo. Although fans were hoping to see romance blossom between their characters, Weatherly left the CBS flagship and took on the leading role in Bull. The writing team behind NCIS had to work in Weatherly's departure and leave room for a possible return. After Ziva's supposed death in season 13, Tony discovered they had a daughter and left the NCIS team to take care of his little one.
However, though the two share a love for their daughter, Talia, they have not yet reached an emotional connection. Their estrangement could be due to the years they spent apart, especially since Tony assumed she was dead. You can only stretch out Tony and Ziva's tumultuous pseudo-relationship so far before viewers lose interest. The payoff has to give the audience a proper and satisfying conclusion to their romance.
Will Tony & Ziva Finally Be Together In The NCIS Spinoff?
Michael Weatherly as Tony and Cote de Pablo as Ziva in NCIS: Tony & Ziva
When ScreenRant attended the recent San Diego Comic-Con 2025, Weatherly confirmed Tony and Ziva's complex relationship status during the NCIS: Tony & Ziva panel. The actor revealed that when the show starts, the protagonists are not together, but they will eventually decide during the series if they ever want to be a couple. Weatherly said to the audience, "It's not a will they/won't they…it's a WHEN will they?"
With Weatherly and de Pablo credited as producers on the Paramount+ drama, the acting duo will have a bigger say in their creative roles. They decide on the direction of their characters as the show progresses. The stars will pick the right time when Tony and Ziva should become a couple, which makes the love story more interesting.
Special agents Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) were flirtatious with one another before their romantic feelings emerged. Although the pair is not officially together as a couple at the start of NCIS: Tony & Ziva, the promise of the two becoming the romantic endgame might be enough to keep viewers invested. Let's hope their daughter gets to finalize the relationship status of her parents as well.
