New information aboutNCIS: Tony & Zivaconfirms where its events take place in the timeline. While theNCISfranchise continues on network TV with the return ofNCISseason 22 and thepremiere ofNCIS: Origins, it is showing no signs of slowing down soon, with another offshoot in the works.NCIS: Tony & Zivawill be the first series in the universe that will be on a streaming service, as it is set to debut sometime next year on Paramount+. Despite being on a different platform, it remains connected with the biggerNCISumbrella.

Marking the reunion project of Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo’s star-crossed lovers inNCIS, the upcoming spinoff’s main events will take place in modern times but with a caveat per a new report fromDeadline. During the show’s MIPCOM panel, it was confirmed thatNCIS: Tony & Zivawill pick up after Ziva’s supposed death and Tony’s departure from MCRT. It will then tackle subsequent events until Tony’s security firm in Paris is attacked. De Pablo says that it’s part of giving viewers answers about the characters' fates after they left the main show. Read her full quote below:

Leory Gibbs, Anthony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, and Ziva David are gathered to look at something. Gibbs, DiNozzo, and McGee look down and David looks to the right, at Gibbs.

We haven’t seen these characters since 2013 and I think the fans have always wanted to see what happened between them. In our first season, they’re going to get a fix of what has happened.

Why NCIS: Tony & Ziva Picks Up A Decade Ago

Much Has Happened To The Couple After They Left MCRT

As de Pablo explains, the reason forNCIS: Tony & Ziva’s storypicking up more than 10 years ago is to give viewers an idea about what happened to the characters since they were last seen in the main show.Ziva’s death being fake was revealed several years lateras she reunited with Gibbs to hunt down her mysterious foes. After that crisis was averted, she left Washington DC to reunite with her family in Paris. WhileTony returned during Ducky’s specialNCISseason 21 tribute, not much is known about the life he led prior to finding Ziva again.

This removes the pressure to check out the main show to fully understand what’s going on and how Tony & Ziva’s new dilemma connects to their past.

Pauley Perrette as Abby and the cast of NCIS

Beyond catering to long-time fans who were deprived of any proper romance between the couple, going back and establishing how Tony and Ziva got to their current situation in Paris will help theNCISspinoff be more enticing to the general audience. This removes the pressure to check out the main show to fully understand what’s going on and how Tony & Ziva’s new dilemma connects to their past. It also makes it easier for the public to get invested after learning about the struggles that they have had to experience to live a normal life as a family.

Our Take On NCIS: Tony & Ziva’s Unexpected Timeline

Going Back In Time Makes Sense

Revisiting the history of Tony and Ziva in the main series is a brilliant move for the spinoff. Granted that they can just establish that via exposition, it would be better to see how that actually played out. I am curious to know, however, the extent of these scenes. Unlike the other shows in theNCISuniverse,NCIS: Tony & Zivawill only have 10 outings per season— assuming that it gets renewed, although de Pablo makes it sound like there are already plans for its future.

It’s The Perfect Time For Abby Sciuto’s NCIS Return, So I’m So Disappointed About Pauley Perrette’s New Announcement

Six years after she left, now is the perfect time for Abby Sciuto to return in NCIS. Sadly, Pauley Perrette’s new update just makes that impossible.

If it is going to devote a substantial amount of screen time to Tony and Ziva’s backstory, I am wondering if they are also planning on bringing back some NCIS characters. This seems the easiest way to stage some funcameos from fan favorites such as Gibbs and McGee. It will also establish how connectedNCIS: Tony & Ziva’s main couple was to their old team during those years.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva

Cast

NCIS: Tony & Ziva follows former NCIS agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David as they navigate danger across Europe. When Tony’s security company is attacked, the pair must uncover their pursuers and rekindle their trust to secure a future together. Set to be released in 2025, the series ties together personal and professional intrigue.