NCIS is trending in the United States because Michael Weatherly is returning as Tony DiNozzo for Season 24, prompting new questions about how the character has changed and what his reunion with Ziva David will mean for the series.
Weatherly’s return puts one of NCIS’s most recognizable characters back at the center of the conversation. Tony DiNozzo was known for his humor, movie references and complicated personal life, but the version viewers see in Season 24 will not simply be a repeat of the character’s earlier run.
TV Insider reported that Weatherly has opened up about returning to the long-running CBS procedural and described Tony as different from the investigator fans remember. The interview offers an early look at the thinking behind the character’s comeback without giving away the full story of his Season 24 arc.
That change is the central question surrounding Tony’s return. After spending time away from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, he is coming back with experiences that have shaped him. The available interview details do not reveal every reason for the change, but Weatherly’s comments make clear that Season 24 is not treating Tony’s appearance as a simple nostalgia trip.
How has Tony DiNozzo changed in NCIS Season 24?
Tony’s evolution matters because his personality was such a defining part of NCIS. His quick wit and playful attitude often stood in contrast to the seriousness of the cases, while his relationships with other agents gave the procedural a continuing emotional storyline.
In the TV Insider interview, Weatherly discusses a Tony who has developed beyond the version viewers knew during his original time on the show. The precise details of that development remain limited, but the return is being framed around a character with a different perspective rather than the same wisecracking agent walking back into the squad room.
That distinction gives the comeback more weight. Season 24 can use Tony’s history with NCIS while also asking how he fits into the show now. The reports do not confirm every detail of his storyline or how he will interact with the current team.
Are Tony and Ziva together in NCIS Season 24?
Tony’s return immediately raises the question of Ziva David, whose relationship with him remains one of the show’s most closely followed storylines. Yahoo highlighted an update on Ziva ahead of the Season 24 launch with the pointed question: “Can They Be Together Without Killing Each Other?”
The question captures the tension that has long defined Tony and Ziva. Their connection has included affection, conflict and an unmistakable ability to frustrate each other. With Weatherly returning, fans want to know whether the pair can build a stable relationship or whether their old friction will quickly return.
The headline does not confirm exactly where Tony and Ziva stand when the season begins. It does establish that their dynamic remains important to the Season 24 conversation. The show appears to be revisiting the unresolved emotional history between the two characters while keeping the possibility of conflict at the center of the tease.
How much screen time will Tony DiNozzo get?
The other major question is how large Weatherly’s role will be. A return to a long-running ensemble show can mean anything from a brief appearance to a substantial story spanning multiple episodes, and fans are looking for a clear answer about what Season 24 has planned.
Bleeding Cool News reported on the NCIS showrunner’s comments about how much Tony DiNozzo viewers will see in the new season. The report addresses the scale of his involvement, but the available headline does not provide a specific episode count.
That leaves the size of Tony’s return unconfirmed. What is clear is that the showrunner is setting expectations rather than presenting Weatherly’s comeback as an unexplained surprise. The production has to make room for a major returning character while continuing the stories of the current NCIS team, making Tony’s role one of the season’s most closely watched elements.
For fans, the appeal is not only seeing Tony again. It is finding out how the character’s time away has changed him, whether he and Ziva can coexist without falling into their familiar battles, and how much of Season 24 will be devoted to his return. Those questions are driving the renewed attention around NCIS as the new season approaches.