‘NCIS’: Why We Still Love Tony & Ziva 20 Years Later

We all have that one person. You love them. You hate them. You want to pull them close. You want to run away from them as fast as you can. That’s the relationship between Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva (Cote de Pablo), who are, to the joy of “Tiva” fans everywhere, finally reuniting onscreen in a new adventure the actors have promised brings plenty of action — and more romantic heat than we’ve ever seen before.

We’ve been captivated by the will-they-or-won’t-they couple since the two forceful personalities first collided in the third season of NCIS 20 years ago. Ziva, a serious, badass Mossad agent, had just arrived in the States to clear her half brother’s name. She walked into the bullpen and overheard Tony inadvertently blurt out a racy line from a sexual fantasy he was having at his desk. Ziva was condescendingly amused. He tried to deny what he’d said, but she wasn’t falling for his attempt at boyish charm. He finally confessed but argued, “I’m not the only man who does it.” She slowly looked him up and down and purred, “Oh, women do it too.” Serve, volley.

That match of equals — she wise beyond her years; he with a Peter Pan complex — got everybody’s hearts racing. (It didn’t hurt that both were absolute knockouts!) It always seemed like coupling up was just around the bedroom corner. Soon after Tony and Ziva’s first tense encounter, they had to go on an undercover mission and pose as a married couple. As part of the op, they ended up…under the covers. The chemistry was there. They’d get together for real soon enough, right? Maybe a Season 5 finale wedding? A baby in Season 6?

Nope. For eight seasons, we watched the dance between them, rooted in that initial repartee and sexual tension. If you sit with Weatherly and de Pablo for a bit, which we did while putting together this issue, you see why the banter their characters traded on NCIS was so believable. (We should note both actors are happily married to others in real life and count each other as good friends.) They have a similar dynamic. He’s in-your-face funny, charming and jokey. She’s more thoughtful and introspective but doesn’t hesitate to call out his most audacious statements and knock him back to earth.

Some fans grumbled at the series for keeping the couple apart, but one reason we put up with it was we could relate. Sure, Tony and Ziva were agents facing baddies that would send most of us scrambling to hide under a blanket on the sofa. They also round-kicked and punched said baddies in a way that would have us hobbling to that same sofa with ice packs and aspirin. But we got them. They were living a larger version of that vulnerability everyone feels when faced with opening their hearts to a potential great love.

But for them, the fear of rejection was compounded by a fear of loss. They worked in a job where no one was safe. They’d both experienced tragedy. Tony’s partner had been killed shortly before Ziva showed up. Her past was riddled with damage. Again and again, in case after case, they were reminded of life’s fragility. At one point, Tony even believed Ziva was dead. No wonder they were afraid.

Even so, the characters’ relationship deepened, as did that of the actors. In Season 10, when Ziva left to bury her father, Tony whispered to her, “Aht lo leh-vahd,” which is Hebrew for “You are not alone.” During the shoot for this new series, Weatherly’s father passed away. The actor was miles from home and family, and it was de Pablo who came over that night and gave him a hug.

There were embraces between Tony and Ziva, but it was not until Season 11 that they finally shared an onscreen kiss (it was implied other things had gone on too), but that lip-lock was to say goodbye. This series is a beautiful new chapter. The divided couple must focus on saving their daughter — who has the best of their smarts, resilience and sass — from harm. Maybe these gutsy agents will finally be brave enough to fully love each other.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva, Series Premiere, Thursday, September 4 (three episodes), Paramount+

For a deep-dive into all things Tony, Ziva, and NCIS, from exclusive interviews to retrospectives and must-see photos, pick up a copy of TV Guide Magazine’s NCIS: Tony & Ziva special issue, available for purchase online at TIVA.tvgm2025.com and on newsstands August 22.