Shout it from the rooftops, DiNozzo! The NCIS Spinoff Title Sparks Debate
As the 2024 TV schedule unfolds, fans are buzzing about the Tony and Ziva NCIS spinoff, officially named NCIS: Tony & Ziva. While some fans are thrilled, others think the title could use some work. Even series lead Michael Weatherly seems to have second thoughts about it.
What Fans Are Saying About the NCIS Spinoff
The most popular comment on a Reddit thread about the show’s title reads: “I hope the writers are better at storytelling than they are at naming.” Fans suggested more location-based names like NCIS: Europe, considering the show is filming in Budapest. Others proposed creative titles like NCIS: Trust No One or NCIS: D&D (DiNozzo and David).
Michael Weatherly’s Thoughts on the Title
Speaking at the Monte Carlo TV festival, Weatherly admitted he might regret the title. “We’ve just completed the casting process. The series should really be called NCIS: Tony, Ziva and Tali, because their child is at the center of their preoccupations. In NCIS, our characters didn’t have one. So, they acted in a very personal way, according to their desires. When you have a child, you have to work out what’s best for them. At the same time, Tony and Ziva also have to save the world. Tali is the perfect character to introduce new sources of trouble.”
Weatherly emphasized Tali’s importance to the spinoff, highlighting how this new series will differ from the original. Not only does it feature an international NCIS location, but it will also be available on Paramount+ with the flexibility of a streaming series, meaning fewer episodes and a departure from the procedural format.
Cote de Pablo on the New Format
Cote de Pablo explained at the festival that the spinoff will break from the traditional NCIS format. “There won’t be a flash image with a dead body at the beginning. We won’t have to solve a crime and then in the end everything works out and everyone goes back to their dysfunctional families! (laughs) We wanted to take our two characters away from the agency and have them develop internationally. The other main difference is the format, since we’re making ten episodes instead of 24. And we’re shooting ten hours a day!”
While the show is still in early stages, with filming set for this summer, fans may not see Tony & Ziva until late 2024 or even 2025. This gives plenty of time to reconsider the title, should they choose to. For now, fans eagerly await the spinoff and the fresh adventures of Tony, Ziva, and Tali.
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