Weatherly Discusses Big Changes On The Way For ‘NCIS’

Michael Weatherly (Tony DiNozzo) promises some closure for one of NCIS’s core relationships as Cote de Pablo (Ziva David) prepares to exit the series, and more changes are on the way. (Spoilers after the jump!)

Back in July, it was announced that de Pablo would be leaving NCIS, and it has been revealed that she will appear in the first two episodes of season eleven to wrap up her time on the show. Ziva’s exit will definitely shake things up, but Weatherly is confident that the series will remain strong moving forward. “We have great writers and a remarkable core DNA that [Don] Bellisario created,” Weatherly told TV Line, “and somehow it’s so sturdy that it withstands all of these changes.”

As for the longterm will-they/won’t-they tension between Tony and Ziva, Weatherly would not reveal details, but he did indicate that de Pablo’s final two episodes will deal with that dynamic in some way. “I think that for DiNozzo and for me as an actor, that ‘holding pattern’ has been incredibly fun to play—I love working with Cote, she’s awesome—but also it’s been eight years, and we haven’t dealt with it,” he said. “It will be dealt with.”

Once those first two episodes are over, NCIS will continue to shift and change. Last month, Weatherly told TV Line that one of the most important elements of Ziva’s exit will be “what happens next.” He teased, “Where does Tony go after that? And [the answer to that] is the most exciting thing I’ve heard in a long time.”

Another big question about de Pablo’s exit is who will fill Ziva’s vacated spot on the team. TV Line reported last month that the character would be named Bishop, and she’s a “bright, educated, attractive” twenty-something woman who is “somewhat socially awkward.” Bishop won’t appear until January or February, and in the meantime, the NCIS team will host a rotating roster of temporary replacements. This will give the viewers time to acclimate to Ziva’s absence. Executive Producer Gary Glasberg said the show will “have some fun with different characters.” He added, “And then, hopefully, when people are comfortable enough, one will walk in and be The One.”

Be sure to check out the original article on TV Line.