While many fans initially celebrated the return of Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo as Tony and Ziva, the mood has quickly shifted in the NCIS fandom. Some longtime viewers are expressing frustration, saying the show’s focus on returning legacy characters is coming at the cost of fresh storytelling. With Season 23 already teasing big changes, fans worry that the comeback of the iconic duo could overshadow newer cast members and stall the show’s evolution.

Others argue that Tony and Ziva’s storyline had already found closure in past seasons, especially after Ziva’s emotional farewell and Tony’s life with their daughter Tali. Reviving their arc now, they say, risks undoing the emotional weight of their original departures. “Let them rest,” one fan posted online. “We’ve moved on, and so should the show.”

There’s also a growing concern that this move is a ratings play—banking on nostalgia rather than taking narrative risks. As spin-offs like NCIS: Hawai’i and Tony & Ziva’s new project pick up steam, fans are divided: is it a brilliant reunion, or a desperate reboot of the past? Only time will tell if this gamble pays off—or backfires.