The recent Entertainment Weekly piece titled “NCIS: Tony & Ziva showrunner John McNamara reveals the pilot’s big wedding tease was ‘totally Cote de Pablo’s idea’ has given fans a fresh look at what went on behind the scenes of the new spinoff. According to showrunner John McNamara, one of the most talked-about moments in the premiere — a playful tease involving a possible wedding — wasn’t originally scripted. Instead, it came from Cote de Pablo herself, who thought the moment would perfectly capture Ziva’s dynamic with Tony while keeping fans on their toes.

McNamara explained that this wasn’t just a throwaway addition, but something that grew organically from de Pablo’s understanding of her character. Ziva has always been a mix of mystery, intensity, and surprising warmth, and the suggestion allowed the show to lean into that while keeping the chemistry between her and Michael Weatherly’s Tony as lively as ever. The creative team reportedly loved the idea instantly and left it in, sparking conversations across the fanbase about whether the show might actually explore marriage down the line.

The article also highlights how much freedom both Weatherly and de Pablo have in shaping the spinoff. After years away from NCIS, they’ve returned not only as actors but as collaborators, helping guide storylines that feel true to the characters’ long history. That kind of input, McNamara noted, is what gives the series its unique flavor compared to the main NCIS and its other spinoffs.

For fans who’ve followed Tony and Ziva’s relationship since its early “will-they, won’t-they” stages, the revelation adds even more excitement to NCIS: Tony & Ziva. Whether or not the wedding tease ever becomes reality, the fact that it came from de Pablo shows how invested the cast is in making this spinoff a love letter to one of the franchise’s most iconic pairings.