Summary
I’m gladNCIS: Tony & Zivawill revive a franchise trope thatNCIShas forgotten about. The flagship series neglected a vital element in season 21, possibly because it was shortened due to the writer’s strikes, but I’d say that’s all the more reason to include it. I’m excited to see the flagship return in the fall withNCISseason 22, but I’m even more excited to see whatTony & Zivawill bring to the table when it premieres. The official casting update divulges many details about what to expect from the series.
The series will return original Major Case Response Team members Ziva David and Anthony DiNozzoto theNCISfranchise in a spinoff series that centers on the former agents.NCIS: Tony & Zivawill focus on the titular charactersas they are on the run across Europe, and the series will introduce many exciting firsts to the franchise. That said, I’m excited that they’re returning some elements that the flagship has included before, especially ones that offer the potential for more profound character development.
15 Essential Tony & Ziva NCIS Episodes To Watch While Waiting For Their Spinoff
Here’s 15 essential Tony & Ziva NCIS episodes to watch while waiting for the spinoff for Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly’s characters.
The Cast Of NCIS: Tony & Ziva Will Include A Therapist As A Series Regular
The Tony And Ziva Spinoff Cast Terence Maynard As Dr. Lang
The official Tony and Ziva casting announcement has been released, and many previously unknown details about the series have been revealed. I’m most pleased that the series will include a therapist as a regular character because the characters will need one to have significant conversations involving their unconventional start as a family. Specifically,theNCIS: Tony & Zivacast includes Terence Maynard as Dr. Lang. The character is described as:“A deeply experienced therapist, gentle and probing,“who"treats patients with severe trauma and helps them find comfort and agency."(viaDeadline)
Terence Maynard is known for TV series likeThe Witcherand movies such asEdge of Tomorrow(2014).
My initial take is that the therapist will help Tony, Ziva, and Taliestablish trust. No character role is more fitting for the job. While it may only make a subtle difference in the narrative, I believe it’s a vital detail that differentiates the spinoff from any otherNCISseries. While most include a medical examiner or forensic scientist to investigatedead bodies inNCIS,NCIS: Tony & Zivawill feature a doctor who can help people while they are alive.
How The Cast Update Revives A Potentially Forgotten NCIS Franchise Trope
Laura San Giacomo Portrayed Dr. Grace Confalone In NCIS
The casting decision officially revives a franchise trope that has been lacking. While theNCIScast does include a therapist as a recurring character, she did not appear inNCISseason 21. Laura San Giacomo portrays Dr. Grace Confalone, a mental health professional, in the originalNCISseries. The therapist appears in 12 episodes betweenNCISseasons 13 and 20. She is not a retired character and could appear inNCISagain, but there’s no guarantee she will return. That said, I hope Laura San Giacomo does return as Dr. Grace Confalone inNCISseason 22.
Laura San Giacomo’s first appearance is inNCISseason 13, episode 16, “Loose Cannons.”
Dr. Confalone occasionally appears to counsel members of the MCRT, like in season 19, episode 18, “Last Dance,” when Agent Nick Torres faces his relationship with alcohol in a session with the doctor head-on. Besides supporting the cast amid moments of grief or processing a case, Dr. Confalone also fulfills a necessary function: completing mandatory psychological evaluations for the MCRT. I hope she will return in season 22 since it will feature more episodes and that Dr. Lang lives up to Dr. Confalone.
Why The Tony And Ziva Story Will Benefit From A Mental Health Professional
Tony And Ziva Have An Unconventional Relationship
The actors have said the series will explore themes of trust. Tony raised Tali for several years under the assumption that her mother was dead. The family will likely continue to have complex conversations regarding beliefs, and a mental health professional can facilitate those conversations. The family had to work through complex trauma since Tony and his daughter believed that Tali’s mother was gone. While it was certainly exciting to have her back, the Tony and Ziva actors haveteased Tali’s reaction inNCIS: Tony & Zivainvolves trust – or mistrust – since Tali believed her mother was gone.
The best thing the franchise could have done in tandem with tackling Tony and Ziva’s complex narrative was to bring in a professional.
The best thing the franchise could have done in tandem with tackling Tony and Ziva’s complex narrative was to bring in a professional. Tali deserves to be able to talk about her struggles, and the adults in the narrative likely have things to discuss, too.Tony and Ziva’sNCISromance was not straightforward in the series, with the characters circling dating one another for over 10 years. The fact that they had a daughter together is what brought them together, and I’d argueZiva faking her death inNCISalso factors into the equation.
Ziva was raising Tali alone, and she might have continued to do so had Tony not had to step in. After Tony stepped up to raise Tali two years afterCote de Pablo’sNCISdeparture, Ziva would return three years later, when it was finally revealed that she was alive. The most significant conversation the couple may have had over the years could regard the choice to be together. While Tony and Ziva are likely happy, they never conventionally dated, and their child brought them together.
What The Presence Of A Mental Health Professional Means For The NCIS Franchise
NCIS Is Taking Accountability
The family’s mental health is also rooted in the grave situations they face as federal agentsand the traumatizing circumstances that arise from being in the line of fire. The presence of a mental health professional in theTony & Zivacast signals the franchise taking responsibility for telling a more complete story. I’d say it’s a promising trend for the franchise, which paints a fictional picture of the policing system with little to no accountability as to how that affects the public’s perception. The franchise should at least take responsibility for how its narratives affect those at its center.
Don’t think I’m not interested in action in the Tony and Ziva spinoff; I am. I just know it will be interesting to watch the characters confronting their demons. Professionals in situations like Tony, Ziva, and Tali’s can help the family separate their past trauma from how they are coping with their present. Still, I hope Tony and Ziva deliver on the action as much as any otherNCISseries. They were two of the most fun agents to see operating on the small screen. TheirNCISreturn needs to include some danger.
I see including a therapist inNCIS: Tony & Zivaas a return to the franchise’s deepest roots.In many ways, the Ducky character was a therapistto the dead he encountered, trying to listen to his victims to understand their stories better. It was a significant aspect of who Ducky was, and I see including someone who can do that in the present inNCIS: Tony & Zivaas a step in the right direction for the franchise. It can take responsibility for honoring the graver narratives it sells while continuing to deliver all theNCISaction.
NCIS
Cast
NCIS is a television series that follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Premiering in 2003, the show explores various cases involving Navy and Marine Corps personnel, ranging from murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines.
