Michael Weatherly returns to NCIS in season 24 first look
Michael Weatherly is returning to NCIS for a season-long arc in season 24, with Entertainment Weekly sharing an exclusive first look. Showrunner Steven D. Binder says Tony DiNozzo is back in Washington expanding his security firm and joining a case—while the series returns Oct. 6, 2026, on CBS and Paramount+.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Weatherly rejoins the flagship NCIS for a major season-long arc as Tony DiNozzo in season 24.
- Tony is expanding private security firm Salus Mondiale in Washington and gets pulled into an NCIS-style case.
- Binder says DiNozzo is still quick-witted but now a parent with more maturity and emotional depth.
- NCIS season 24 premieres Oct. 6, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
- Season 23 ended on a Torres–Mateo cliffhanger that season 24 is expected to address.
Why does Michael Weatherly’s NCIS season return matter?
A decade after leaving the CBS drama in 2016, Weatherly is back in the mothership series that made Tony DiNozzo a household name across 13 seasons. According to an Entertainment Weekly exclusive first look carried by Yahoo, CBS confirmed last month that the original star would rejoin for a season-long story.
For fans of Streaming & TV Alerts, the timing is loaded: Weatherly recently revived DiNozzo opposite Cote de Pablo in the 2025 Paramount+ spinoff NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which was canceled in December. His return to the flagship keeps the character in the franchise after that abrupt end.
What is Tony DiNozzo doing in season 24?
Binder told EW that when audiences meet Tony this season, he is back in Washington expanding Salus Mondiale and finds himself drawn into a case that “feels right at home in the NCIS universe.” The showrunner added that exploring how DiNozzo has evolved made the return especially rewarding.
“He’s still the charismatic, quick-witted DiNozzo fans know and love, but now he’s also a parent navigating life with a daughter, which has given him a little more perspective, maturity, and emotional depth,” Binder said. Weatherly will step into a team that includes Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Katrina Law, and Gary Cole—different from the lineup he left behind.
“Having Michael Weatherly back in the NCIS family is one of those things a writer can only dream about,” Binder also said. “Watching the newer members of the team encounter the legend they’ve only heard stories about is exactly as fun as it sounds.”
What else should fans remember before season 24?
Popverse notes that season 23’s finale, “Sons and Daughters,” closed on a standoff between Agent Nick Torres and Agent Tim McGee’s long-lost teenage son, Mateo Garcia, ending with a gunshot and no clear answer on who fired or who was hit. That cliffhanger hangs over the Oct. 6 premiere.
Separately, Hidden Remote argues season 24 should resolve the “will they, won’t they” between Jimmy Palmer and Jessica Knight. In season 23, episode 8, Jimmy said their breakup was not from a lack of love but fear of starting over—leaving romance unfinished as Tony’s return raises the stakes for longtime viewers.
NCIS season 24 debuts Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, with streaming on Paramount+.