NCIS: Tony & Ziva Pivotal Character Actually Played a Key Role in the OG Show Years Ago

NCIS: Tony & Ziva is only a couple of months away from bringing the original show’s beloved couple back to the screen, though, despite the spinoff’s title, it’s pretty bold to assume that the characters will get roles as important as they once used to have.

With former Special Agents Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David remaining on the forefront of the whole action, both will leave their career ambitions behind now that they’re reunited in Europe to raise their daughter Tali in the first place.

As has long been expected, the kid is about to become an essential plot line pusher, yet it’s not the first time Tali has that much of an impact on her parents’ life.

What Was the First Time Tali Appeared on NCIS?

The upcoming spinoff won’t be an introduction to the whole story for Tali since her first appearance was featured in NCIS season 13. Tali enters the scene as soon as the MCRT, with Tony as one of its agents, learns that Ziva David’s house was under attack which ultimately leaves almost zero chances for anyone there to survive.

Ziva’s death is never confirmed, but she’s believed to be dead. Although they hadn’t been a couple for a while by then, Tony is heartbroken by his ex-girlfriend’s passing, though he is soon forced to get out of depression when it’s revealed that Ziva’s young daughter, Tali, survived the attack.

Unaware that he had a child with Ziva, Tony is reassured that he’s the only possible biological father for Tali, something that quickly convinces him to sacrifice his career at NCIS for the sake of his newly found daughter.

Tali’s appearance in the original show radically shifted both of her parents’ storylines, with Tony choosing to take responsibility for his child and leave NCIS while Ziva is still presumed dead, and the latter going into hiding to keep Tony and Tali safe until she figures out how to get rid of potential enemies.

Since Tali is already responsible for some of her parents’ crucial decisions, it’s not even surprising to expect her to become a kind of compass for Tony and Ziva who are now determined to make their child and her safety their number one priority.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva is set to be released this fall on Paramount+.