Original recipe “NCIS” is returning for its 24th season this fall on CBS, and the network has announced that original cast member Michael Weatherly will be reprising his role as Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo for a season-long arc.
Appearing on the long-running procedural as a series regular during the show’s first 13th seasons, the “Loving” alum appeared in over 300 episodes and, in 2025, returned as the character in the Paramount+ universe expansion series “NCIS: Tony & Ziva,” working alongside his long-time scene partner Cote de Pablo, who plays Ziva David.
In a video posted to Instagram, Weatherly can be seen questioning how the news of his return could be announced to the world, dramatically stating, “I’m coming back to ‘NCIS’ in the Fall as Tony DiNozzo. How do I tell people?” After posing for a second as if he was contemplating, Weatherly said, “I’ll see you in the fall.”
From 1992-1995, Weatherly portrayed Cooper Alden on the ABC daytime drama “Loving,” and appeared in just a handful of episodes of spinoff “The City.” He later got his big break in Hollywood when he played opposite Jessica Alba in the cult-classic FOX drama “Dark Angel,” playing Logal Cale. The series aired for just two seasons and produced 41 episodes.
After exiting “NCIS” as a main cast member in 2016, Weatherly played the lead role in the CBS drama “Bull,” where he played Dr. Jason Bull, a brilliant, brash, and charming puppet master who utilized his psychology background, human intuition and high-tech assets to help him pinpoint what made jurors, attorneys, witnesss and those accused tick as he worked to win cases for his clients. The series ran for six seasons before concluding its run in 2022 after 125 episodes.
In the fall, CBS will once again broadcast a full night of “NCIS” drama with the original airing at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT, followed by new spinoff “NCIS: New York” at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT and “NCIS: Origins” at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Like Weatherly, “NCIS” original cast member Mark Harmon will be reprising his role as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in “NCIS: Origins” for the show’s third season as part of a present-day mystery tied to his ‘90s Camp Pendleton days in an action-packed story that will unfold all season long. In addition to serving as executive producer on the series, Harmon also narrates each episode.
Additionally, LL Cool J will also reprise his role as Senior Special Agent Sam Hanna from “NCIS: Los Angeles” in the new spinoff, “NCIS: New York.” The series sees his character return to his hometown, New York City, as he partners with a roguish special agent played by Scott Caan (“Hawaii Five-0”). The series will share a time slot with “NCIS: Sydney,” which is slated to return for its fourth season at midseason.
Recently celebrating its 500th episode, “NCIS” is currently the longest-running primetime drama on CBS, and along with its spinoffs, has emerged as the #1 TV franchise globally.