‘NCIS’ star drops major clue about when Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo will first appear in Season 24
Michael Weatherly is officially back on ‘NCIS’ this fall, but fans have been left wondering exactly when Tony DiNozzo (Weatherly) will re-enter the story. While CBS has only confirmed that the actor will appear in a season-long arc, a new behind-the-scenes update may have quietly answered one of the biggest questions surrounding his return. An Instagram Stories post from cast member Katrina Law appears to suggest that Weatherly could be back from the very first episode of Season 24. Law recently shared a short video from the cast’s first table read for the upcoming season. The clip showed name cards placed around the table for several returning stars, including Gary Cole, Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover, Law herself, and Weatherly. Although the video did not directly reveal which episode was being rehearsed, the timing is noteworthy.
Since it was presented as the first table read for the new season, it suggests that Weatherly is taking part in the premiere episode. Of course, television production does not always follow a straight line. Cast members occasionally rehearse future episodes first or film scenes out of sequence, so there is still room for surprises. Weatherly originally exited ‘NCIS’ at the end of Season 13 after spending over a decade as one of the procedural’s most recognizable faces. For years afterward, DiNozzo remained part of the show’s history through conversations and updates from other characters, but Weatherly stayed away from the flagship drama. That changed during Season 21, when he made a surprise guest appearance in ‘The Stories We Leave Behind’, the tribute episode honoring the late David McCallum and his character, Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard.
Weatherly appeared during the closing moments of the episode, reuniting with Timothy McGee (Murray) and Dr. Jimmy Palmer (Dietzen). While the cameo was brief, it reminded longtime viewers just how much Tony’s presence had been missed. Moreover, his return comes after the ‘Tony & Ziva’ spinoff wrapped up. Before rejoining ‘NCIS’, Weatherly reunited with Cote de Pablo for Paramount+'s ‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva’, which premiered in 2025. The series picked up the story of Tony and Ziva David after they departed from the original show. The drama explored different periods of their relationship, including flashbacks to their reunion in Paris. It also followed the pair as they attempted to rebuild their personal lives together. At one point, marriage even appeared to be within reach before the couple went their separate ways. In the present-day timeline, Tony and Ziva were focused on raising their daughter, Tali, together.
Their lives became even more complicated after they were framed, forcing them to clear their names. By the finale, they had overcome those obstacles and found their way back to each other. Meanwhile, CBS has remained quiet about the details of Weatherly’s storyline. If the table read really was for the premiere, there is a good chance his return will connect directly to the unresolved ending of Season 23. The finale left viewers hanging after Nick Torres (Valderrama) confronted McGee’s son, Mateo, over increasingly suspicious behavior. During the tense encounter, Torres noticed the teenager was carrying a gun. Mateo warned that “they” might be watching before the episode abruptly ended with the sound of a gunshot. The final scene never revealed who pulled the trigger or whether anyone had been injured. If Tony arrives immediately, he could find himself stepping into the investigation while the team deals with the fallout from the shooting.
