The writing staff may decide to kill off a character when an actor is ready to quit their production, particularly if it is a serialized drama. It wouldn’t be shocking if someone with merely a passing knowledge of “NCIS” assumed that Special Agent Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) is dead as a doornail. It’s messy and usually overdone, but it’s very typical — just ask the people at “Grey’s Anatomy.” Although the character stopped showing up after Season 13, he is still alive and has become a father. DiNozzo learnt how to change diapers while the other special agents pursued criminals.
In Season 13, Episode 24, “Family First,” which is often listed among the best “NCIS” episodes, DiNozzo discovers that he had a daughter with Special Agent Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) and, instead of trying to juggle police work and a newborn child, he opts to focus all of his attention on her. In fairness, his decision is influenced by his belief that David is dead, which would be proven untrue. David was actually undercover, attempting to protect her remaining family. This ensured that their daughter had someone around to protect and parent her, so that’s nice. In Season 17, David rejoins DiNozzo and their daughter, but this is done out of the sight of audience members; as of this writing, Weatherly still has yet to return to “NCIS.”
DiNozzo dipped because Michael Weatherly needed a change of pace
Cote de Pablo’s final episode as Ziva David in Season 17 was actually a brief return for the actor, who also departed the series in Season 13. Had Michael Weatherly not been tied up with CBS’ “Bull” at the time, it seems likely that he would have returned as well so that both of their characters would have enjoyed a little more closure. But Weatherly left “NCIS” because the actor was desperate for a change of pace.
What’s more, he’s publicly content with where Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo left things. Speaking at a press event in 2016 (via The Hollywood Reporter), Weatherly said he wanted to move on after 13 years of nonstop filming. “It really felt like a circle that had gone all the way around,” he explained. “And I really felt happy with the resolution of character and my time on the show.”
The fact that Weatherly’s character continues to live happily off-screen in the “NCIS” universe is evidence of his popularity. He seems prepared to make a comeback should he choose to do so in the future. In addition, his supporters have been calling for his comeback for the past ten years. Weatherly recently fueled rumors of additional Tony and Ziva content when she tweeted at a fan to “stay tuned.” Nothing specific has yet to happen, but the likelihood of beloved characters returning to long-running shows should never be ruled out.