Tony DiNozzo Returns to NCIS as Deputy Director, McGee Finally Gets Revenge
After nearly a decade away, Tony DiNozzo is back at NCIS, and the tables have turned. The former senior field agent, played by Michael Weatherly, returns as deputy director in the season 24 premiere, and his longtime partner Timothy McGee, played by Sean Murray, is not letting him forget the old days.
In an exclusive preview of the October 13 episode, McGee gets a rare moment of payback. DiNozzo, who famously called McGee 'probie' during his early years on the team, now finds himself on the receiving end of the joke. When DiNozzo asks McGee who his new probationary agent is, McGee reveals he never had one assigned. DiNozzo, ever the mentor, insists McGee take one on, joking that everyone benefits from the arrangement.
But McGee, who has served as acting director multiple times, has a different idea. He suggests DiNozzo himself could be his probie, a move that leaves the new deputy director momentarily speechless. 'Danger, Will Robinson, I can have you court marshalled,' DiNozzo jokes, to which McGee replies with a grin, 'Whatever you say, probie.'
Old Friends, New Dynamics
The reunion is not all business. The pair share a coffee at NCIS headquarters, where McGee warns DiNozzo not to ask for his old apartment back, noting his wife Delilah has redecorated. DiNozzo, ever the joker, claims he has already spoken to Delilah and she is fine with him moving in, a quip that visibly worries McGee before DiNozzo admits he found another place.
The banter continues as they catch up in the courtyard. A passerby greets DiNozzo as 'director,' a title that still feels surreal to McGee. 'Not that I don't think you can do the job, you know. It's just, I keep picturing the guy who drove a Corvette with his feet,' McGee says, referencing a memorable past case. DiNozzo reminds him, 'I was being shot at. And believe it or not, this is harder.'
DiNozzo's New Role Comes with Real Challenges
DiNozzo, who left the series in 2016 after 13 seasons to start a private security agency overseas, admits the deputy director job is no walk in the park. 'I spent the last week learning what keeps the U.S. Navy up at night. And this job requires both hands and both feet,' he says, acknowledging the weight of his new responsibilities.
For fans of the original series, this episode is a nostalgic trip down memory lane, blending the humor and camaraderie that defined the early years of NCIS. The dynamic between McGee and DiNozzo has always been a highlight, and now, with roles reversed, the chemistry is as sharp as ever.
NCIS airs on CBS Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.