They did it. Ziva and Tony came together for one of the most glorious lip locks ever to grace television. A fitting departure for Cote de Pablo. Although the farewell was shrouded in darkness and wasn’t as happy and cheerful as fans may have hoped, “NCIS” did a masterful job in wrapping up her story arc and sending her off appropriately.
After Ziva admits to Tony that Dr. Bashan is the reason for her leaving, she tells him that she’s haunted by thoughts that “there’s someone out there crying” for every man that she kills. She wants to leave the pain and killing behind and tells a heartbroken Tony that she will not return to Washington with him. On the runway, Ziva tells Tony that the terms of her departure does not mean she doesn’t love him, saying “You are so loved,” and pulling him in for the savory kiss of the century. And that’s that. She’s gone.
Now that Ziva has left us, what’s next? How can the show possibly move forward? In next week’s episode, the NCIS team must rely on Twitter for a case involving a missing Navy Lieutenant. Meanwhile, McGee misplaces his badge but withholds the information from Gibbs and the authorities, according to the official CBS synopsis.
No official word on Ziva’s replacement quite yet, but expect some experimentation and juggling of agents until we land on the right one. Not just anyone can replace Pablo, they have to bring a something special and unique to the show. What exactly will be, we’re still not sure.
“NCIS” airs Tuesday nights on CBS. The season's third episode is called "Under the Radar."