Aahana Swrup
Tony and Ziva have a long history of star-crossed romance as evidenced in ‘NCIS,’ which charts much of the duo’s story together. Despite years of a will-they-won’t-they dynamic, the duo never actually gets together in the show. Instead, season 13 finds Tony leaving the federal agency after learning about the existence of his and Ziva’s daughter, in light of the latter’s presumed death. As a result, he decides to leave his old life behind and begin a new one with his daughter, Tali, in Paris, France. Later, season 17 brings another startling revelation. As it turns out, Ziva never died and has simply been on the run from people who eagerly want her dead. Once she has finally ensured her and her family’s safety, she allows herself to return to Tali and, subsequently, Tony. Yet, even in ‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva,’ the spin-off show, which follows the duo and their daughter’s life in Paris, the titular characters’ relationship continues to remain complicated and mostly platonic. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Ziva’s Traumatic Past Continues to Impact Her Current Life
From the get-go, it becomes obvious that despite their co-existence in Paris, Tony and Ziva aren’t actually together romantically. Although there’s an ever-present spark between them, their relationship seems to be confined to a friendly dynamic as co-parents to Tali. Yet, the occasional flashback reveals a more nuanced story. Initially, when Ziva returns to her family after her life on the run, she and Tony are eager to finally give their relationship a real chance. Over the past few years, the duo has been locked in a chemistry-heavy dynamic of flirtatious bantering and occasional sincere moments of romance. Nonetheless, like ill-fated star-crossed lovers, one thing or another always ends up pulling them apart from one another. This time around, that unfortunate element proves to be bad timing and complicated family dynamics.
Even though Ziva manages to make her way back to a safe life, emerging victorious over those who want her and her family dead, the trauma of this years-long fight takes an unimaginable toll on her. After returning to Paris, she finds herself locked in a cycle of paranoia and self-catastrophizing. Consequently, her life becomes rapidly convoluted. On top of her duties as a mother to Tali and a partner to Tony, the former federal agent also has to undertake her own journey of therapy, recovery, and self-betterment. Additionally, her relationship with Tony comes at a higher cost this time around. Previously, the only thing the duo would have put on the line by pursuing their romance was their own relationship and futures.
Nonetheless, now they have to take Tali, her upbringing, and her individual relationship with both of her parents into consideration. All of this culminates in an incredibly tense and high-stakes scenario that isn’t practical for a budding new relationship, especially of the romantic kind. Therefore, it seems Ziva and Tony have decided to take a step back from their romance for the same reasons. Instead of dates and a nuclear family, the duo works on their friendship, becoming indelible parts of each other’s lives. Yet, as it remains evident throughout their interactions, especially once they join forces to take down their elusive common enemy, the pair clearly still have some feelings for one another that are bound to emerge sooner rather than later.
Tony and Ziva’s Slow-Burn Romance Informs the Show’s Unique Charm
Even though Tony and Ziva’s continued aversion to a definitive romantic plotline brings the couple’s will-they-won’t-they storyline to a full ten-year runtime, the chemistry between the pair remains fresh as ever. In ‘NCIS: Tony & Ziva,’ we get to see a new and yet-unexplored aspect of their dynamic. This time around, the duo aren’t simple colleagues, or even just friends. They’re co-parents, whose lives share one notable nucleus in the form of their daughter, Tali. As a result, despite their non-romantic relationship status, the two are a non-negotiable family. They’re closer to each other than ever and sustain a much bigger role in each other’s lives. Consequently, there are brand-new avenues for their perpetual mutual pining.
This ensures that the spin-off show retains a significant aspect of Tony and Ziva’s relationship, maintaining the consistent push-and-pull element of their romance. Consequently, we get to see a dynamic that is intimate and distant all at once, attaching a unique individuality to their connection. Additionally, it also creates space for a longer slow-burn, promising a much bigger and more satisfying pay-off when it does arrive. Furthermore, by keeping their unpredictable and uncertain relationship running as a subplot in the overarching storyline, the show gets to focus on the crime-centered aspects of its storyline. Ultimately, the decision to allow the characters to start the story as separate individuals ensures better characterization for their respective personalities as well as their conjoined relationship.
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