The official NCIS Season 24 trailer brings Michael Weatherly back as Tony DiNozzo and puts him inside the team’s next security crisis. Tony walks into the familiar Washington office, trades jokes with Tim McGee and Nick Torres, and warns that very smart people are worried about something bad coming.
Season 24 premieres Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS. The opener is titled “Wayward Son.” CBS has separately confirmed that Weatherly’s return is a season-long arc, but the available announcements do not say that Tony rejoins the agency, appears in every episode or remains after this season.
When does NCIS Season 24 premiere?
NCIS returns Tuesday, October 6 on the CBS Television Network. The scheduled hour is 8:00–9:00 p.m. ET/PT, followed by the new NCIS: New York series at 9:00 p.m. and NCIS: Origins at 10:00 p.m. The flagship remains in its long-running Tuesday slot.
CBS identifies the premiere as Season 24, Episode 1, “Wayward Son,” written by executive producers Steven D. Binder and Christopher J. Waild and directed by Diana Valentine. The episode follows the May finale, so the official synopsis necessarily reveals the next step in that unresolved case.
What does the Season 24 trailer show?
The 79-second official trailer opens with the team trying to mark a “new era,” then quickly shifts to a security breach and a new threat. Tony enters the bullpen in a visitor badge and introduces himself as “Very Special Non-Agent Anthony DiNozzo.” The line makes the status distinction part of the preview rather than hiding it.
The footage pairs Tony with McGee and Torres, shows the regular team responding to several cases and keeps the central danger deliberately vague. Tony tells McGee that something bad is approaching and expresses confidence that his former colleague can handle it. The trailer sells reunion chemistry and procedural urgency without identifying the person behind the threat.
Why is Tony DiNozzo back in Washington?
According to CBS’s “Wayward Son” synopsis, Tony has moved into a private-security role and is newly in Washington, D.C. to open a satellite office for his firm. He crosses paths with NCIS when the team investigates a mysterious threat to the Secretary of the Navy.
The case also follows the fallout from the shooting involving McGee’s son. CBS describes Tony as an unexpected source of help, which gives the premiere a specific reason to place him beside his former teammates. It is a case connection, not an announced reversal of his earlier decision to leave the agency.
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Is Tony returning as an NCIS agent?
No. In the material released so far, Tony is not an NCIS agent. The trailer calls him a non-agent, and the official premiere description says he runs a private security firm. His visitor badge and the team’s surprise reinforce that he is entering their workplace from the outside.
That does not prevent him from consulting, sharing information or working alongside the investigators when their interests overlap. It does mean that descriptions such as “Agent DiNozzo is permanently back on the team” go beyond what CBS has announced. The premiere may clarify his practical role, but the current status is private security executive and former agent.
How long will Michael Weatherly appear?
CBS says Weatherly will appear in a season-long arc during the 2026–2027 television season. That wording establishes a continuing storyline rather than a one-scene cameo. It does not confirm that he is in every episode, has returned as a permanent series regular or is contracted for Season 25.
The actor was a principal NCIS cast member for 13 seasons and more than 300 episodes before leaving the flagship in 2016. He later made a Season 21 guest appearance and led NCIS: Tony & Ziva. Season 24 is therefore a sustained return to the original series, but CBS has kept the exact episode list private.
How can you watch NCIS Season 24?
In the United States, the premiere airs on CBS. Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers can watch through the live feed of their local CBS affiliate where that feed is available and can also stream on demand. Paramount+ Essential plan subscribers do not receive that live local feed through this offer, but CBS says the episode will be available on demand the day after it airs.
Plan names, local-station access and availability can vary by market and may change, so viewers should check the service listing attached to their own account. The CBS announcement does not provide one universal international release time. It also does not say that every territory receives the episode on the U.S. broadcast date.
What is still unconfirmed about Season 24?
- Episode count: CBS has not confirmed the final number of Season 24 episodes in these announcements.
- Tony’s exact schedule: a season-long arc is confirmed, but his individual episode list and status beyond the season are not confirmed.
- Additional returns: the official trailer and releases do not confirm every rumored former character for the new season.
- The full threat: the trailer and premiere synopsis identify a security problem without naming its source or revealing the resolution.
The NCIS series page keeps the durable premise, cast context and current status separate from the premiere story. Pixel Twelve’s TV hub collects the latest coverage. For now, the confirmed Season 24 picture is focused: an October 6 premiere, “Wayward Son,” Tony helping from outside the agency and a continuing arc whose complete shape remains under wraps.
