‘It All Made A Lot Of Sense’: NCIS Star Talks Secrecy Around (Spoiler)’s Big Return, And Filming It Almost Sounds Like A Spy Mission

Warning! Spoilers lie ahead for Season 21, Episode 2 of NCIS, “The Stories We Leave Behind.”

Following the death of David McCallum last September, it was revealed that NCIS would use a special episode to pay tribute to the actor who brought Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard to life. Leading up the episode's premiere, there was much speculation regarding what the plot would be and whether any familiar faces would pop up at HQ to pay respects to the beloved ME and NCIS historian. Well, during the final seconds, a series alum returned, and it was none other than Michael Weatherly.  And it sounds like filming the cameo was akin to a spy mission.

The cast and crew shed tears while shooting the installment, understandably. Series star Brian Dietzen co-wrote the episode and previously opened up about balancing honoring his late co-star while exploring the team’s grief. The episode saw the group taking on a case that Ducky had been working on up until his death, and they ultimately solved it. There were also small callbacks to sister shows NOLA, LA, Sydney, and Hawai’i, flashbacks, as well as a goth-themed wreath that could only have come from former forensic scientist Abby Sciuto.  

One particularly cool moment happened at the very end of the episode, when Jimmy was left alone in autopsy to grieve a little longer before heading up to the funeral. That’s when Michael Weatherly appeared as Tony DiNozzo for the first time since leaving in the Season 13 finale. Tony -- who made some jokes and gave some advice -- was the only former character to appear, on screen at least. Brian Dietzen spoke to TV Insider about the reason for that sole character return, and it actually makes a lot of sense:

There had been some heartfelt moments between Tony and Jimmy in the past, and it's understandable to have a friend than a former boss come and comfort him. And, in addition to Mark Harmon and Pauley Perrette, he was also the only other original cast member to appear in the JAG backdoor pilot alongside David McCallum. There’s also the fact that fans have been hoping Michael Weatherly would return to the series, even briefly, especially following the end of Bull in 2022. I'm impressed that the crew was able to keep Weatherly's appearance under wraps, and Brian Dietzen's description of the situation sounds like an espionage mission:

Is this a procedural or a spy series? In the age of social media, it's hard to keep that kind of secret locked away until it's time, but the show managed to pull it off. Whether or not Michael Weatherly will return again and for more than a few minutes is unknown. However, as a fan, you can't help but be pleased that they secretly bringing him back for the tribute episode. Not only did the character bring some comfort to Jimmy, but his return probably had viewers smiling by the time the screen faded to black. Weatherly took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his thoughts on the tribute, and even shared a sweet photo with Daniela Ruah, who is directing an upcoming episode:

The tribute to David McCallum and Ducky was very emotional and a fitting send-off for one of the series' greatest stars Though it would've been great to see others return alongside Tony DiNozzo, it's wonderful that the producers chose to utilize that piece of connective tissue for the special installment. Paramount+ subscribers can stream the episode now.