New Delhi, July 2 -- CBS spent two years building a spinoff around the premise that the most popular character in its most popular drama could carry a show without the show. The spinoff lasted one season. On Tuesday, the network confirmed it was bringing him back.

Tony & Ziva" following one season. The deal, confirmed by Variety on Tuesday, resolves at least structurally the franchise question the spinoff was supposed to answer. Season 24 premieres in fall 2026, airing in the CBS Tuesday 8 p.m. anchor slot.

The spinoff's premise was sound on paper. Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David were the central relationship around which NCIS organized its emotional architecture for more than a decade. Weatherly departed the main series in 2016 after thirt...