It has been almost a decade since Michael Weatherly left <em>NCIS</em>, and yet, it’s only now that the procedural has been able to have his perfect replacement. The NCIS franchise may have been on the air for more than two decades, but it remains at the forefront of the TV zeitgeist, with the flagship going strong alongside two broadcast spinoffs. In 2025, it also debuted its very first streaming offshoot, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which saw the small screen reunion for Weatherly and Cote de Pablo’s star-crossed lovers.
Ahead of his spinoff return, Weatherly’s DiNozzo appeared in NCIS season 21’s special Ducky sendoff episode. Admittedly, it was bizarre seeing him back in the bullpen after all these years, especially considering how much had changed with MCRT by then. Currently, the fate of NCIS: Tony & Ziva season 2 is still up in the air, which means that Weatherly may continue to play DiNozzo via the offshoot. As the chances of him returning to the main show are very slim, it’s fortunate that NCIS has finally found his perfect replacement in season 23.
Dale Sawyer Becomes The Full Embodiment Of Tony DiNozzo’s NCIS Successor
Much has already happened in NCIS season 23 thus far. It tackled the aftermath of Papa Parker’s death, entertained the idea of Knight and Torres, delved deeper into Mama Parker’s mysterious death, and brought back Thom E. Gemcity. Amid all of this, the return of Zane Holtz as Special Agent Dale Sawyer stands out for one particular reason — his appearance fully establishes him as the perfect successor of DiNozzo.
From the way he wears a full suit to work to how he carries himself — a sarcastic and goofy but surprisingly good agent, Dale looks and feels like MCRT’s new Very Special Agent. Granted that he has been in NCIS since season 18 as a recurring guest star, his latest rendezvous with Parker’s team highlights just how much he has grown. It also helps that he has more to do in his season 23 return beyond just being a thorn in Torres’ side.
While he was previously depicted as a cocky and even useless agent, Dale’s time with Knight and Torres on a case results in a more fleshed out character. One who has immense potential if CBS gives him the chance to continuously flourish in NCIS season 23.
Why NCIS Needs To Feature Sawyer More Frequently Moving Forward
Despite being in the procedural for several years now, character development for Dale has been slow, primarily because he had been treated more like a plot device rather than an actual character. In terms of storytelling, he also works with the MCRT nightshift crew — an integral member of Navy Yard’s operation that hasn’t been given their time to truly shine.
After Dale’s promising NCIS season 23 comeback, there’s enough motivation to bring him back more frequently. Now that he’s found a way to work civilly with Torres, it’s a dynamic that CBS can develop into something unexpected. Dale might even be what NCIS needs to finally move forward with the teased romance between Knight and Torres.
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Sean Murray
Timothy McGee
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David McCallum
Dr. Donald ‘Ducky’ Mallard
