7 NCIS characters we hope to see return in season 22

NCIS season 22 is on the way and we are excited to see the main team of agents make their return. Of course, there are also so many other characters we’ve loved over the years and would enjoy seeing on screen once again. Is it likely we may see certain characters we’ve grown to love over the years such as Ellie Bishop or Ziva David? Probably not, however, the latter could happen due to the Tiva spinoff that will be airing on Paramount+.

These are some of the characters we would love to see return, especially based on arcs that have occurred recently. Whether a family member or recurring characters that have been with the show for years, there are plenty of characters that we think of when we consider who might make an appearance.

Agent Tobias Fornell

Fornell (Joe Spano) has always been one of our favorite characters since the beginning of the series. There’s not a chance we won’t see him crop up, but when he does, it’s a treat. Plus, it also shows his importance to the team is not just tied to former agent Gibbs. Whether helping with the case or hanging out with the team, Fornell always brings with him a sense of nostalgia.

Delilah Fielding

McGee’s relationship with his wife, Delilah (Margo Harshman), is one of the most joyful parts of the show to watch. Whenever they appear on screen together, we love to witness how they have grown over the years, especially since we don’t always see them every single week. We hope to see more of Delilah, especially their twins.

Sarah McGee

Even though McGee’s sister, played by Troian Bellisario, has not been seen since episode 4, McGee recently brought her up in a season 21 episode. He had discovered his dad had donated sperm for a couple, who gave birth to a daughter who's his half-sister. McGee told the team he met her with his sister, Sarah. With such close mention of her, it would be great to see her again. McGee’s family may not appear as often, but any possibility of seeing one of his family members would be amazing for fans of the character!

Lucia Campbell

Pilar Holland portrayed Nick Torres’s sister in season 21 when he was suspected of killing a man tied to their pasts. Since Nick’s arc has always seen him struggling when someone leaves, in the wake of Jessica Knight’s exit from the team, it would be great to see his sister appear to support him. 

Feng Zhao

Knight’s father, played by Russell Wong, made his first appearance in season 21, where we discovered he had big plans for his daughter’s career. He was also the catalyst for Jimmy being worried about his relationship with Knight, since he wondered if being with him would be in the way of her future career goals. But are they hers or her father’s? Seeing Jessica’s father again would be an interesting arc to examine, especially if Knight finds her way back to the team in season 22.

Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David

Even though Tony (Michael Weatherly) and Ziva (Cote de Pablo) will have their spinoff series coming to Paramount+, it would still be fun to see them appear on NCIS in some capacity. There could even be a video call where they call McGee for advice on something work-related. Either way, we would love to see them in season 22.

It would be impossible to list all of the characters we'd love to see return with such a long history. But one thing is for sure, we know that any one of them returning would be a welcome surprise.

NCIS season 22 premieres Monday, Oct. 14 on CBS at 8/7c before moving to its regular 9 p.m. EST time slot on Oct. 21.