7 Reasons Why We Will Miss ‘NCIS’s Tony DiNozzo

Aubry D'Arminio January 6, 2016, 3:11 pm

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NCIS - Michael Weatherly

"Cabin Fever" -- The NCIS team suspects Gibbs' arch-nemesis is behind an explosion at a summit for global terror event, but Gibbs elects to sit out the investigation in order to help a grief-stricken Fornell, whose life is on the verge of imploding following his wife's murder, on NCIS, Tuesday, Feb. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Michael Weatherly Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2015 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

DiNozznooooo! Michael Weatherly and CBS confirmed yesterday that the actor, who plays man-puppy Special Agent Tony DiNozzo on NCIS, is leaving the series in this year’s season finale. And while the show will go on, we’re really going to miss the guy. (Tony, not Weatherly, whose production company has a deal with CBS.) Why? For one, Tony would love the terrible pun that starts this paragraph—after all, he is the one who came up with the nickname “McGeek” for his tech-loving partner, McGee (Sean Murray). Here are seven more reasons we find Tony so Di-lovely.

He’s shaken, but never stirred. Like anyone, DiNozzo’s not immune to a few bumps or bruises. Or getting stuffed in a body bag (see Season 1, Episode 1). But he never seems to have a hair out of place. Even his five o’clock shadow, after long nights hunting down Ziva (Cote de Pablo) in Israel, looked trim.

He knows how to rock a suit. And, oh, the suits. Zegna, Tom Ford. Casual Fridays aren’t a “thing” in Tony’s world. Or Casual Saturdays…or Sundays… Yet, no matter what he has on, he carries a backpack to work, which to us says, “I take my looks seriously, but I take my job, uh, seriously-er.” Or he just has a really big tube of hair gel in there.

He’s loyal. Did we mention he went searching for Ziva in Israel? First, to save her from assassins, and then, to well, you know. He also scoured the planet for Daniel Budd (Giles Matthey), the terrorist who orchestrated Gibbs’ shooting. And he took the guy down with a pretty good quip, “You’re not a Bond villain, Daniel, you’re a fraud. And fraud’s don’t get to speechify like Bond villains, but they do get to die like them.” Which reminds us…

He’s basically the IMDB. This guy loves movies. And quotes movies. And references movies—from White Heat to WarGames. As Ziva once said to him “Your dying words will be, ‘I love this film.’”

He is his daddy’s boy. If there’s anyone smoother than Tony DiNozzo, it’s Tony DiNozzo, Sr., played by still-a-stud Robert Wagner. We’ll even forgive him for being an international con man. And so did Tony—who still takes care of his good old dad. Fun Fact: Michael Weatherly actually played Robert Wagner in the 2007 TV movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood. And if you don’t know who Natalie Wood is, ask DiNozzo.

He’ll take a lickin’… Do you know how many times he’s been hit on the head by Gibbs (Mark Harmon)? Or nearly got killed by the Bubonic Plague (yes, really)? Or almost blown up in a car? Or actually caught in an explosion and trapped in an elevator? (The last was only once, but you get the point.)

…And still keep on tickin’. Weatherly may be leaving, but DiNozzo will always have staying power. This is a guy who turned down leading his own team in Spain to stay at, what seemed like, a heartbreaking job for over a decade. And at that tiny desk. He better get a gold watch.