Overview

 Episodes: 20 (shortened from 24 due to COVID-19)

This season is character-focused, leaning into emotional closure over long-term threats.

🔍 Core Cast & Arc Highlights

1. Ziva David – Returns for a 4-episode arc, revealing she faked her death to protect her
daughter and uncover a hidden threat. Her arc centers on reclaiming identity, making
peace, and finally going home to Tali and Tony.
2. Gibbs – Reflective and warm with Ziva, he becomes more openly emotional. Faces tough
questions about his capacity for connection.
3. Bishop – Steps up as a moral and investigative core. Her bond with Ziva and chemistry with
Torres deepen.
4. Torres – Revealed to have strong feelings for Bishop, though both remain emotionally
guarded. Torres also faces a near-death experience.
5. McGee – Stable and loyal as always, he continues growing into his leadership role and
remains Gibbs' right hand.
6. Kasie Hines – Gains confidence, and finally more screen time and serious scenes. Her
perspective adds youthful insight.
7. Jack Sloane – Provides emotional grounding, especially for Gibbs and Ziva. Her bond with
Gibbs hints at deeper feelings.
8. Dr. Cyril Taft – Brief return, helping Gibbs in a key emotional scene.

🧩 Structure and Format

 Opening Arc (E01–E04): The Ziva storyline dominates—high tension, personal stakes,
and emotional payoffs.
 Mid-Season: Returns to case-of-the-week format but with more personal subplots.
 Unresolved Arcs Due to COVID: Sloane’s arc was intended to resolve this season but was
pushed to Season 18.

🎯 Major Themes
  Coming Home: Ziva’s arc centers on rediscovering who she is, and where she belongs.
 Emotional Vulnerability: Characters are more willing to open up, from Gibbs and Sloane
to Bishop and Torres.
 Family by Choice: The team dynamic is warm, tight-knit, and deeply loyal—especially
when facing trauma.
 Endings and New Beginnings: From Ziva’s closure to Kasie’s integration, the season is
about letting go of the past to move forward.

🔥 Key Episodes

 S17E01 “Out of the Darkness” – Ziva is on the run. Intense, action-packed return.
 S17E02 “Into the Light” – Ziva and Gibbs team up; quiet scenes of forgiveness and shared
pain. Emotional highlight.
 S17E04 “Into the Wind” – Ziva says goodbye to Gibbs, Sloane, and the team. She heads
off to reunite with Tony and Tali. Subtle, powerful, no on-screen reunion—but it’s implied.
 S17E09 “IRL” – Kasie gets a spotlight episode involving a stalker case. Good insight into
her psyche.
 S17E15 “On Fire” – Torres is hospitalized after an attack; Bishop’s panic and
protectiveness hit hard.
 S17E20 “The Arizona” – Originally meant to be mid-season, became the accidental finale.
Features Christopher Lloyd as a Pearl Harbor veteran trying to return a stolen medal.
Emotional, touching, and surprisingly intimate.

🧠 Analysis & Strengths

 Ziva’s Arc: Offers satisfying closure to her story. The writers respected her intelligence,
trauma, and heart. Her final scenes—especially with Gibbs and Bishop—are soft, human,
and bittersweet.
 Emotional Growth: Gibbs is no longer emotionally unreachable. He listens, feels, and
regrets openly.
 Kasie’s Development: Finally given more depth, she brings a unique balance of enthusiasm
and sharp intellect.
 Strong Guest Stars: From Christopher Lloyd to veteran character actors, the supporting
cast enhances the emotional range.
 Team Chemistry: With no major loss this season, the team feels stable and loving—despite
lingering romantic tension.

⚖️Weaknesses or Critiques

 No On-Screen Tiva Reunion: The most divisive choice. Fans were frustrated not to see
Ziva and Tony together again.
  Abrupt Ending: COVID-19 halted production early, so some arcs (especially Sloane’s and
Gibbs/Sloane tension) remained unresolved.
 Romantic Teases with No Payoff: Torres/Bishop continued slow-burning but still refused
emotional clarity.

🧨 Legacy of Season 17

 Ziva’s Return and Exit was handled gracefully and with emotional intelligence—
cementing her legacy as one of the show’s greats.
 The team dynamic was the most emotionally healthy and balanced it had been in years.
 Ends on a hopeful, human note, with “The Arizona” reminding viewers that NCIS is about
people, not just cases.
 Sets the stage for a darker, emotionally raw Season 18, especially in the wake of real-
world upheaval.