NCIS Favorite Spotted on Set: Joe Spano’s Return Teased in Sean Murray’s Latest Snaps

NCIS aficionados, get ready for a delightful return! Joe Spano, the fan-adored actor, is reprising his role as special agent Tobias Fornell in the latest season.

Eagle-eyed followers caught a glimpse of Spano in a couple of behind-the-scenes photos on set, shared by Sean Murray (who plays Agent Timothy McGee) on Instagram. In the snapshots, Spano is seen alongside Murray and Gary Cole, who portrays Alden Parker, in the iconic NCIS interrogation room, hinting at Fornell’s upcoming involvement.

Sean Murray teased the appearance with a caption that read, “A couple #BST shots from the set of #NCIS 🙂 See you Mondays at 9pm on @cbstv & @paramountplus.”

Fans were quick to express their excitement over Spano’s return in the comments, with reactions ranging from “Fornell’s popping by again soon? Awesome,” to eager inquiries like “Is that @official.joe.spano I see lurking? Yes!!”

Speculation is rife that Spano’s comeback could be tied to the franchise’s landmark 1,000th episode. While specific casting details for this milestone remain under wraps, showrunners David North and Steven D. Binder have teased an episode that pays tribute to the series’ storied history. “We’re going to play plenty of homage to the past,” said North, with Binder adding that the episode will be filled with “Easter eggs for longtime fans of the show.”

Spano’s character, Fornell, made his last appearance in a season 20 crossover event with NCIS: Hawai’i. Despite never being a mainstay in the cast, Fornell is celebrated as the longest-running recurring character in the main NCIS series, marking his territory in seasons from one to 16 and 18 to 20, making this return a much-anticipated event for fans and characters alike.