TMC
06-13-2026, 01:48 AM
https://www.cbr.com/ncis-darkest-ziva-episode-still-hits-hard/
By Justin Young
Published Jun 12, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT
NCIS has never been afraid to deliver an emotional gut punch out of left field to its characters and viewers. Season 4's "Dead Man Walking" took a unique approach to the show's usual style by having the crew investigate a murder before the victim had died, and it affected Cote de Pablo's Ziva David more than anyone else. Nearly 20 years later, it remains one of the darkest Ziva-centric episodes in NCIS history.
When the episode first aired, fans weren't yet aware of the road Ziva would travel. In retrospect, "Dead Man Walking" laid the groundwork for her upcoming character arc. It's one of the first times that viewers saw Ziva let her guard down and allow someone to get close to her. The episode is an early glimpse at Ziva's years of heartbreak. With the benefit of hindsight, "Dead Man Walking" is one of Ziva's defining episodes.
By Justin Young
Published Jun 12, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT
NCIS has never been afraid to deliver an emotional gut punch out of left field to its characters and viewers. Season 4's "Dead Man Walking" took a unique approach to the show's usual style by having the crew investigate a murder before the victim had died, and it affected Cote de Pablo's Ziva David more than anyone else. Nearly 20 years later, it remains one of the darkest Ziva-centric episodes in NCIS history.
When the episode first aired, fans weren't yet aware of the road Ziva would travel. In retrospect, "Dead Man Walking" laid the groundwork for her upcoming character arc. It's one of the first times that viewers saw Ziva let her guard down and allow someone to get close to her. The episode is an early glimpse at Ziva's years of heartbreak. With the benefit of hindsight, "Dead Man Walking" is one of Ziva's defining episodes.