"Michael and Cote have been talking about this show for years and years and years. So they were the ones that cooked up the rough edges of the idea, went to [writer] John McNamara, along with us, saying, we’d love to do this show. And the timing was right," Stapf said of the Tony and Ziva spinoff
Part 3 of the Smiling Chief. I find it adorable that among all the nigh-smiles, "gonna kick your ass" smirks and "so long suckers" smiles, the only time John smiles with genuine pleasure is when he sees Cortana again. Oh that brings me back to the final episode of S01, when Chief's half-smiles in response to Cortana's not being interested in taking over his banged-up body, and that joking exchange meant that they've finally cemented their friendship. So freaking adorable!