‘9-1-1’ Star Oliver Stark on That Ex Twist, Tommy’s Choice and Why Buck Went to Eddie for Comfort

As a long-time devotee of cinema and a connoisseur of character development, I found this week’s episode of “9-1-1” to be a poignant exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery. The storyline between Buck (Oliver Stark) and Tommy (guest star Brian Michael Smith) was particularly captivating, striking a chord with me as someone who has navigated the complexities of relationships in my own life.

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for Thursday’s “Confessions” episode of ABC’s “9-1-1.”

After this week’s episode of “9-1-1,” I found myself no longer perched in my romantic tree with Buck (Oliver Stark) and Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.). The hour began with a joyous celebration of their latest monthly anniversary, but it ended bitterly as I discovered that Tommy had been previously engaged to his ex, Abby (Connie Britton), who departed LA (and “9-1-1”) several years ago. This unexpected revelation shook the foundation of our relationship.

However, it wasn’t Buck’s response to the disclosure that led to the end of their relationship. Instead, Buck dealt with his reservations about Tommy’s past female relationship and his own initial male relationship, even going so far as to ask Tommy to move in together. In actuality, it was Tommy who opted to terminate the relationship when he concluded that, despite Buck’s belief that he’s ready for such a commitment, Tommy feared that Buck might want to date other people in the future, and Tommy didn’t see himself as the one Buck would end up with in the long run.

Following the painful turn of events, Buck makes his way to Eddie’s (Ryan Guzman) residence to console himself, joined by his closest friend and fellow firefighter from Station 118, who has recently emerged from a period of depression with a significant breakthrough.

In this chat with EbMaster, Stark explores the recent “9-1-1” plotline of Buck and offers insights on where his character might be heading next.

Why hasn’t Buck seen “Glee” — and have you seen “Glee”? Choose your words carefully because Ryan Murphy is listening.

Listen, I’m taking my time thinking this one through. I’ve seen episodes — I haven’t seen start to finish. Don’t give me that look. I have seen episodes. Buck is my age, so Buck was probably in his late teens, early ’20s and was off traveling the world. He was in Peru being a bartender at that point in his life, and they weren’t streaming Fox! He was off finding himself at that time. And maybe if he did watch “Glee,” he would have come around to his bisexuality sooner. Watch “Glee” and find some things out about yourself.

When you saw that part in the script, did you laugh and talk to the writers about the fact you were going to explore this on a Ryan Murphy production?

In essence, the specific scene was one Tim contacted me about beforehand, expressing his desire to convey a particular point and wanting Josh to do so. He explained it in much the same words that Josh usually uses. I believe I responded with something like, “So, will we present it as such – the world before and after ‘Glee’?” To which he enthusiastically agreed, saying “Absolutely!” In my opinion, this was a clever approach as it delivered a deep and meaningful message in a less formal way, making it more accessible to a wider audience.

In this episode, the writers invoke Abby, a character that has not come up in a long time on “9-1-1,” in a very unexpected way. She’s revealed to be the ex-fiance of Tommy, Buck’s current boyfriend. What was your reaction to that storyline and how did you work through that in this episode and what it meant for Buck and Tommy’s future that he was evaluating his past sexuality?

Abby significantly impacted Buck’s life, as mentioned in the episode. Though he seems to have moved past this experience on a daily basis in his conscious mind, discovering that your new partner was once engaged to someone crucial can still be quite shocking. Initially, we planned to include more scenes showing Buck dealing with this revelation, such as a lengthy conversation with Pete Krause and Bobby, where Buck tried to process everything. Interestingly, in Season 1, Abby mentioned her former fiance named Tommy. At the time, they didn’t realize they would later introduce the character of Tommy, but it felt like a missed chance not to connect these dots and make the storyline feel more cohesive. The opportunity arose, and it seemed foolish not to utilize it, allowing Buck to experience a downward spiral, which is something he tends to do frequently.

After that spiraling, Buck makes peace with Tommy’s past and his own, and he even asked Tommy to move in, which leads to a very upsetting end for the episode. How did you feel about Tommy’s decision to break up with Buck with Tommy giving the reason that because he is the first man Buck has dated since coming out as bisexual, he will not be his last, and Tommy doesn’t want it to continue? Where did Tommy think this relationship was going to go ultimately if this is how he felt?

It’s interesting how you put it, but I have to wonder what your role was in this relationship, given that it seems somewhat unfair towards Buck. However, I do empathize with someone wanting to safeguard themselves. It appears that Buck is fearful of being hurt. Perhaps the best approach might be to communicate openly about one’s intentions. In this situation, Buck finds himself in a difficult position and doesn’t make it through the episode. I was quite curious to see how this scene would unfold, as I had only recently learned they were breaking up, but wasn’t sure of the details. The breakup seems fitting because Tommy is trying to protect himself, which is understandable. The line “I’m your first, not your last,” written by Tim, carries a lot of meaning and beauty. Buck will always be Tommy’s first and remain an important figure in his life due to this. Now, Buck must take steps on his own to discover who he truly is and who he wishes to be with.

Buck shows up at Eddie’s house after the breakup, not knowing everything Eddie has resolved within himself this episode. When he arrives, Eddie is doing a “Risky Business”-style scene, but quickly notices something is wrong with Buck and then the two sit in silence and drink before the episode ends. What is Buck’s feeling in that moment and why is Eddie the one he went to?

It’s clear that their bond is strong, as shown when Eddie walks in casually dressed, and Buck merely acknowledges him without much reaction. This scene suggests that they don’t need words to understand each other’s situations; instead, they can provide comfort and companionship while dealing with their individual issues, even if those issues are polar opposites. Eddie seems to be experiencing a moment of joy and relaxation, while Buck appears to be going through a tough time. Yet, despite these differences, they still manage to support each other effectively, demonstrating the depth of their relationship.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2024-11-08 05:17

‘9-1-1’ Star Oliver Stark on That Ex Twist, Tommy’s Choice and Why Buck Went to Eddie for Comfort

Why hasn’t Buck seen “Glee” — and have you seen “Glee”? Choose your words carefully because Ryan Murphy is listening.

When you saw that part in the script, did you laugh and talk to the writers about the fact you were going to explore this on a Ryan Murphy production?

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