Evan “Buck” Buckley and Tommy Kinard’s kiss on the Thursday, April 4, episode of 9-1-1 has already stolen viewers’ hearts, and the actors understand why.
“I think it’s deserved and I think it’s earned — and I am excited to get the chance to tell it,” Oliver Stark, who plays Buck, told Variety in an interview published after the episode aired on ABC, teasing that his upcoming story line is “going to be great.”
While Buck has been a mainstay at station 118 since season 1 of 9-1-1, Tommy (Louis Ferrigno Jr.) was introduced in season 7 as an LAFD helicopter pilot. After Tommy helped the crew rescue Bobby and Athena (played by Peter Krause and Angela Bassett) from a sinking cruise ship in the three-part premiere, he bonded with both Buck and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) on land.
In Thursday’s episode, the show’s landmark 100th, Buck became increasingly jealous that Eddie was spending all of his free time with Tommy instead of him.
“I think it’s almost a feeling of searching or uneasiness, not necessarily with Eddie, but within himself,” Stark, 32, exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “And it’s easier sometimes to put that onto somebody else than have to do the self-reflection and self-interrogation of, ‘Hey, what am I actually feeling here?’”
He further teased, “I think once you watch the episode, you actually realize it’s not necessarily that he just doesn’t quite understand what he’s feeling. And this jealousy [with Eddie] is the way that it manifests itself, but it’s not necessarily the root cause of his unease.”
At the end of Thursday’s episode, Tommy visited Buck at home and apologized for seemingly stealing Buck’s best friend. The moment ended with Tommy leaning in to kiss Buck before they made plans to go out on a date.
Buck and Tommy’s outing will be the subject of next week’s episode, per the official promo. It is Buck’s first date with a man and just the tipping point for how the character’s coming out journey will be explored.
“The focus was on it being important, but also not wanting it to feel like the bravest episode in television. We just wanted to tell a lighthearted love story that happens to be a queer love story,” Stark noted to Variety. “It’s an element, but it’s not everything. He’ll obviously have some questions for himself, and for others.”
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According to Stark, Buck will “absolutely” address his sexuality in conversation with sister Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and his fellow firefighters at station 118.
“He’ll get different reactions. Some will be surprised, and some will not be so surprised,” Stark added to the outlet. “But it’s very true to the world of 9-1-1 that he will lean on those around him, and will receive the support that he needs.”
9-1-1 airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.
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