Episode 6 of 9-1-1 Season 8 dropped an absolute clanger for Buck’s new relationship – but who does he end up with as a result?
Evan Buckley – better known by his nickname Buck – was introduced to fans in the very first episode of the binge-worthy TV show, and we’ve been hooked on him ever since.
As well as being Maddie’s younger brother, he’s been involved in major storylines including the Freddie Costas fire truck accident, suing the city with Chase Mackey, and deciding to become a sperm donor.
Originally hooking up with operator Abby Clark in earlier episodes, he came out as bisexual in Season 7, changing the course of his character for good. But what’s happened since, and how is 9-1-1 Season 8 shaping who Buck ends up with?
9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 6 broke up Buck and Tommy
Remember how I just said Buck hooked up with Abby? Turns out she was engaged to Tommy without Buck’s knowledge, causing the couple to split in Season 8 Episode 6.
Buck’s sexuality came to a head in Season 7, first becoming jealous when Eddie begins spending a lot of time with Tommy. This results in Buck “accidentally” hurting Eddie during a game of basketball, later apologizing to Tommy for getting in their way.
But, surprise – Tommy actually likes Buck back too! The pair go on a date, which quickly turns south when Eddie appears, causing Tommy to lie about what they’re doing. This leads to more uncertainty and apologizing, but by the time Maddie’s wedding to Chimney comes around, it’s clear the pair are dating.
Cut to Season 8 Episode 6, and it’s all over. Buck learns Tommy was engaged to Abby for two years, yet never mentioned it at any point (let’s remember Tommy joined the cast back in Season 2). The aftermath of this is still unfolding but Buck is clearly trying to protect himself by breaking up with Tommy so quickly.
Even when the pair first started dating, Buck makes it clear that he has no idea what he’s doing, which is part of the reason why things get off to a rocky start. Tommy was something of a “womanizer” in earlier seasons, suggesting he must have known Buck would hurt him at some point down the line.
According to Lou Ferrigno Jr., who plays Tommy, this relationship was never destined to last. He told Fangirlish: “I honestly don’t believe that the relationship matured well enough that they should have made any type of long-term decision.
“[The breakup scene was] written beautifully [and I hope that fans could take from it that Tommy] is just doing what he knows to survive. I just would have hoped that it would have lasted a little bit more. [Buck is also] looking at those girls, and that sucks for Tommy, and it sucks for any person that’s looking at their partner looking at someone else.
“A lot of that stuff is just out of Tommy’s control, and I think that maybe Tommy blames himself, or maybe he thinks he mystified Buck to the point where Buck is compromising on his own character, and I don’t think that Tommy wants to be responsible for doing that, because I think based on how he was with Abby and what happened there, he just doesn’t want to do this again,” he continued.
Will Tommy and Buck get back together?
At the moment, there’s absolutely no way of telling. We don’t yet know if 9-1-1 will be renewed for a ninth season, but it seems like Episode 6 could be Tommy’s last appearance.
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Obviously, a lot of this hinges on whether 9-1-1 Season 9 gets the green light. As of writing, there’s no confirmation if this will happen – but if it does, we’ll likely find out straight after Season 8 wraps up.
But even if we do get more episodes, that doesn’t automatically mean Tommy will be coming back. The fact he has disappeared and then reappeared in the new TV show means it’s not a complete no to say he’s never coming back after the break-up.
Even so, let’s look at the facts. Normally, you learn a lot from your first relationship in any capacity – for Buck, his first relationship with a man – and that becomes something you can build on for the future.
If 9-1-1 wants to continue Buck’s emotional growth, going back to Tommy only feels regressive.
Actor Oliver Stark commented on Buck’s future “Buck is very much going to look to channel his heartbreak into positive hobbies, pretty much to an obsessive degree, which is noticed by a few people around him and presents some lighthearted and fun scenes for the cast.
“In typical Buck fashion, he’s going to keep moving forward and find a way to cope with it. The cracks will probably start to appear, but certainly to begin with, the mask and the facade is going to be very much one of “I’m okay.”
Did anything ever happen with Eddie?
No. Buck and Eddie have stayed strictly platonic, although rumors about the pair’s romance have been floated before.
There’s always been a certain something in the pair’s onscreen bromance, and that could easily be interpreted as romance… and that’s before we consider how much of an influence Eddie had in their relationship.
Now that Tommy is out of the picture, the door is open for Buck and Eddie to see what’s there – and according to the cast, they’re up for the possibility.
“I’m open to it. You know, there’s obviously stuff there and there’s a chemistry between us,” Stark said on an episode of the Zach Sang Show. “Yeah, if it goes there then I think it would be [something I would do].”
“It works two ways, right? I definitely see that as a potential story,” he added. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with Eddie’s character. But then I also think you have to tread carefully because I don’t want to tell this story where [a] guy comes out and now all his male friends are like ‘Aw, so what you got a crush on me?’ Like, I want to be careful of telling that story.”
9-1-1 Season 8 is airing on ABC weekly. Check out other hit shows including 9-1-1 Lone Star Season 5 and Grey’s Anatomy Season 21. You can also catch up with the best TV shows of the year so far.
