9-1-1’s Oliver Stark Explains How Buck’s Latest Near-Death Experience Will Change Him
Warning! The following contains spoilers for the 9-1-1 Episode “In Another Life”. Read at your own risk!
9-1-1 just can’t help but throw in some drama Desirein his own way, although I’m sure he would have preferred another emotional heartbreak had he known the alternative was literal cardiac arrest. Bobby and the crew took Buck to the hospital after he was struck by lightning, and viewers were treated to a wild “coma episode” in which Buck imagined a life where he would never be a firefighter. Oliver Stark explained how this near-death experience will change his character.
Now that Buck is home and on the mend, actor Oliver Stark spoke to TVLine about what’s next for him 9-1-1 Character. For those wondering if this was just a two-episode thriller coming out the window next week, Stark assured that this storyline will continue into Season 6:
The show is definitely not going to skip this anytime soon. He came very, very close to dying, which is a very sobering experience. And while it’s positive in the sense that he survived, it will surely make him reflect on who he is and who he wants to be.
Viewers may have figured this out when Buck and maddie‘s parents decided to move into Buck’s apartment while he was recovering, but for those who didn’t know, 9-1-1 seems to be holding on to this story for a while longer. This recovery time will allow Buck to reflect on the traumatic experiences he survived and maybe even question what he really wants in life.
9-1-1 Fans might roll their eyes at this, and hey, I get it. So much of Buck’s previous history on the Fox series has revolved around major life changes and reinventing himself. Oliver Stark admitted he’s also aware of this trend, but noted that this is something special that could bring Buck a lot closer to a finished product as opposed to a running product:
Yes I think so. We always have this joke about Buck with the writers, we say, “This is the new Buck” or “This is the new, new Buck” or “This is the new, new, new Buck”. He is constantly evolving and trying to find himself. I think this deep glimpse into his inner workings will help him come to that final version of himself.
As for Buck, he already seems to be willing to make small changes when he surprised Maddie by allowing his parents to interfere in his life by remodeling his apartment. The 9-1-1 The character seemed to actively refrain from telling his parents to let him live without a couch.
What that means for Buck in the long term, we can only speculate. We know Buck is in touch with the family he is a sperm donor to and that’s a pretty big deal. It might even convince Buck that he’s willing to try it for his own family, though he doesn’t really have any immediate prospects of a relationship on the horizon.
And, to be perfectly honest, Buck in a romance sounds exactly like the same Buck 9-1-1 has given viewers in the past. Right now, I would be just as thrilled to watch him heal and slowly recover on his soon-to-be-bought couch. After all, he has yet to gain strength as he grows as a human!
9-1-1 airs Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET on Fox. New episodes will air as part of a series of new and returning shows on the 2023 TV schedule, so keep an eye out for what’s on the way.