Warning: Contains SPOILERS for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 4.9-1-1 season 8 started on a unique note with a violent “bee-nado” unleashed on the city of Los Angeles. The disaster led to a plane collision that then forced Athena and a young boy to take control of the aircraft and land it on the freeway. Once the dust settled from the three-episode premiere, two of 9-1-1’s main conflicts came to a resolution. Bobby takes back his rightful position as captain of the 118, and Hen and Karen’s foster license is reinstated, bringing about a heartfelt homecoming for Mara.
With other important plots at the forefront, there haven’t been many updates about Buck’s personal life or his romance with Tommy. However, actor Oliver Stark shares that episodes 5 and 6 will feature Louis Ferrigno Jr.’s character more heavily, providing clarity on the couple’s current status. Stark also discusses aspects he feels are key to any onscreen relationship and shares his love for the show and cast.
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Screen Rant interviews Stark about the latest events of 9-1-1 season 8, his own theories about Buck, and how long he could see himself playing the firefighter.
Stark Hopes The 9-1-1 Universe Continues To Grow
“I think it’s a testament to the strength of the 9-1-1 franchise and the way the fans have backed the show that it’s even a possibility.”
Screen Rant: I saw that another 9-1-1 spinoff is in the works. What are your thoughts? Are you hoping to do more crossovers within the universe?
Oliver Stark: Yeah, I mean, to be honest with you, I know nothing about it. I don’t know how officially it’s even been announced. I know Ryan Murphy said, “We’re working on this, and we want to start shooting the pilot in March,” but I don’t know if the network or the studio has officially said that. So I know nothing. I love the idea of it.
I think the idea of growing the world and the universe of 9-1-1 is always exciting, especially if, as you say, it provides scope for crossovers, and we get to maybe dip into another world for a little bit. So yeah, I think it’s nothing but positive, and I think it’s a testament to the strength of the 9-1-1 franchise and the way the fans have backed the show that it’s even a possibility.
I’ve asked you about this before, but now that you’ve been on ABC a little bit longer, are there actors from other shows [you’d want to crossover with] or a series you would like the 118 to go over to?
Oliver Stark: We’ve always joked about it being like Abbott Elementary or something, but I saw they’re doing a crossover with “It’s Always Sunny”, which I think is really funny. I guess The Rookie makes the most sense, right? It’s first responder-focused. I believe it’s set in L.A., so that would be cool. I like the idea of two different teams coming together and partnering up for whatever case. That’s one that I could certainly get behind and see possibility for.
Buck Will Be Dealing With Some Changes In 9-1-1 Season 8
“I’m intrigued to see what the next step will be. He’s at this place in his life where there’s a lot of possibility for him.”
Bobby is back and captain of the 118 again. How was having, not just the onscreen family back together, but that adjustment of Peter Krause being back at home base?
Oliver Stark: No adjustment at all really, in the sense that we’re so used to each other, and we’re such a family. He’s missed when he’s not with us. We had it, obviously at the start of this season, and at the start of last season because he was off shooting the cruise ship for a long time. So it’s always a little bit jarring, I suppose, the adjustment when he’s away, but as soon as he comes back to us here, we fall into our old rhythm, and it feels like home.
In addition to Bobby being back, Hen and Karen have their family back together. There was a little bit of a plot twist with Gerrard being involved. Do you think any part of him wanted to do something good or was it purely out of self-interest?
Oliver Stark: I think when we look back across the seasons, and who he is, I think we can err on the side of it being self-interest. But at the end of the day, it had a positive outcome for all of us. So whatever the character’s reasoning was, we’ll take it because everything ended up the way that it was supposed to.
We’ve had a lot of exciting plots over the past four episodes, but we haven’t been able to dive too much into what’s been going on in Buck’s personal life. How would you describe the trajectory of his storyline this season?
Oliver Stark: We’re not too far ahead. We’re only currently shooting episode 8, and obviously, episode 5 is airing this week, so I don’t know too much. I do know that from where we are now to episode 8, Buck’s life is going to be in flux a little bit, and he’s going to deal with some changes.
So within the next few episodes there is a story, velocity-wise, [with] quite a lot happening for him. But then it seems to settle down for a little bit, and I’m intrigued to see what the next step will be. He’s at this place in his life where there’s a lot of possibility for him. So I’m excited to see, first of all, the next few episodes play out and then where that story heads in the not-too-distant future.
Episodes 5 & 6 Of 9-1-1 Season 8 Will Focus More On Buck And Tommy’s Romance
“There’s a lot of clarity on where their relationship is at and a lot of truths learned about each other.”
Have you shot an episode that touches more on Buck’s relationship with Tommy this season?
Oliver Stark: Yeah, he’s in Episode 5, a good amount, and is able to, I was going to say support Buck through some difficult times, but I don’t know if he’s always that helpful in this scenario. [Laughs] He’s a little bit weirded out by some things going on with Buck. And then in Episode 6, there’s a lot of clarity on where their relationship is at and a lot of truths learned about each other. I think it’s going to be a really great episode.
Do you think that Tommy gave Buck the flying lessons? Could he pilot a helicopter if need be?
Oliver Stark: I’m going to say yes just because I hope that one day there’s some scenario that comes up where they need Buck to pilot a helicopter, and we can go, “Oh, well let’s say that he learned it from Tommy that one time.” So yes. I’m going to say yes.
You mentioned about a season ago that it’s been pretty smooth sailing for Buck in terms of, he has a crush on someone, and he ends up dating them shortly after, and you’d like that to be drawn out a little bit more. Is that still something you’d like to see? More of a slow burn development? It could apply to Eddie, but, really, just in general.
Oliver Stark: Yeah, listen, I think the best relationships are ones that have a slow burn element. I want there to be some longing involved. I want there to be some will they/won’t they. So yeah, absolutely. I think that is a key element in forming a new relationship from a TV show perspective.
I want there to be some uncertainty for the audience. As the characters are experiencing that kind of longing for each other, I want the audience to be longing for it as well. So absolutely, I think that’s an important element.
“It’s going to be okay, and you’re going to find yourself, and it’s okay to not be there yet.”
Do you have any secret theories about Buck? Are there any hidden talents or hidden hobbies that they haven’t shown on screen but you have in your mind?
Oliver Stark: I don’t know. The thing about Buck is he’s kind of out loud and very proud of anything that he can do. But yeah, I like, as we go finding out, I think a few seasons ago there was a reference to him being a really great baseball player in high school in the episode where, I think it’s in season 2, he had to smash a cement block off somebody’s head.
And then we just had in an episode this season that had a reference to him playing tight end in high school. And obviously, we saw him in the plane episodes hop on a motorcycle, and we have alluded to his ability to ride a motorcyle in “Buck Begins.” There always seems to be more under the surface to him. I like the idea of physical talents. I think he’s, obviously, an intelligent character, which I sometimes think is mischaracterized.
People assume that he’s dumb and, actually, if you watch back the episodes, he often comes up with really smart fixes to things even with the bees. So yeah, I think some physical talents. Maybe climbing or something. Maybe he was a rock climber at some point and that could feature in. Something to do with the physical attribute I think would be nice.
If you could go back in time and give season 1 Buck a piece of advice, what would you say to him?
Oliver Stark: There are so many things. I’m like, “Is it this?” At the end of the day, my first instinct is to say, “Listen to those around you and calm down a little bit,” but at the same time, that was part of him forming into the character that he is now.
We learn things in our own time and maybe at the pace that we are supposed to learn them anyway. So maybe I wouldn’t try and push that on him any faster than it happened naturally. So maybe not listen, maybe more just the case of, it sounds quite cliche, but, “It’s going to be okay, and you’re going to find yourself, and it’s okay to not be there yet.”
The 9-1-1 Cast Is Grateful For The Show’s Longevity
“I love the show, I love the people I work with, which is such a huge currency in itself, getting to work with people that you genuinely love.”
Obviously, Buck has become such an important character to so many people. They’ve seen themselves in him and taken different things away. What do you feel that you have taken away from playing Buck over these past eight years?
Oliver Stark: He’s a real ray of sunshine in many ways. He’s really bright and bubbly and good-hearted and some of that kind of “up” energy isn’t always my natural default place to sit. So I definitely think some of his more outgoing energy has rubbed off on me, and I can dip into that easier now than maybe when I was a little bit younger.
9-1-1 has such longevity. I feel like this is a show that could just continue to go on. Do you see yourself playing Buck for years to come if possible?
Oliver Stark: Yeah, this show has been a real blessing to myself, and I know I speak on behalf of the other cast when I say that it’s seen us through some really tough times within the industry, with the strikes a year or two ago, saw us through Covid, so that longevity of the show has been something that we’re all very conscious of and very grateful for. I love the show, I love the people I work with, which is such a huge currency in itself, getting to work with people that you genuinely love.
It’s really been a bubble and insulated us from a lot of uncertainty in our industry and in the whole world. More than anything, we have a great time with each other. Sometimes as an actor, obviously, there are inclinations to think about “what else is there?” But we have so much fun together. We said recently, “I can’t imagine not working with these people.”
We are truly a family and the idea of it at some point coming to an end, which obviously it will, all shows do, and not waking up and getting to go and work with some of my best friends every day is very bizarre. So yeah. As long as the opportunity is there, and it’s presented to us, I think I can speak for all of us and say we’re having a great time.
About 9-1-1 Season 8 On ABC
Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear reimagine the procedural drama
The series explores the high-pressure experiences of first responders — including police officers, firefighters and dispatchers — who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping conditions. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives. The show draws from the real lives of first responders who regularly face situations that are often unpredictable, intense and uplifting at the same time.
Check out our previous interview with Oliver Stark, as well.
