(Warning: This post contains spoilers for the Season 5 premiere of “9-1-1.”)
Things were looking up for Buck (Oliver Stark) and the rest of the 118 at the start of the Season 5 premiere of “9-1-1.” But based on the episode’s title, “Panic,” — and the fact this is “9-1-1” — we’re sure fans knew that wouldn’t last long. By the end of the hour, Los Angeles is experiencing a citywide blackout as a result of a ransomware attack, and Buck and his crew are faced with a disaster unlike any other they’ve experienced, given that this unnatural emergency is going to affect almost every aspect of life, and thus their jobs, for the next two weeks of the Fox drama.
But let’s rewind to the start of the episode, where Buck was experiencing something we haven’t seen him have since his Abby (Connie Britton) days: romantic bliss with Taylor (Megan West), who is clearly no longer just his friend with benefits.
“We definitely find them a lot further down the path and the journey into their relationship,” Stark told TheWrap. “And I feel like because of how we do find them in the episode, just kind of relaxed, laying in bed, watching TV, that, to me, says that a certain level of comfort has been reached. Maybe they have moved out of the honeymoon stage where it’s all lust and fun and they can’t keep their hands off of each other. And they’re just kind of a little more settled into routine and into their relationship. So I think it’s a really positive thing for both characters.”
He continued: “I think it’s just nice that he has his person. Obviously, he has extremely tight relationships and bonds to those within the 118 with him. But those people also have their own relationships outside of him. And that’s something that we’ve not really seen him be able to have for himself over the past years. So I’m glad that he finally has somebody that he gets to go home to and he gets to talk about his day with. I think it can only be a good thing and it can help keep him kind of on the straight and narrow when it comes to his work and personal life.”
Later in the episode, but still before the blackout hits, Buck gets a bit of worrisome news when he hears his BFF Eddie (Ryan Guzman) was recently at the hospital for what he believed to be a heart attack — but turned out to be a panic attack, maybe. Buck doesn’t let this go, and his concerns for Eddie will continue on throughout the disaster, Stark says.
“It’s a testament to their relationship that Buck immediately picks up on something being wrong,” Stark said. “And I think that just shows how connected they are and how in tune they are with each other that he pretty immediately picks up on the signs that something may not be quite right with Eddie. And through that, in typical Buck fashion, he’s just going to want to be there for him and probably overstep and be a little bit nosier than he should. But it’s certainly well-intentioned and he just wants to be there for somebody that is obviously hugely important to him.”
Readers can find TheWrap’s “9-1-1” Season 5 premiere post-mortem interview with showrunner Tim Minear here.
“9-1-1” airs Mondays at 8/7c on Fox.
