Oliver Stark on 9-1-1 Season 8 Premiere and Buck’s Romantic Future

Oliver Stark’s Evan “Buck” Buckley didn’t hold back his feelings when he lashed out against Captain Vincent Gerrard on 9-1-1’s season 8 premiere — but the actor has no problem playing a slightly “regressed” version of his character if it means he gets to push back against corrupt authority.

“It was really fun. I think it’s a really great thing for the show to have an out and out antagonist. It’s something we’ve not really ever had,” Stark, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the Thursday, September 26, episode. “So I thought that was a great thing in the bigger picture. And Buck did end up regressing slightly. … But to be honest, because of who Captain Gerrard is, I don’t mind that. I’m all for it. I think [Gerrard] is very deserving of Buck’s attitude, so I was happy to provide it.”

Stark noted that Buck’s actions are also a “testament” to how important Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) is to the 118 — and to Buck’s growth since season 1.

“When you take [Bobby] out of the 118, he was a huge part of why Buck was able to progress in the way that he has,” Stark added. “So him being removed from the situation meant that Buck took a few backward steps.”

Buck was introduced to viewers during the show’s 2018 premiere as a young and rebellious character who enjoyed pushing back against authority, but he’s come a long way under the mentorship of Bobby. The season 7 finale, however, saw Bobby accidentally resigning from his post — and the racist, homophobic Captain Gerrard (Brian Thompson) stepping back into action.

Season 8’s premiere, meanwhile, depicted the fallout of the changeover after a three-month time jump. Buck struggled the most to work under Gerrard’s militaristic rule, and in the final moments of the episode, he seemingly attacked Gerrard by throwing him to the ground. A last-minute twist, however, revealed that Buck was pushing Gerrard out of the way of a flying saw.

While Gerrard was still injured by episode’s end, Buck clearly saved him from a potentially fatal accident. Stark told Us that Gerrard’s recovery going forward won’t be an “overnight fix,” and Buck will face his own mental struggles when it comes to what went down.

“Buck is going to wrestle a little bit with if he meant to save him or not,” Stark confessed. “You know, ‘Was I aware of what I was doing there or was I just trying to take him out, and it happens to have a happy ending?’” Stark also warned that Gerrard is not a “normal individual,” so his reaction to the incident won’t be what people expect.

“It’s definitely going to throw a bit of a wrench into the dynamics of the 118 and provide some really fun story lines,” Stark teased, “once [Gerrard is] back on his feet.”

For now, the rest of the firefighters still have that pesky bee-nado to deal with. 9-1-1 has become known for its explosive season opener emergencies over the years, some more catastrophic than others. Tackling a “sillier” arc to kick off season 8, Stark said, felt right.

“You know, there are plenty of really down-to-earth, grounded procedurals out there and they’re great. But I don’t think we’re trying to be that and if we are, we’re failing miserably,” he said with a laugh. “But I want to embrace the silliness. I want it to feel almost like an alternate universe where everything is exaggerated and we [can] have a bee-nado. I think that’s where the show thrives, and it’s as fun as the actor as well.”

Stark said that part of why the outlandish story lines work is because of the “great rapport” he and his costars have built on set.  “We really, truly love and lean on each other and make fun of each other and we feel very safe with each other,” he told Us. “So to get to do things like this where it does feel a bit silly, there’s no one I’d rather be doing it with than these people.”

Stark referenced the season 2 earthquake as an example of leaning into the fun of their jobs, recalling everyone having to pretend the earth was moving — kind of like having to pretend there’s a swarm of bees chasing you when there’s not.

“Still to this day, Peter laughs at me at the way I, like, crossed my legs over and did this ‘Whoa, whoa,’ when the earthquake [hit],” he recalled. “It’s just silly and it’s fun. And that is the best part about getting to do this job, which is playing make-believe and having fun with our friends. They [just] happen to have a bunch of cameras on us while we do it.”

Outside of his busy firefighter life, Buck will also be navigating his new romance with Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.). While Stark says the pair are in a “good place” during the season 8 premiere, he noted that it’s still the “early days” and “honeymoon phase” of their relationship, which doesn’t last forever.

“There’s a very fleeting brief moment [in the premiere] where they’re hidden behind the couch, and it’s nice to just touch on that kind of happiness,” he said before adding, “But they’re at a point now where they’re going to start learning more about each other. And, obviously, that can sometimes provide things that need navigating in a relationship. The more you learn about each other, there are some uncomfortable truths that can be unearthed.”

Stark hinted the couple will face some “heavy conversations” that will require “figuring some things out,” which means Buck will need to “lean on those around him, whether that be Bobby or Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt). He’ll need help navigating some of the rocky relationship waters if they come.”

One of those friends might be Buck’s BFF Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman), who is dealing with his own issues after his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), moved away to Texas with his grandparents. While Stark said that Chris’ exit is ”obviously more difficult for Eddie,” Buck is feeling the effects of that absence too.

“I think we see in the scene [for Chris’ birthday] in that first episode on Buck’s face that it’s difficult and Christopher is obviously a hugely important part of his life too,” he said. “And I think the dynamic between Buck and Eddie is really interesting this season because as we move on, they’re both going to be dealing with a lot, and to see the different ways that they deal with their struggles but how they can incorporate each other and their friendship and their bond and still be there for each other, even though they’re dealing with things in very, very different ways.”

Stark called it a “testament” to the duo’s friendship “that they can sit in a room in silence and know that they need support, but you don’t have to have a verbal answer. You don’t have to be able to say the right thing sometimes. You just need to be there. I think that’s a really beautiful sign of true connection and that’s something that we get to really embrace this season.”

While there may or may not be rough waters ahead for Buck, romantic or otherwise, the character continues to grow after embracing his bisexuality last season. Stark said he believes that once a person “steps into” their “true self,” a “confidence” develops that “permeates through everything that you do.”

“Buck wasn’t someone who was hiding who he was, he just wasn’t conscious of it, right? But with that there is a kind of uncertainty in it that maybe we saw him try and counteract by in fact being overly confident in the past,” Stark explained. “But even that was just a mask, whereas now just is authentically who he is. And I think there’s an ease with that.”

Stark said there is a “subtle” difference between who Buck was vs. who he is now, and he’s having a blast leaning into those changes while filming season 8.

“I’ve had a lot of fun this season playing him, whether that be on emergencies or in personal story lines,” he said, before teasing what might be to come. “Like, we’re shooting episode 5 right now and it’s, like, a really fun and silly story for Buck. I’m just having a blast, to be honest with you.”

New episodes of 9-1-1 air on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET.