Oliver Stark is a pillar of 9-1-1 as Evan “Buck” Buckley, but not every storyline he’s gotten makes sense for his character. 9-1-1 follows Buck and the rest of LAFD station 118— Captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause), Howard “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi), Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds), Ravi Panikkar (Anirudh Pisharody), and Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) — as they attend to medical and ecological emergencies in the greater Los Angeles area. The 118 has dealt with tsunamis, earthquakes, wildfires, and deadly viruses, but some of the most painful episodes in the series are about the characters rather than the rescues. Aside from the harrowing near-death experiences in 9-1-1, the ensemble cast is often responsible for progressing the overarching narrative via personal character development. The best episodes of 9-1-1 anchor themselves to a few characters, narrowing the scope in order to maximize the plot’s depth. Nearly every 9-1-1 character has had episodes devoted to their backstory — “Chimney Begins” (9-1-1 season 2, episode 12), “Buck Begins” (season 4, episode 5), and “Bobby Begins Again” (season 2, episode 16) to name a few. However, some of the biggest decisions the characters make are in the present timeline, and they’re not always for the better.
If you’re a long-time fan of 9-1-1, you already know how emotionally intense and character-driven the series can be. But every now and then, a storyline drops that feels… off. Like, really off. One of those moments? A Buck plotline from three years ago that still doesn’t sit right with many fans — myself included. Let’s dive into why this particular storyline was so jarringly out of character and why fans just can’t let it go.
The Loyal Daredevil With A Heart of Gold
From the beginning, Buck has been the wild card — the thrill-seeker, the one who acts before thinking. But underneath that chaos? A fiercely loyal, deeply emotional man who’d throw himself into fire (literally) for the people he loves.
Growth Beyond the Chaos
Over the seasons, we saw Buck mature. He moved from impulsive rookie to someone who cared deeply about doing the right thing. His backstory with his brother, his lawsuit drama, his connection to Christopher — all of it showed depth and evolution.
Why Cheating Is So Out-Of-Character For Buck
He’s Loyal To A Fault. Buck and Taylor’s separation may have been inevitable, but it feels like 9-1-1 made Buck cheat just to sow the seeds for a breakup storyline. Looking at the character’s history, infidelity just doesn’t fit. After his girlfriend, Abby (Connie Britton), leaves in 9-1-1 season 1, Buck stays in her home for months and refuses to admit it’s over, turning down advances because of his “relationship” when Abby hasn’t spoken to him since she left. Every relationship Buck has, he goes all in on. Right before Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) dumps him, Buck even asks him to move in.
Buck’s unwavering loyalty to his friends, family, and partners is a defining characteristic for the 9-1-1 character, and kissing Lucy simply doesn’t align with the values he allegedly holds. Given how it’s never really brought up or critically examined again, it’s easy to write off Buck kissing Lucy as a blip, but the fact that 9-1-1 thought it was plausible in the first place implies a deeper issue. The long-running drama has created amazing characters with rich prologues and clear motivations — it just so happens that the show itself sometimes forgets that and prioritizes drama over the continuity.
Look, we love Buck. He’s chaotic, emotional, brave, loyal — and deeply human. But that one plot? It didn’t feel like him. And when you invest in a show like 9-1-1, you want characters that evolve, not glitch. So yeah, I still think about that plotline. Not because it was powerful — but because it was a missed opportunity. And that’s what stings the most.
