9-1-1 Season 8 finds Buck with a new love interest after a breakthrough in Season 7. In the upcoming episodes, Buck and Tommy’s relationship will focus on them as they figure out who they are to each other. Tommy has proven to be a great resource for Buck as he navigates his quirks, work, and other relationships. Since the couple hasn’t figured out who they are to each other yet, Oliver Stark is being open about what he wants for his character when it comes to romantic relationships. Stark spoke to Screen Rant about Buck’s love life and shared that he prefers a slower approach to his character’s romantic endeavors. “I think the best relationships are the ones that have a slow burn element,” the actor began, sharing about his favorite TV relationship. “I wanted there to be some longing involved. I wanted there to be some will/won’t they,” he continued, delving into his favorite dynamic when developing a couple. However, Tommy and Buck have moved past those stages, with Buck yearning for Tommy in the show’s hundredth episode, and then, they’ve made it. “I think that’s a key element in establishing a new relationship from a television show perspective,” Stark said. He added about what keeps the audience interested, “I want the audience to have a little bit of uncertainty. When the characters are going through that longing for each other, I want the audience to yearn for that. So, yeah, definitely. I think that’s a key element.” Stark previously told the outlet that upcoming episodes will flesh out Buck and Tommy’s relationship. It starts in Episode 5 when Tommy offers Buck some “support during a difficult time,” but despite his best efforts, Tommy still can’t understand some of the things going on in Buck’s life. Stark says the pair will open up to each other in the next episode, “And then in Episode 6, there’s a lot of clarity about their relationship and a lot of truths learned about each other. I think it’s going to be a really great episode.” Given 9-1-1’s penchant for taking couples through hell and back, it looks like there’s some trouble ahead for Buck and Tommy. Are they jumping into a relationship too quickly? Are they strong enough to weather everything that’s coming their way? Is ending whatever they have the only way to ensure they find their way back to each other, slowly?
