Buck’s Story Takes a New Turn: Oliver Stark Reveals Exciting Details About ‘9-1-1’ Season 8

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Please note this interview contains spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 1.

Oliver Stark knows full well that a bee-nado storyline is a bit outlandish, and he also knows that’s what makes 9-1-1 so much fun to watch. Noting that he’d seen responses to the trailers that suggested the concept for the premiere was “silly” or “ridiculous,” Stark says, “Absolutely. Why not?”

I recently had the chance to chat with Stark about the beginnings of the killer bee disaster on 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 1 and what it was like filming those moments. He also offered some insight into Buck’s conflict with Captain Gerard, Buck’s relationship with Tommy, and what we can look forward to in the coming episodes. 

Stark said filming bee swarm scenes was a lot of fun, though filming without any real bees — those were added in later with special effects — meant using their imaginations a bit more.9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 1, "Buzzkill" -- AISHA HINDS, KENNETH CHOI, RYAN GUZMAN, OLIVER STARK

“There’s a lot of trying to work out what we’re all looking at eyeline-wise,” Stark said. “It was fun. It’s sometimes a difficult aspect of the job, but at the same time, one of the most fun parts. You know, we are here to delve into our imaginations and play make-believe. So, yeah, it’s a really fun, rare thing that we get to do and to truly be silly with it, right? To act like there are a bunch of bees around us.”

“And the VFX on the bees is, like, really, really good. I was so impressed by it. So I think it all comes together really nicely.”

There’s also obviously something very unsettling about seeing this massive swarm of bees.

“There are definite moments in it, and particularly when the truck carrying the bees first crashes, that almost feel like a horror movie. And don’t get me wrong, a network TV version of a horror movie, when we push it kind of as far as I think we can,” Stark said.

“I think it’s nice to be able to play with that line of how far you can go, and really try and push the limits.”

Of course, 9-1-1 is definitely known for pushing those limits, and as I mentioned before, Stark knows that’s part of what makes the show so entertaining. “You know, if you want a really grounded show on TV, you can go and watch those. I think it’s lovely that we lean into the ridiculousness of it all and let it be fun and over the top,” Stark said.

“Television, or entertainment in general, for me, is a form of escapism. And a lot of things in the world feel very heavy. Sometimes I just want to watch a TV show that is light and a bit silly, and still has really grounded moments. And in fact, because we do play into that silliness so much, sometimes I think when we then hit hard, it actually hits even harder,” he continued.

“To be able to have that light and dark is a really great thing about the show, and something that I embrace.”

The team at the 118 is contending with more challenges beyond the killer bee disaster, though. Bobby Nash has been replaced with Captain Gerrard, who’s returned to the firehouse with a vengeance. In particular, Gerrard seems to have it out for Buck the most.

“Obviously Hen and Chimney have prior experience with him, so he’s not new to them. And Eddie, being from the army, has probably spent time with some pretty militant individuals. And then we have Buck, who we’ve seen in the past has struggled with authority,” Stark said. 

“We saw him get to a really good point with Bobby as captain, where there was mutual respect and trust, and he was happy to give over to him. But then, if you take Bobby out of that equation, and you bring in this new person that, not only does Buck not know, but is clearly not the good-hearted individual that Bobby Nash is, Buck is going to struggle with that. And he’s going to push back against it.” 

Just as it looks like Buck will push back against it literally, something else happens instead. Buck lunges at Gerrard just in time to save him from a flying saw blade, but injuring him in the process when he hits the ground. All of that is going to have an effect on Buck moving forward.

“I think there’s a bit of an internal conflict for Buck of, ‘Yes, I saved his life, but is that what I was trying to do? Or was I trying to hit him? And do I deserve any praise or accolades for it? Am I deserving of that? Because I’m not really sure what my intention was.’”

“Obviously, you see a lot of blood, so he’s not gonna be okay immediately,” Stark said. “There’s definitely some really fun storylines that are going to come out of it once he is back on his feet.”

Stark also shared a bit about what we can look forward to from Buck’s relationship with Tommy in the coming episodes.

“In the first episode, we see a glimpse of them. Obviously, they seem to be in a good, healthy place, and they’re still figuring each other out and getting to know each other,” Stark said.

“There are some things further down the line where, very true to new relationships, as you learn more about each other and start to figure out who you are and what your pasts have been, and what that makes you as a person, sometimes things are uncovered that cause issues. So, the path is not going to be a particularly smooth one for them, and they’re going to have to figure out how, and if, to find a way through that.”

When we do see Buck and Tommy together on the season premiere, it’s with Eddie while FaceTiming with Christopher for Christopher’s birthday. Stark talked a bit about that moment and why it was significant that Tommy was included.

“Eddie is obviously such a huge part of Buck’s life, as is Christopher. So if Buck is going to want to show up for the both of them there, Tommy’s going to get to come along with that. Buck is not the kind of character who would shirk that love and that responsibility that he feels towards the Diaz family because he’s got a new boyfriend. They’re real pillars of importance in his life. They’re almost a package deal.”

It’s a heartbreaking scene, unfortunately, because Christopher is currently living with his grandparents and has little interest in speaking to his father. Stark said that while “obviously it’s infinitely worse for Eddie,” that this “definitely weighs on Buck too.” 

“He obviously has a huge amount of love for Christopher, and he’s a hugely important part of his life,” Stark said. “There’s not too much spoken about that, but there are those little glimpses, as we see in the scene from the first episode, where it does show on Buck’s face that he also is hurting.”

Before we ended our chat, Stark gave a few final hints about what to expect from the remainder of the three-part premiere and also shared that the cast is currently shooting two episodes that will be important for his character. 

“These first episodes, I think, are genuinely really, really great episodes,” Stark said. “They’re very representative of what the show does best. It’s really big. It’s really epic. But it’s also really funny, and it’s also really moving.”

“Then Episodes 5 and 6 are really big episodes for Buck, and I’m really excited about where that’s going to move him as a character. We’re still shooting those.”

“They really have some funny moments, and they will have some really moving moments,” he continued. “And I think it’s gonna lead to big movement in Buck’s life.”

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