Oliver Stark On Whether Buck Will Revisit His Feelings For Eddie & That Reunion With Christopher In 9-1-1 Season 8

With only one episode left of season 8, 9-1-1 is in the middle of a massive change. Peter Krause's Captain Bobby Nash died after giving Chimney the only cure to the deadly virus they both contracted in 9-1-1's two-part "Contagion" event. This leaves the 118 without a fire captain, and Oliver Stark's Buck without his father figure. The most recent batch of episodes also addresses the possibility that Buck may have feelings for his best friend, a storyline that many viewers hoped would be explored.

Tommy and Maddie suspect Buck's love for Eddie isn't platonic, but he denies the accusation. 9-1-1 is yet to revisit the plot, as Eddie has moved to El Paso to be with his son. However, Ryan Guzman's character returned to visit in the wake of Bobby's death, and 9-1-1 season 8, episode 17 features a long-awaited moment between Buck and Christopher. The two hadn't seen each other since the end of season 7, making it a wonderful reminder of how important they are to each other's lives.

At the 2025 Disney Upfront, I caught up with star Oliver Stark about what's next for Buck at the 118, his reunion with Christopher, and fans' hopes for Buddie in the 9-1-1 season 8 finale.

Seeing Christopher Helps Buck Ascend Out Of The Dark Place He's In

"The shock of the whole thing and the surprise of him coming back was exactly what Buck needed."

What do you imagine Buck's future will look like at the 118? Can he accept a new captain [after Bobby's death]?

Oliver Stark: He'll have to eventually, but I think there's going to be a lot of difficulty involved with that. I think the whole dynamic of the 118 is up in the air at the moment. Time heals all. But I do think it's going to take a little period, and I think it will depend on who that captain is. If it's internal, I'm sure it'll be an easier adjustment for Buck. If it's external, I predict some issues moving forward.

There was a time when Buck talked about being a captain. Is that still something that you see him wanting to pursue? Maybe not now, but in the future?

Oliver Stark: I think one day. I don't think now. I think the biggest issue I would foresee with Buck being captain is not being able to be the one doing the rescues. As captain, you don't run first into the fire, you don't do the rope rescue. These are things that Buck, obviously, thrives on and excels at, so him being captain, I can see the urge to still be the hero being at odds with his leadership position. I don't foresee that anytime soon.

There was a very long-awaited reunion in the last episode between Buck and Christopher. How do you think it felt for Buck to finally see him after all this time?

Oliver Stark: It certainly seemed to cheer him up in the episode. He has, obviously, a beautiful relationship with Christopher, and I think the shock of the whole thing and the surprise of him coming back was exactly what Buck needed to—not that he's now out of a dark place, but to start that ascension out of that dark place.

There Are Some "Really Great" Buck And Eddie Moments In The Season 8 Finale

"I just want the moments to play out as they should play out."

Is there anything that Buddie fans can look forward to in the season 8 finale?

Oliver Stark: I think there are some really great Buck and Eddie moments. I don't know if they are the moments that Buddie fans will rejoice over or not. I try my best not to think "yes or no" if people are going to like it.

I just want the moments to play out as they should play out, and then it's the audience's to do what they want with it. But there are definitely some really great moments, whether it be an action moment or reconciliation. I'm looking forward to watching those moments, and I hope fans enjoy them too.

Buck had a very interesting conversation with Tommy and Maddie about Eddie. Is that something you see coming back up in the future?

Oliver Stark: I don't know because, obviously, everything got kind of sidelined by Bobby dying, so everything kind of falls by the wayside when something that huge happens. I don't think Buck was ever lying in his responses of, "What are you talking about? I don't love Eddie. He's my friend." That is his truth.

And these people are saying that to him, and consciously he's not aware or not. And so I don't know if that will start to creep back in or if that will come back up, but I can say that, in those moments, he is telling his truth, right? He's not trying to hide anything actively, but whether or not we'll delve back into that next season, I don't know. We shall see.