It finally happened. After years of fans squinting at their screens, trying to figure out if Evan "Buck" Buckley was ever going to have a "real" realization about himself, he did. And it wasn’t with the person most people expected.
The Buck and Tommy kiss in Season 7, Episode 4, "Buck, Bothered and Bewildered," basically broke the 9-1-1 corner of the internet. If you were watching live, you probably saw the buildup: Buck acting like a jealous toddler because his best friend Eddie was spending too much time with a "cooler" pilot named Tommy Kinard.
Honestly, the show played it like a classic jealousy arc. Buck was pouting. He was trying to fly helicopters. He even accidentally clipped Eddie’s leg during a basketball game because he was so desperate for attention. We all thought he wanted Eddie’s attention.
Then came the loft scene.
The Moment Everything Changed at the Loft
The scene starts with Tommy showing up at Buck’s apartment to apologize for "coming between" him and Eddie. Buck, being Buck, is awkward and rambling. He admits he was just trying to get attention.
"Trying to get your attention has been kind of exhausting," Buck says.
The shift in the room was almost physical. You could see it on Buck's face—that "wait, did I just say that out loud?" look. Tommy, who is out and a bit more seasoned, catches the vibe immediately. He walks over, tells Buck he’s "looking to switch things up," and then he leans in.
It wasn't a tentative, blink-and-you-miss-it peck. It was a real, steamy, "oh, this is actually happening" moment. When they pulled apart, Buck was visibly dazed, eventually managing to stutter out a "yeah" when Tommy asked him out for drinks.
Why Tommy Kinard?
A lot of newer viewers were probably scratching their heads asking, "Wait, who is this guy?"
Tommy isn't a new character, but he was a deep pull from the show's history. He first appeared in Season 2 during the "Begins" episodes (specifically for Hen and Chimney). Back then, he was... well, he was kind of a jerk. He was part of the old-school, toxic 118 under Captain Gerrard.
Bringing him back as a reformed, cool helicopter pilot was a choice. Showrunner Tim Minear mentioned in interviews that using an existing character felt more organic than just inventing a "bisexual love interest" out of thin air. It gave the story weight because Tommy already had ties to the 118, even if those ties were messy.
Addressing the "Buddie" Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about Eddie. For years, the "Buddie" ship (Buck and Eddie) has been the dominant force in the 9-1-1 fandom. When the Buck and Tommy kiss happened, the reaction was split.
- The Enthusiasts: People who were just happy to see "Bisexual Buck" finally become canon.
- The Skeptics: Fans who felt like Tommy was a "placeholder" for Eddie.
- The Surprised: Casual viewers who never saw the "crumbs" Oliver Stark (who plays Buck) insists were there all along.
Oliver Stark has been pretty vocal about this. He’s mentioned that he’s seen the fan theories for years and often agreed with them, even when he couldn't say anything. To him, this wasn't a sudden pivot; it was a pressure valve finally being released.
What Happened After the Kiss?
The relationship didn't just end at the loft. We saw them go on a disastrous first date where Buck was so nervous he tried to pretend he was still into women when they ran into Eddie. It was painful to watch, but very "Buck."
Eventually, they settled into a real rhythm. Tommy was Buck’s date to Maddie and Chimney’s wedding, which ended up being the "official" coming out moment for the rest of the 118. Buck showed up with soot on his face after a kiss from Tommy, basically signaling to everyone that he was done hiding.
The Six-Month Mark and the Breakup
Fast forward to Season 8. Things seemed stable, but 9-1-1 loves a good spiral.
During the episode "Confessions," Buck and Tommy celebrated their six-month anniversary. Buck, in true "all-in" fashion, asked Tommy to move in. It was too much, too fast. Tommy revealed he had been engaged before—to Abby Clark, Buck’s first big love from Season 1.
That revelation, combined with Tommy’s fear that he was just Buck’s "first" queer experience and not his "forever," led to a breakup. Tommy basically told Buck that he didn't want to be the person Buck settled for just because he was the first man he'd ever kissed.
Impact and Cultural Context
The Buck and Tommy kiss was a milestone for network TV. It’s rare to see a lead character in a high-octane procedural come out as bisexual in their thirties.
The show didn't treat it like a "very special episode" tragedy. It was messy, funny, and sometimes a little embarrassing—just like the rest of Buck's life. Oliver Stark even had to shut down some homophobic backlash on social media, famously telling trolls that if they didn't like the inclusion, they "didn't have to announce their departure."
What to Keep in Mind Moving Forward
If you're following Buck's journey now, here’s the reality of where things stand:
- Bisexuality is Canon: Whether he gets back with Tommy or eventually finds a path to Eddie, Buck is canonically bisexual. That’s not changing.
- Self-Discovery Continues: Recent Season 9 episodes show Buck back in the dating pool, even encountering a couple in an ethically non-monogamous relationship. He’s still "learning how to be a half," as he put it.
- The Tommy Factor: While they are broken up, Lou Ferrigno Jr. is a recurring face. In the world of 9-1-1, no one is ever truly gone forever.
If you’re looking to catch up, the specific arc starts in Season 7, Episode 4 and carries through the mid-season of Season 8. It’s a wild ride that proves 9-1-1 is still capable of shocking its audience, even nearly a decade into its run.
The best way to track the fallout is to watch the "Begins" episodes for Hen and Chimney first—it makes Tommy’s return much more meaningful when you see how much he's actually changed. From there, pay close attention to Buck’s conversations with Maddie; she’s usually the first one to call out his nonsense before he even realizes what he's doing.
Moving into the rest of 2026, expect Buck to focus more on his individual growth rather than jumping straight into another serious relationship. He’s currently in his "focus on the job" era, which usually means a massive character-building rescue is right around the corner.