Just a few thoughts. I don‘t want to excuse any development or sound condescending. I don’t want to excuse the writing because I still stand by it being shitty and it could have been better in so many ways for a lot of storylines and characters. But I just had a few thoughts that I wanted to share. So… here they are. About season 7 and season 8. And probably the Buddie of it all.
If you are still too emotional and mad about the whole development? That is absolutely valid and I would never try to invalidate it. Be disappointed. Crash out. Curse everyone and their mom. Be angry and mad and sad and frustrated.
If you are open to read about a different approach, a different opinion and some thoughts and the last two seasons and some Buddie stuff… be my guest to read the following.
Just please be respectful if you disagree with things.
Imagine the following scenario:
Fox had the show for six season but then noticed that they can‘t do it anymore. Because it is too expensive. They also shut down Buddie permanently because… omg, no way. It was visible especially in season 6 when Buddie had barely any scenes together (though there were still some great Buddie moments with the „Do more!“/lightning and the poker date). Then, all of a sudden, abc appears, wanting to buy the show. Because they have the money and they see potential there. Especially with Buddie.
And so they try to set their plan in motion, to use the potential they saw, with starting the Buddie route after the opening disaster in 7x04. And it works in their favor. The response for bi!Buck as the first one of them coming out (excluding the few homophobic idiots) is mainly positive and euphoric. For them it is confirmed that the plan is a good one and will work out for them, bringing in fans, viewers and mainly money.
But then something unexpected happens. We remember some of the interviews from back in season 7 after the opening disaster. Especially Peter. He is talking about him being „too old“ for this kind of work. That is is tiring. That it is demanding. To carry around that heavy gear, the long hours (that led to a tragic death in real life), the stress… all of that.
Suddenly they have a „problem“ here. Peter is an executive producer and one of the main faces of the show. They can‘t ignore his complaints. (Maybe there was also a fallout with some higher ups about this or other things concerning the show like work schedules in general and/or character development but since this is just speculation I will keep it out of this text. I just wanted to mention it once that there could be other reasons for this whole „problem“ as well.)
Therefore they need to find a way to help, to solve that problem. And by doing so, they put all their focus on him and his character‘s development/storyline while unfortunately forgetting about the others and sidelining them.
This is a huge problem and there is nothing in this world to sugarcoat it. Tim has a whole team of writers working on this show. If he is not able to take care of the others and their characters he could have given this task to someone else to solely focus on Peter/Bobby. So everyone would have gotten the story they deserved.
Instead of handling it that way, we get 7x09 though that was a Bobby episode (with not even a mention of anyone else). That episode calls back to the house fire with how his story began. And the suicidal tendencies which come into play in the finale of season 7. The viewer is reminded that Bobby has had these thoughts in the past. That him dying is not a foreign concept to him and his character. That it has been an issue in the past. With bringing that up again they try to plant the idea into the viewer’s mind that they could see it and understand this being an optional and logical next step. Because they might see it not as a surprise then when he dies in the season‘s finale.
But the reactions were negative. Killing him off like that? Addressing his suicidal tendencies? With one main point for that planned death being his old guilt that has actually been resolved, kind of, since season 2? They notice their mistake that this is not the right way. The right solution. Therefore, they bring him back to life even though he should have stayed dead after being gone for 14 minutes. (Because who would and could survive that?)
So, that is their first try to solve that problem. Unfortunately, it doesn‘t work out. The problem‘s still there. And not only this. With focusing on that story, they have a whole other new problem - they neglected the other characters for that. They gave them shitty storylines that led to nothing much and didn’t get resolved because they felt like Tim had an idea but got sidetracked with other stuff. It was not cohesive at all.
Therefore, the season ends with two problems instead of just one - Bobby is still alive and the rest has crappy or barely existing storylines.
Then, season 8 is on its way. They get back on track and focus on „how to make it easier for Peter“? Again. The stupid thing is though… That is their sole focus. They forget about the others. Again. There is no development for any character in season 8. They get something small here and there but that‘s it. Nothing big, nothing connected, nothing cohesive and consistent. They bring in outsiders to create conflict instead of working with what they have and what has been the essence of 911 - their family as the core story. But yeah, it tracks. Because their main story is Bobby right now. The others are just an afterthought. Their stories fall flat and are stagnant. That sucks. But they either ignore it or they just don‘t notice. Fair? No. But that is the current situation.
And if we really think about it… a lot of people were noticing that and complaining about „why does Bobby get so much attention this season?“ That is the reason why. He has been the focus because there was an issue to solve. People might have not been able to see that back then, coming up with other explanations about „he is the male lead and it‘s Peter!“. While it might not have been about him being high on the callsheet though. It might have been just because they needed to find a solution.
In then end, they are still on the „Bobby/Peter problem“ for season 8a. That is when the idea comes up with the Hotshots plot. That is their test run for the idea of „what if we make Bobby retire? What if he is not part of the 118 anymore but still on the show?“ So, they use that story to test the waters here. How the people would react to them having (and finding) a new captain, to have a new dynamic at the 118, to still be connected to Bobby though but pulling him out of the focus. That follows Peter‘s wishes and complaints about not wanting to do all the stunts and hard work anymore that is demanding for his body and health but would keep the character. Could have killed two birds with one stone, right?
So, Hotshots was never meant to be a 911 meta, to poke fun at the show or to give us callbacks. It was simply there to test changing the position and role for Bobby. Theoretically a good idea. But it didn’t work out.
People are not okay with it. They don‘t like it and want Bobby back. The result? They know now that having Bobby retire, to write him off and/or out of the 118 (while still being on the show though) won‘t work out. People would not like it and they would want him back, no matter what.
So, season 8a ends. And the problem is still there. How to make it work for Peter? A lot of conversations have to be held and things are discussed. While they still have to continue with the show because it is still on and a work in progress. They are under pressure somehow.
And then the decision is made. There is only one solution. Retirement doesn‘t work. „Demoting“ him to guest or recurring? Not working either. The people want to see Bobby.
That is the moment they just have one solution - Kill him permanently.
Is it a good decision? Debatable.
Is it a good execution? Definitely not.
Could it have been done differently? Probably.
But the point stands. Their only way out at that point is the permanent death. Everything else hasn‘t or wouldn‘t work out.
Also, somehow Ryan, Aisha and Kenny cancelling the plans for the „Saving Lives“ convention could be seen in a different light now. The original story, if the retirement idea would have worked out? They would have been done by then and could have attended. But since they had to rearrange everything and write a new story? They were needed on set. Therefore, cancelling the convention.
Don‘t get me wrong. I don‘t want to excuse that decision or say that it was amazing or great or well-done. Because it wasn‘t. It was rushed and badly executed and they lacked a lot in the writing department here to make it a cohesive story to have people get the plot. There was so much missing which tracks back to my earlier statement of Tim getting sidetracked so many times and losing the bigger picture.
If it had been done differently I think a lot of people would have accepted killing off Bobby a bit more. Easier. But we already were unsatisfied and mad at all the shitty storylines and plots happening before to all the characters so… the foundation was just not there. To have a good and solid story and then deciding to kill off a character. That would have worked. Not what we got though.
For most fans the MCD was just another shitty thing that happened in a row of shitty things. Therefore there was no acceptance. If they had handled it differently, maybe it would have been a better result. But we will never know because the damage is done.
But back to the main point. The decision is made. Kill Bobby. But now they have to do that, to commit, one way or another. I assume this decision happened around February or so.
The Texas stuff was already filmed in January, 8x11 was planned and had started. Hen‘s bus storyline was on its way as well. So, they have to rearrange the whole schedule and everything from budget to permits to departments involved - the Contagion arc is born.
A lot of us felt and still feel that this was so off and random, it made no sense in the overall story. It felt weird and forced into the main story. And it actually was. We were confused about the stuff we found out through bts about them pushing around episodes (15 being 13 all of a sudden) and other things not adding up. But the root of this chaos was the „we need to put an end to the Bobby problem asap“, not a „I have no clue at all what I am doing“.
It was said in one interview that Bobby‘s death was derailing everyone‘s personal storylines and putting them on hold. And that was actually a bad thing in that moment because they had to stop everything they were doing. So, that couldn‘t be more true. Because exactly this happened. They had a plan (not that it was a good one, don‘t get me wrong) how to get through the season. But since they had to get through with killing Bobby as well they had to change the plan and shake everything up.
You might ask „why kill him then and why not doing it differently and doing it in 8x15?“. Like I said before. The problem still stands. Peter is maybe not able to do all the heavy stuff anymore (not that I would blame him, but it might be just a fact due to his age). So, they are ripping off the band-aid and are like „Okay, let‘s get through with it and accept the shitstorm for now. We have no other way out.“
And that is exactly what happened. The backlash was and still is huge. And they got and get a lot of negative feedback. They just take it. Because they knew that this would happen. But they saw no other or better way out of this situation.
Again, I don‘t want to excuse it or defend anything. It was still poorly executed and could have been better. Because let‘s be honest, Tim got even sidetracked there again with his „action“ and „I want a four minute long helicopter chase“. Two episodes could have been enough to give Peter/Bobby a proper goodbye and death to his character if done differently. But they did it in a bad way and have to live with it now, accepting the reactions while trying to see the positive side here as well with „okay, that death shakes up things for every character and we can finally develop them further. Our problem is solved.“
Let‘s have a look at the Buddie of it all then because that is the thing that probably interests us the most. They are our babies.
Like I said in the beginning, abc saw the potential and greenlit Buddie.
They take the first step in 7x04. Then the Bobby problem appears and they loose focus, being not the main plot anymore. The Buddie development gets sidelined for now, maybe with the thought of „One thing after another, let‘s solve Bobby first, then get back to Buddie“. Unfortunately, that doesn‘t work out and the problems is still there.
They admit defeat then and are okay with with sidelining Buddie for season 7 even though both Oliver and Ryan are on board (and if anyone says they, especially Ryan, are against it… this is not a safe space for you!). Let‘s push it to season 8.
And then season 8 happens and the Bobby problem is still unsolved. Because killing him in season 7? Not happening and Buddie is still sidelined in 8a. Because there are more important matters to take care of. But again, this doesn‘t work out. Hotshots as a test run for retiring Bobby is a failure. And 8a ends with still two problems at hand - Bobby alive and characters (in this case Buddie) being sidelined.
For 8b they decide to change their approach. To finally shift the focus. The Bobby problem can’t be solved quickly. They learnt that after 7b and 8a. So, the plan is to concentrate on Buddie for now. The potential is still there and that has been their original idea anyway. Maybe they can work that out first and then take care of the Bobby problem?
That is why the beginning of 8a feels like a Buddie dream coming true. The whole fight about Eddie moving, him leaving Buck behind who can barely handle this situation, 8x11 and the two Texas episodes. Great. That is exactly what they wanted. The Buddie train is back on track and thriving. The fans are ecstatic and the GA picks up on that plan.
But then… shit. Bobby. Almost forgot about him. He is still alive and the Captain of the 118. Peter still has to work and do the heavy stuff and… damn. Ignoring the problem or pushing it back didn‘t solve it. So, the focus had to be shifted again. Abandon Buddie, put it on the back burner.
I am sure that the decision to „rip off the MCD band-aid“ wasn‘t made easily. And that they had a lot of conversations and debates about it. But once the decision was made they had to stop the Buddie train again. They were not okay with it and they probably hated it, especially Oliver and Ryan who were happy that there was finally the development that both (!) anticipated. But everyone accepted it for now. Bobby was the more pressing matter at hand in that moment.
So, the Contagion arc happened. And finally they solved the Bobby problem but had to accept the backlash on that AND the sudden Buddie stagnating.
The final three episodes after this arc were used to close this storyline and I am convinced that Bobby‘s death won‘t be a topic anymore in season 9. They let them grieve (even though poorly, still acknowledging the bad writing in some parts on my end here), trying to pull the characters out of being sidelined, getting back on track with giving them development.
Season 9 can be now used again to get to tell the stories they either wanted to tell in season 8 or had no time to even think about for this season.
But what about the press tour before the finale? Let‘s say it was… bad timing? Disney‘s upfront is a fixed date and the finale aired after it. Unfortunately. The press we saw that heavily featured Buddie… was not press for the finale. It was press for season 9. If the finale had aired before that all the Buddie hype would have been seen for its actual intention. To „hype“ season 9. To promote it. To sell their show. To finally go through with what they wanted to do for two seasons now but couldn’t do because they had to take care of something else (Bobby) first.
Was it calculating and kinda rude what the outlets did, to air and publish the stuff before the finale? Yes. Because it was misleading and a lot of people thought it was about the finale. Imagine that stuff being said next week or the week after? Completely different outcome. But them airing it before the finale gave people a wrong impression.
The problem is that a lot of people, me sometimes included I give you that, have an idea and theory because we see something or get hyped by other‘s theories… and then we focus so much on that and expect something to happen. While it just doesn‘t because it has never been the plan. And that is why people get disappointed and angry so often.
I don‘t want to blame anyone for doing that. It is just an explanation for why this happens, you know? And why people react to it the way they do.
If you put the hype aside and think about it being for season 9 and not the finale? It can be seen in a different light, especially with what I explained earlier. Buddie got sidelined and partially forgotten because of the Bobby issue. But now that they are free, they can get their focus back on that. And everything in the interviews and articles and videos is pointing towards it.
Abc still sees the potential and is still on board with it. Otherwise they would have shut it down for real, the interviews and everything that happened during that press would have been different for sure. They would have given more professional answers, more open worded. They would not have been that happy and giddy about the whole think. So, we can assume that it is still the plan for the upcoming season(s). We also know that they plan to keep 911 as long as possible, like the new Grey‘s Anatomy with a shit ton of seasons to come. Abc hasn’t given up on the show.
They just had to solve a problem first. And even if they did it in the worst way possible concerning the writing, the sidelining of other characters etc.? The problem is solved. The detour they had to take? Done. They can go through with their original plan. And that is Buddie.
Also one or maybe two important things. With Bobby gone it actually plays into the Buddie canon of it all. Why? One of the main faces of the show is gone. The male lead so to speak. That is why Oliver got so much promo work this week. Because they want to build him to be the new „male lead“ (I know it is an ensemble show but I have no better way to explain it.) He will take Peter‘s place. Not as the captain (that will be Chimney). But as the male face of the show. And Buddie? Even though it sounds weird but… Buddie is planned as the new Bathena. I don‘t want to make Bathena fans mad with this but…
Let’s be realistic for a second. Bathena was a main pull for the show. People tuning in for them. But now? Bobby is gone. And Athena? She has no house anymore so where does she live? I can see Angela stepping back as well. Not leaving the show completely but being more of a guest. To be their police connection until… she can raise the next one. A rookie. This is how these long term shows work. If an actor has to or wants to leave you find a replacement, have them interact and get them some build up. Then you can slowly pull back the old character and replace them with a new one.
The same can happen for the 118. There is an open position now. So… Ravi anyone? Anirudh could become a permanent member of the team and they would have an open position for a recurring firefighter/probie. The next generation for the 118. This could also lead to new relationships because the mains are all coupled up - HenRen, Madney, Buddie. So Ravi and the new rookie and firefighter? Next generation also for personal storylines. Win-win for the show.
Also, 911: Nashville plays a role in this. Because people, mostly GA, were complaining about OG being too woke (and with Bobby dead they killed the only straight white cis male of the show). They are unhappy but like the franchise as such, the emergencies and some of the personal stories (that is their main reason to watch the show). They can simply switch to Nashville. A mostly white cast (for now), nothing „woke“ we know of yet. They can latch onto a new straight white cis male as captain with his wife and team. And OG? That will draw in more queer viewers because it is „woke enough“ with queer rep, PoCs and mainly women on their show.
In the end abc won‘t loose that many viewers. The ones that leave OG becaues of „woke“ will move on to Nashville and OG draws in more of the queers. Win-win. Again. In the ends, the numbers and the money is what counts.
Buddie brings in more queers for OG and Nashville is for the straights. To simplify it.
To come to an end (and thanks if you read until here!):
Bobby‘s death was not a creative decision, it was a problem they had to solve to cater to Peter‘s wishes and needs. They took their time and sidelined characters for it. They tried a different approach with Hotshots but it didn‘t work out. So they took the MCD out and accepted their fate. After that is done now they can go back to their original plan with Buddie and start in season 9 with a clean story. Buddie will be their flagship relationship they focus on in 9a. Buddie was always meant to happen but got pushed back because of the more urgent matter. Bobby/Peter. Now they have the time to do it.
And one last thing before you are finally getting rid of me…
I said it more than once. I don‘t want to excuse anything. I am still on board with the „they wrote shitty storylines and executed a lot of things badly“. Characters were sidelined because of too many ideas with poor decisions being made. They could have done things better. And we know they can because we got better writing in the past. So, I will still criticize the show and how they did things. I am not blindly following and praising everything they do. I still have trust issues with them really being able to handle storylines for the characters accordingly to how they deserve to be handled in the future. I am hopeful but not delusional.
How they ended things with Bobby was… underwhelming and feels undeserved after so many years. He should have gotten something better and if Tim had not been focused on the action he could have given a two-episode goodbye that would have honored Peter‘s role and character.
I simply tried to approach both seasons with taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture after they are both over now. I am not giving Tim too much credit with saying that yes, I think he had a plan. I mean he has 30+ years under his belt. He is no newbie who has no clue what he is doing. But, and that is a big but, he got lost in all his side quests that he lost sight of his main quest. He lost the red string that should have been there throughout the season, connecting episodes and characters, because there were so many other shiny objects he wanted to explore.
I am not on the „trust the process“ train because like I said. I have trust issues. I just tried to understand why the stuff that happened happened the way it did. And to me that makes sense (not only me because a lot of that stuff was discussed in a little group of wonderful people who always try to stay sane and rational). But just because it makes sense doesn‘t automatically mean that I like it. I don‘t.
I can see their plan being pushed back because of some unfortunate and unforeseen problem and I can just hope that they will get back on track with their plan concerning Buddie since that problem is solved now. That after two season they can finally do what they wanted from the beginning after they changed to abc.
Since I was talking about to someone privately... some ideas concerning 817 and 818. About leaks and theories and what we can expect to come.
First. About 817. WE had three main leaks: the conversation with Father Brian, the fight and the Eddie "joy/juice = Buck" realization. First I thought that just the first two were true and the thirdn one hasn't happened yet and might be pushed to 818. But then I thought some more about it. And I think this third one was real in this episode as well. The Buckley-Diaz family moment. That was the joy Eddie found. To bring Chris back to be with Buck. To not have to choose between the two most important people in his life. To be happy and at home.
We know from before that he was not willing or able to choose between Buck and Chris. HE said that he would always choose Chris but we saw how much it hurt him to leave Buck. So now he is finally back together with him AND Chris at the same place. At the place where he feels at home for real.
And about the joy? I think that Eddie and Chris had a talk. Because just jumping on a plane without having a real clue in the middle of the week while having school? Eddie investing a few hundred dollars for a flight while being short of money just to send Chris back to Texas again after a day or two? And we know that he is supposed to start working at the El Paso FD on Friday. This doesn't add up for me.
It feels like Eddie and Chris had a talk about coming back already, hence the look they exchanged that was so full of warmth and happiness and joy and understanding. That they both understood in that moment that "yes, this is the right decision." Because this is the place and the person they belong to the most.
They might not have told Buck yet, maybe they want it to be a surprise. That after the first happiness has died down and Buck asks about "When will you go back?" Eddie and Chris exchange a look and grin and ask "what about never?" That this is another surprise for Buck. Not only having Chris there to cheer him up for a day or two. But to have them back forever. Because we all know how happy this would make him. To have two of his favorite people, his family back in LA with him.
Unfortunately, this surprise won't get revealed at first because the earthquake/house crumbling down happens. And Buck has to go to work. And then he gets trapped. Is in a dangerous situation, probably NDE or sth. Eddie finds out about it. And he thinks "Shit, I wanted to stay with Chris. For Buck and for us." Seeing Buck in danger now? He freaks out like he did with the lightning strike. And this might lead to the THE thought. His realization.
Because why is he so out of it that he might loose Buck, again? He wanted to come back. And then he gets it. It is not just because they have just lost Bobby. No. Because losing Buck would mean so much more. He wanted to come back for Buck. To Buck. Not only because of his friends and family, the 118. Mainly because of Buck. This could bring a lot of clarity for Eddie. That he realizes it because of the situation Buck is in.
This leads him to go to the emergency site. Because... why the hell does this happen just now? The moment he realizes that there's more to their friendship than he has thought before. So he goes there, wanting to help. And he doesn't care that he is not a part of the LAFD anymore. They are happy because all hands on deck, this is a huge desaster and they can use everyone that is willing to help. They need every help they can get. (It would also be a callback to "MayDay" when Eddie was not a part of the 118 but joined again after.)
It really think that this will be the moment when Eddie realizes his feelings. How devastated he is that Buck is in danger. Trapped. And close to death maybe (or they don't know because there is no radio connection to Buck).
The audience will know that there is something going on. But the characters themselves won't. We will watch them in season 9 when they try to figure things out. Their feelings for each other who are mutual without them knowing. The audience is already aware of it. That there could be something on Buck's side after 811. After it is brought up by Buck himself that he could be "in love with Eddie". And with 818 the audience could be now aware that this is a mutual feeling. Because we see Eddie's side.
While the characters don't know though. And the "will they/won't they" can be the beginning of season 9.
Eddie is probably able to save Buck.- And he might not confess his feelings, that he is in love with him. Maybe he is not fully there yet to really use these words, to understand it completely. But he says it in different ways. That he will not leave again. That he will stay for and with Buck. That both him and Chris will stay in LA.
For Eddie it might be clear that this is close to a confession. And Buck might think about it being one as well because... nobody ever stayed for him. Everone left and he got dumped by his former partners. And Eddie says he wants to stay? That has to mean something, right?
So the audience can see them at the beginning of season 9, trying this "we confessed but didn't really confess and where are we in our relationship now?" This would lead to an interesting dynamic and story of "what does it take that they get that this is really mutual and means what they think it does?"
The audience would be left at the end of season 8 with the knowledge that Eddie and Buck are set up as the next couple while the characters still have to work through it. Win-win because people will start watching or definitely tune in to see that. And it will be a good pr move because the newer fans can still be there for the "finally!" moment, be a part of this huge thing of a mlm slow burn becoming canon and not just tune in after everything important has already happened.
So, I think that we get the obvious "they both know but they don't know that the other knows" moment this last episode and then the obvious "getting together" will happen in season 9. Old and new fans will be satisfied then. The ratings and viewership will rise during hiatus and before season 9 starts. Because people want to catch up before the new season airs. To be a part of this groundbreaking ship finally becoming canon.
I am not sure if they are going to kiss in this last episode but honestly? It wouldn't change the theory itself. A kiss could happen as a spur of the moment thing when Eddie is finally able to save Buck, to get through to him. And he is just glad that Buck is alive and that he could get him out of this dangerous situation. This would just add up a bit to the awkward situation afterwards and the "does this really mean what I think it does or was it just an accident?"
I have no clue if this is true and if this is what happens but it seems kind of possible to me. That we will get a huge hint for Buddie canon. Also, why else would we get a press tour with Ryan and Oliver and joint interviews? That is no damage control. Press is pre-planned and usually just happens when something big happens to the actor or character. Bringing them to outlets that are for the GA, bringing the topic of a possible romance between Eddie and Buck up and to the forefront of the GA's minds? Yeah, no damage control. That is all a calculated PR move.
So, I think there will a huge hint in this last episode that gives it away that there is something going on and that Buddie canon will happen. And then season 9 will start with their relationship changing to more. We wouldn't need many episodes for that. One or two, maybe throughout the opening disaster, there is some awkwardness. And then it gets resolved and it is offical.
There are different reasons why I personally think that this whole thing is fake and a PR stunt. A bad one, but still just a stunt. I might be wrong since I am not involved with the show but... I have a few things that I think don’t add up at all.
There are three categories of indicators:
1. From a narrative perspective
2. From a perspective based on facts
3. From the cast and crew perspective
In the end to me it seems to be a so called “red herring” which is something that misleads or distracts from a relevant or important question. What this could be on the show I don’t know. But with all these reasons I listed below it feels like this death is just a red herring for something completely different and maybe even bigger.
So, let’s start with the first – the storytelling.
First of all, something that a lot of people noticed almost immediately. When Chimney got the vaccine, we saw the liquid flowing through that little tube. The moment it reached him, there was a bright white flash before we got to the next scene.
This is unusual and we saw that already in another episode – Buck's coma dream. Everything after that felt a bit off and rushed and going down the drain. So... it is possible that everything that happened after that is not real. And either a hallucination, a dream or a coma maybe.
Second, the song choice. We know that most things that are done are intentional. For example, back in 8x11 we had the song “Alone” from the band “The Cry” playing in the background when Buck unpacked his stuff in Eddie’s house. The chorus says “Is it enough now to be alone? Is it enough now to be on your own?” This fits the story because just before that scene Buck had a conversation with Maddie where she told him that he might need to learn to be on his one. Alone.
The song in the “death scene” was “Work Song” by “Hozier”. The chorus says:
When my time comes around
Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth
No grave can hold my body down
I'll crawl home to her
This could indicate that “no grave can hold my body down” means that Bobby is not dead and will make it back to Athena and his family.
The third thing happened a bit earlier in this season and could be seen as them using foreshadowing as a narrative device.
In 8x08 when Brad was with the 118 there was a scene on the bridge. Brad’s character on the show was in a coma and he was not sure if he would come back since Brad was going through some kind of crisis. That’s why he was with the 118.
But back to the bridge scene. There was this person who wanted to jump off the bridge but then recognized Brad. He didn’t want Brad’s character to die because he was his “comfort captain”. In the end, the guy could be saved and didn’t jump. And Brad made the decision that his character should wake up again and live.
Talking about a “comfort captain that the fans don’t want to see dying”? Well...
Plus, about the whole foreshadowing thing. We just had an episode called “Holy Mother of God” with Bobby’s mother, Mary. Like “Mother Mary”. I don’t want to dive too deep into the theory that is going around about Easter and Bobby being Jesus because he got killed before Easter and then he will be resurrected like Jesus and his mother is called Mary and... yeah... This theory sure is something. But on the other hand? The show is known for whimsical, ridiculous and silly stories. Right now, I wouldn’t really scrape off that theory completely. It doesn’t seem that far-fetched, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.
And let’s not forget about Chimney who, when they got rescued from the lab, had that little cage on his chest with the lab rat in it. The rat that the vaccine was tested on first by Moira. The rat that has the antigens in it for a cure. That Chimney has in his body as well even though the rat is a bit more obvious, since the episode is called “Lab Rats”.
All of that was shown on screen and can be interpreted as hints/foreshadowing that something is wrong with Bobby's death.
Let’s move on to the second part – the facts.
Around three weeks ago there was this huge leak about a funeral being filmed in Downtown LA. There were a lot of firetrucks. And in the end, there was a guy live-streaming the whole thing with Athena, May, Harry and Chief Simpson walking in the first line with the 118 plus Gerrard and Tommy walking behind. There were even pictures with the name Nash on the turnout coat. People were very skeptical from the beginning that this is real.
Tim might have said it in his interview that he has never expected this to get leaked or to get any attention but let’s be serious. This was huge, in the middle of the street and on a Sunday afternoon in broad daylight. Sure thing that this would make people look... and film... and take pictures.
If they really wanted to do the shock effect as was stated in the interview as well they would have kept the funeral under wraps. It would have been a bigger surprise and shocker in the last episode if nobody would have had an idea about a funeral happening. Since nobody has ever died on the show this would have been a plot twist that nobody would have expected.
How to keep it a secret? They could have filmed it on a lot. There are enough in LA that are big and closed off enough to not get it spoiled. Or they could have gotten more security to make sure nothing gets out (or at least not that much like someone live-streaming the whole thing). Or they could have asked for a bigger perimeter so that nobody would get close enough to watch it. There are different options how to keep something that big under wraps. But to “allow” people to get close, to take pics, to see it with their own eyes that there was the name Nash on the casket / turnout coat? That seems fishy and too much on the nose.
Also, what we shouldn’t forget... There are behind the scenes videos with Peter in his 118 uniform right next to the other cast members plus him being seen on set in other videos that are clearly not just him visiting or something. And that are newer ones from a few days ago, not from the beginning of the season or even older. They are filming 16-18 now. So, the chances are high that he is in these episodes. And therefore, not dead.
Let’s get to the last part then, probably the biggest one – the cast and crew.
After the episode ended the main cast posted about the episode, posting goodbye messages to Peter/Bobby. But let’s be honest. These messages weren’t that heartfelt and more mediocre at best concerning that this was a character, a friend, a person they have known for seven years now. They are a tight knit group of friends out of the show as well. These messages sounded more like “I’m so sad. Nice working with you. Bye.... anyway...” Other characters like Callum Blue, who played Brad and was “just” a guest actor, got more heartfelt messages by them. I don’t mean that they have to be heartbroken and have to write an essay but... Ryan’s message was unserious, Aisha and Jennifer posted the same, Oliver quoted Star Trek “My dear friend Peter, we miss you at work with us every day. You were, and still will be, our leader always.” (The goodbye message to Spock who then came back in the next movie after being revived... interesting.) To me, this looks more like a “we have to play along with that story” because it would have looked weird and even more suspicious if nobody had posted anything. So, they did the bare minimum.
Also, how they acted on social media since the episode aired and even before doesn’t add up?
Oliver, for example, said that he really loved the two-parter and was excited for episode 16 (the funeral). He has never been cruel or disrespectful towards the fans. So, saying he was excited about Bobby dying and not having the father-son-dynamic between Buck and Bobby anymore? I hardly believe that. Plus, he posted a random picture of Callum Blue as Brad (the “comfort captain not dying”) and replied to a question about his favorite episode with “I was just lying for promo”. Oliver is not Taylor Swift level of “Easter egg-ing" but... this could be him giving out clues beforehand about this story.
They also joked around at the funeral. Yes, they don’t have to stand there and cry all the time. But the video/picture with the casket and them pulling faces and stuff... I highly doubt it that they would be so disrespectful and kinda mean.
Which leads me to Tim’s interview. First, let’s not forget. These people are professional liars. And I don’t mean that in a bad or condescending way. It is their job to lie to us. To sell us a story. Therefore, Tim’s interview sounded like some kind of made-up word salad where he just tried to put up excuses and explanations to make us believe that this really happened.
He was not sure who to kill first and thought about it and then decided on Bobby. He needed to convince the network who were not on board at first. Neither was Peter. And so wasn’t the rest of the cast. He had to “convince” them all that this was the right decision. In my opinion, he is partly telling the truth. Yes, he had to convince them that this story should be told. But not that he wanted to kill Bobby for real. More that he would go with a fake death which left everyone hesitant. (And they have been proven right to hesitate concerning the reaction this decision/story has caused.)
A big bullet point was that Tim wanted to go for realism. Which leads to one big question: Realism on 911? Let me list a few things about this.
Last season Bobby was dead for 14 minutes but came back and got to work after two weeks.
Chim had a rebar through his brain and everything went fine.
Same with Buck who was crashed by a truck without losing his leg and then got struck by lightning later on. And does just fine with both.
Eddie was buried alive in the well and made it out without any problems.
Maddie got her throat slashed just a few episodes ago and was still able to climb up the stairs to take down the woman who had attacked her.
We don’t even have to look that far though. This episode wasn’t very realistic as well. The whole emergency made no sense if you want to talk realism. Chimney got infected after the explosion and his condition got worse every minute that he even lost consciousness, bleeding. He could be saved with the vaccine and was on his feet a few moments after the application. That is not how vaccination in that case works... Also, CCHF is not airborne so the whole transmitting it thing made no sense. Chimney not being able to do surgery on Hen because he was infected while Bobby did (who was infected as well) and Hen getting out of it without being infected even though the virus was airborne, at least concerning the show? Make it make sense. Also, if Bobby was really infected, he could not have hidden it for that long. This is a deadly virus variant that causes quick organ failure and takes effect in 90 minutes. We just learnt that through Moira and her lab partners before. And then we found out about the infection because of a nosebleed and two minutes later he was dead. So... talking about realism again?
Tim also said that he had no clue that the funeral would get leaked which is a blatant lie. You have to be blind not to think about that since 911 is a big show and is well-known with millions of viewers. He knew that someone would see and film/photograph it to spread it on the internet. Like he knew when the goodbye hug scene between Eddie and Buck was leaked for 8x10.
Also, killing off a fan favorite, especially for the group of casual viewers? The show would know that this would cause a viewership drop. Happened to other shows. So, from a network/business viewpoint? It would be a very bad decision financially. Especially with a ninth season on the way plus a whole new spin off in fall. That abc agreed to that? I doubt it.
So, for me there is not much in that interview that is believable. It really gives me the vibe of “I need to come up with stupid explanations so that they will believe me that I really went through with it this time so that they will be surprised when next episode Bobby comes out like a jack-in-the-box and is still alive. Because I am a genius at screenwriting and I can still shock and surprise the viewers.”
Another point is that Peter was not on board with it at first. And I understand that. Because killing Bobby means that Tim kinda fired Peter. And since Peter is also an executive producer on the show Tim can’t actually do that this easily. This is a weird thing to happen. Therefore, I think my theory about the fake death plan is more likely.
And let’s not forget Angela Bassett who just said in an interview not a month ago:
Envisioning a world where 9-1-1 coupling Athena Grant-Nash and Bobby Nash doesn't exist is tough, especially for star Angela Bassett.
"Yeah, absolutely not. It would be so different," Bassett, who has played Athena since the show's 2018 premiere, tells PEOPLE. "I don't even know what the show would be like without them together. It's hard to imagine."
The honorary Academy Award winner, 66, notes that the twosome are "your metaphorical, weekly mom and dad" as she adds, "We'll keep you safe."
Bobby and Athena are mom and dad and it’s hard to imagine the show without them. She’s also an executive producer and yes, she might not leave the show at first because watching Athena grief (if it is real somehow) would be a storyline for her for these next episodes. But other than that? Athena has barely any bonds to the 118. The friendship with Hen has been lacking in visibility lately and she just partnered up with Buck for the lab incident. Lately her character was more or less on her own, barely connected to the 118. So, this would fizzle out somehow.
It is hard to get on board that Tim would “fire” Peter and therefore would have a huge influence on Angela’s job as well after she just said that they are the mom and dad of the team and somehow a package deal.
Some people might say that still... there are all these interviews and even a Deadline article which is a huge and very neutral media outlet concerning Hollywood. But there is one thing that is important here. It already happened on another show that they pretended a character to be dead – Deadline article, goodbye letter and messages, the whole she-bang – and then it was just a stunt and that character was back. He had amnesia but still... he was not dead. (Happened on “Jane the Virgin”)
And last but not least... even though this is mostly my own opinion now. Let’s assume Bobby is really dead. Then this would be the worst possible death they could have given him. This whole two parter he has been out of character – rushing into the lab without proper PPE, snatching that key card from that lab director, talking to nobody about the decision and so on. That is not Bobby Nash who is level-headed, not reckless. Since that character was here from the beginning he would have deserved a more heroic ending. Like them needing one person to close off the lab from the inside for whatever reason and he sacrifices himself. Something heroic like that. But not him dying because of an equipment failure in not even two minutes after just having a short conversation with Athena. This would be very dishonorable to his character and to Peter who has been a pillar of support for the show throughout these years.
To sum this all up. I think there are enough reasons and hints that should leave us skeptical about Bobby being dead for real. I still think it is a red herring for a different storyline we can’t see yet (like the beenado has been for the plane crash). I might be wrong but right now I definitely lean more to the “this is a ruse and fake” side than the one that this is really happening. Too much of this story doesn’t add up and it wouldn’t be the first time that the show tried to lead us on with something just to “surprise” us with something else in the end.
Since some people seem to struggle to understand the difference between facts and what is speculation or interpretation, here are a few things I think we should talk about concerning season 8b, especially episode 11.
What is a fact? What happened on the episode? What does this mean? What is commonly used in media and what is just interpretation or an assumption about it?
Fact: Eddie said it once and Buck twice that “Eddie is straight.”
From a screenwriting perspective, unfortunately “straight” is the default sexual orientation. It is always assumed that characters are straight unless it is stated otherwise.
Hen is shown as a lesbian from the beginning due to her marriage to Karen. Michael came out to Athena and also to the audience in season 1. Buck started to date a guy so he is at least seen as queer since his sexuality has not been explicitly addressed on the show yet. There was just a hint about the “in which pool he should dip into”. That he is bisexual is stated solely off screen in interviews; if it will ever be said on screen is unclear.
Now, let’s focus on Eddie and the statement that he is straight. The question is: Why would you need to say that? Nobody announced that Bobby, Athena, Chim or Maddie are straight in the show. Why is it said three times in such a short time span about Eddie? The explanation is very simple and can be circled back to a common narrative device - mention something that stands out as weird or different to come back to it later and to prove it to be wrong.
For example: In a crime movie let someone talk unprompted about the crime, asking questions about it just to show in the end that this person was the one who did it. Why would they talk about it otherwise? Normally a culprit would try to lay low and to not get any attention. So, that person mentioning the crime on their own unprompted leaves the viewer with the question “Wait a minute, that is weird… Maybe they have something to do with it.”
The same goes for the “Eddie is straight” phrase. Why would you mention it explicitly more than once if that was not something you need to circle back to? Like a narrator saying “In fact, he was not straight.”
Fact: Buck and Tommy spent the night together. Buck woke up alone but Tommy was already up and in the kitchen to make breakfast for them, suggesting that they might give their relationship another try.
Buck: Don’t worry. I know it doesn’t change anything.
Tommy: Why not?
Buck: What are you saying?
Tommy: I’m saying… what are you doing on Saturday?
Buck: You want to try again?
Tommy: I mean I’m not ready to move in or anything. It kind of seems like you aren’t either.
Buck: And you’re not scared I’m gonna break your heart anymore?
Tommy: Not as much. Now that the competition’s out of the way.
Why would he use the word “competition”? That was intentional because we know writing in a tv show is always intentional. They don’t put up random words just to fill spaces. There is not enough time for that. And even though Tommy didn’t say the name, Buck knew that he was talking about Eddie after a moment of thinking. Which led him to the conclusion that Tommy saw Eddie as a competition.
Yes, I admit that you don’t have to read this in a romantic way. You can also see it purely platonically. But in the end it comes down to one fact. Eddie and Buck are friends first. Best friends. Your ex-boyfriend you just hooked up with thinks that this man is his competition. That he can just be in a relationship with you when said man is gone. So he is no competition anymore for your attention or something else.
We know how important Eddie is for Buck. So suggesting “hey, I feel threatened by your best friend and I am happy that he is gone” (not to forget that Tommy bought Champagne to probably celebrate the night they spent together, as well maybe them getting back together) is a very shitty move. No matter if Buck has feelings for Eddie or not in a romantic way… but they are friends. And his ex wanting his best friend gone, even celebrating it? How can Buck accept that and get back together with a person who will probably always feel threatened by Eddie? Buck is living in his house and they talk regularly even though they are apart for now. (And we know that Eddie will be back later in the season.) What does Tommy expect to happen even if he thinks that Eddie stays in Texas for good? He would probably want Buck to choose between him and Eddie, that Buck should distance himself from his best friend. And that is never a good foundation for a working and healthy relationship.
We get it even explicitly told later on in the conversation with Maddie when Buck said that “I understand him feeling threatened by what me and Eddie have…”
Fact: Tommy scoffs when Buck told him that Eddie is straight.
You usually scoff when you don’t believe what the other person is telling you. When you think they are wrong, on purpose or not. And exactly that is what is happening here. Buck might be convinced in that moment that Eddie is straight but Tommy is not. Therefore he can’t hold back and scoffs at Buck saying it, insisting on it, even slightly rolling his eyes.
To read a bit deeper into it, even though that is pure interpretation now, you could say that Tommy might see himself in Eddie in that particular situation. We know that he came out later in life, being engaged to Abby before. Tommy and Eddie have spent some time together in the beginning. So he might have seen Eddie acting in ways that looked familiar. Like how Tommy behaved and talked when he was still in the closet, still denying his true sexuality. Therefore his assumption that Eddie might not be as straight as Buck thinks he is.
Fact: Buck said “I don’t have to want to sleep with everyone I have feelings for. And I don’t have to have feelings for everyone I sleep with.”
Let’s focus on the second part first. This is about Tommy who also understands that this is about him because of his immediate reaction. He takes a step back and he closes himself off. He acknowledges that Buck says that just because they slept together last night it doesn’t mean that he has any feelings for Tommy. Because he can sleep with someone without having them. And we know that he definitely can do that when we remember how Buck slept around a lot in the beginning of the show (even though he might have done that because he was looking for something meaningful). So, Buck made it clear that the night was nice but it doesn’t have to mean a thing and… actually, it doesn’t. It was just them sleeping together. Later in the conversation with Maddie he even admits that he was just using him as a distraction (see more about that down below).
Now, the first part of that sentence is more up for interpretation. Buck says that just because he has feelings for someone doesn’t mean that he has to automatically sleep with them. If we remember season 1 and his time with Abby… it took a while for them to sleep with each other. First they got to know each other over the phone and Buck developed feelings for her. So, this can be read as “sex is just a means to get some relief and because he likes doing it. But if he has feelings for someone, the focus on sex is shifting. It becomes more meaningful and not just something he jumps into carelessly.”
Fact: In 8x06 Tommy broke up with Buck, using the words “I’m your first, not your last.”
Before getting to the conversation with Maddie this is worth mentioning here. Because this fits into the whole narrative that was written around Tommy. He calls Eddie his competition and only without him being there he can be in a relationship with Buck. Which means that he probably also saw Eddie as the competition during the six months he and Buck were together. This sheds a certain light onto the first/last comment. Tommy made it very clear in the conversation with Buck the morning after their hook up that he felt threatened by Eddie’s presence in Buck’s life. Which can be read as that his comment during the break up was about Eddie. That Tommy might have been Buck’s first, but that Eddie would be his last in Tommy’s opinion. Because he thinks that there is something going on between them (otherwise he would not feel threatened by Eddie and wouldn’t have scoffed at the straight comment) and this might be what leads to Buck breaking his heart. Therefore, he ended it before that could happen.
Fact: In that kitchen scene Buck and Maddie talked about the possibility of Buck having feelings for Eddie.
Buck: I mean what’s that even supposed to mean? I’m living in Eddie’s old house, therefore I must be in love with him?
Maddie: Are you?
Buck: In love with Eddie?
Maddie: It wouldn’t be so crazy.
Buck: Except I’m not. As much as everyone seems to want me to be hopelessly pining for my straight best friend, it isn’t just like that. I mean does not having him in my life - and in the field - leave a big hole? Yes, it does. Sure.
It is a fact that Buck said that he is not in love with Eddie and that it is not like he is pining for him.
Now, let’s interpret or better explain that.
Why did they talk about this in the first place? Why mention the thing that Tommy brought up the morning after Buck and him hooked up? Why not just talk about Tommy? If the goal was to make these two get back together, the whole conversation would have been solely about Tommy and what they did and what and how Buck feels about it. And how to move on, considering Tommy’s “offer” for a second try. To get back together somehow or at least to dive deeper into Buck’s feelings for his ex. But instead, for the first time in the show, the question was brought up if Buck was in love with Eddie and that it wouldn’t be that crazy.
There are three things worth mentioning here.
1. Nobody, neither Maddie nor Tommy, has used the word “love” before. This came from Buck who used that word, who drew the conclusion subconsciously about the whole exchange with Tommy that this was about him being in love with Eddie. Not “having feelings for him”, “having a crush on him” or “seeing him as more than a friend”. No, it was the word “love” that was used. And that is a very meaningful word. It doesn’t even stop there because he talks about pining for his “straight” (see the importance above) best friend who left a big hole in his life because of his move to Texas. He didn’t even give a clear answer to Maddie’s question. He could easily have said “No, I am not. I see him as a friend/brother.” And that would have been the end of it. But instead his reply was more a deflection. “Are you in love? - He is straight.” Leaves one thinking about this.
2. And about the pining part… Buck says “as much as everyone seems to want me to be hopelessly pining for my straight best friend, it just isn’t like that.” Who is everyone? Nobody has said anything about him and Eddie before. Tommy is the first who brings up potential feelings for Eddie, nobody has ever voiced anything that comes close to these “accusations”. So, again. This is a connection made up in Buck’s mind, similar with the “love”. Nobody has mentioned either of these things before. This might be just an assumption but maybe he talks about “everyone” because deep down he has feelings and thinks that it is obvious for everyone. So that is why he refers to everyone in his statement.
3. Since wording stuff in a particular way is so important and is always intentional it has a deeper meaning that the question about “being in love with Eddie” is brought up in such an explicit way. Doing this is exactly the same that happens when Eddie’s straightness is mentioned so many times. It is for the casual viewer outside of any fandom. The seed is planted and the viewer starts to question “Wait a minute… could he be in love with Eddie? Is that an option?” For the first time, the thought is out there for them to consider it. About Buck and Eddie maybe becoming a thing, being in love with each other. They are clued in and start to think about the possibility, maybe they even start to look out for further clues in any upcoming episodes.
Worth mentioning here is also the fact that Buck said “I understand him feeling threatened by what me and Eddie have but… he seemed so relieved he was gone. It pissed me off. It felt like he was accusing me. Is this what he’s been thinking the whole time we were together?” That is a fact that this was said on the show.
This is directly circling back to the words Tommy used in that prior scene the morning after when he talked about Eddie being a competition and which makes the conversation with Maddie more about Eddie than about Tommy. And how much Tommy is convinced that Eddie could be and probably has been a threat to his relationship with Buck.
Also, let’s not forget another important thing here. The common romcom tropes. People might say “But Buck said that he has no feelings. So the possibility is definitely shut down.” This is not how these tropes work. Two people can be friends for years and then they start developing feelings for each other. Or realize they have had these already without being aware of them. They always are in denial at first because they are convinced that starting a relationship could ruin their friendship. So, they try not to dive into this, to deny that there are feelings involved.
Take Jess and Nick from New Girl for example. Happened with them as well. And there are many other tv couples that started as friends and before they got together they denied their feelings until something happened and they finally took the risk.
Fact: Buck suggested that maybe he should call Tommy to apologize.
Buck: I should call him.
Maddie: Yeah, that’s what I’ve been saying. It’s not like he moved to Mars.
Buck: No, not Eddie. I mean I will call him but… Tommy. I should apologize. He’s probably right. I was using him as a distraction so I didn’t have to feel alone.
Maddie: Not the best reason to get back together with someone.
Buck: No.
Buck thought about calling Tommy, yes. But not to make up with him, to apologize and to tell Tommy that he was wrong. That there was nothing going on with him and Eddie. That he wanted to try it again with him. To give them a second chance. Nothing was said that could lead to the assumption that he wanted to call him for any of that.
No, he just felt bad about using him as a rebound. Because he felt lonely. That Eddie’s absence had a huge impact on him. (Let’s not forget that he said Eddie’s name 15 times alone in that episode. That is an all time high, the only episode Buck said Eddie’s name almost as much was in 7x04). Buck even admitted that Tommy was probably right even though he did not explain about what exactly. One could read into this that Buck agreed with Tommy about having feelings for Eddie though this is definitely just an assumption. But even this assumption aside, that part of the conversation Buck had with Maddie is only about him feeling guilty of using Tommy. That is how to read that exchange. Nothing else.
In the next episodes it is not even mentioned if he did call him to apologize (or rekindle). On the contrary. We see Buck in these next two episodes having meaningful facetime calls with Eddie instead to support him and to be there for him. While Tommy or calling him isn’t even mentioned at all.
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Let’s sum it all up then. After Eddie left Buck misses him and he feels lonely that he can’t stop talking and thinking about him. Then he runs into Tommy and sees him as a nice way to distract himself from that. So that he doesn’t have to think about the hole Eddie left in his life. There are no real feelings towards Tommy involved anymore. He just feels sorry that he was using him the next day.
Meanwhile Tommy is ready to jump back into bed with Buck and to even go further towards restarting their relationship because Eddie is gone and he doesn’t have to feel threatened anymore. Because Eddie was seen as a threat during their relationship, that he would probably be the reason for Buck to break up with him.
There is not much room left for interpretation. This is what happened on screen. I tried to put up as few as possible assumptions, mostly trying to base the explanations on facts and common screenwriting means and storytelling tropes.
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Honorable mention:
I know we should not put too much weight into interviews because they are just partly reliable since a. the people can lie with what they say and b. they don’t know the full story yet or the story changes between the interview and episode. But still there are certain quotes that support what I explained above. So that it is not far fetched to either draw these conclusion or explain it in a certain way.
“Yeah, I mean, he’s going to be moving to what’s in his future. And look, Tommy is in Buck’s romantic past for sure.” Tim Minear, November 14th, TV Fanatic
“But series creator Tim Minear said Episode 11 is not meant to shut down the shippers once and for all — no matter how insistent they are on making Buddie happen.” Tim Minear, March 20th, The Wrap
“It makes sense for his boyfriend to notice, you moved into the guy’s house and really he takes up a lot of space in your world and I think you might be in love with him, and Buck protests and kind of knocks that down. And also when Maddie asks him flat out, he says, it’s not like that. So you can either believe Buck or you don’t have to. It’s up to you.” Tim Minear, March 20th, TV Insider
“He’s telling his truth in the moment, for sure. I don’t think he’s trying to lie and hide anything from [Maddie],” he says. “He’s never even considered this before. He’s telling his truth, for sure in that moment. This is something that’s been brought to him from Tommy and something that he was not, as I say, having any kind of prior thoughts about.” Oliver Stark, March 20th, TV Insider
“is this really about the fact that do I really want to be back with Tommy or am I trying to fill a void in my heart because my best friend just left and moved away?” Aisha Hinds, March 20th, TV Insider
“You run into an ex, and you're in a place where you could just use some company and some distraction, and sort of one thing leads to another.” Tim Minear, March 22nd, Entertainment Weekly
“And it was also important for me to have Buck say, "Look, I don't have to sleep with everyone I have feelings for, and I don't have to have feelings for everyone I sleep with," which is a direct reference to who Buck was in the first season or so.” Tim Minear, March 22nd, Entertainment Weekly
“The truth of the matter is, Buck is using Tommy as a distraction for the turmoil he's going through.” Tim Minear, March 22nd, Entertainment Weekly
“Tommy has a function in this universe that isn't just to be Buck's bed buddy” Tim Minear, March 22nd, Entertainment Weekly
“And I think in that episode, Buck even realizes, "Maybe I'm not interacting with Tommy here for the right reasons." And then obviously he's kind of a d*ck to Tommy in the way that he handles that conversation, and it's obviously because he's so taken aback, but he's kind of rude in what he says to Tommy. So I think for the most part, he probably has gone some way to shutting that door regardless of what he would want.” Oliver Stark, March 24, Screenrant
It has been two days now and I had a lot of time to think about the whole discourse that happened especially yesterday. I was also able to talk things through with a friend. So here, have my thoughts on that discourse and the show in general.
In my opinion the whole discourse started because of Eddie not being in the episode at all. I think we all can agree on that, right? But actually, I also think that the problem runs a lot deeper. It might have been Eddie this time while the source of this whole discourse lies somewhere else.
We need to acknowledge one thing before diving into this. And that is that this show isn‘t high peak media. It is our „silly little wee woo show“. And we should treat it like that, first and foremost. Knowing about its flaws and how they often handle stuff not properly or how it should have been done. But we still love it, right? That is what we‘re here for.
So. With this out of the way… You can love something and still criticize it. There is no „go big or go home“ here. I can‘t speak for everyone but most of the people I saw on my timeline, speaking for the „Eddie side“ were like this: „I loved the episode. The emergency was great, the acting was amazing. I am excited for the second part. Even though it would have been nice to have Eddie included somehow.“ In the first place, most people acknowledged that it would have made no sense to put him into the emergency itself because he is still in Texas. But there could have been other ways like a facetime call during the first few minutes when we had the unrelated Batheny, Madney and HenRen scene. People complaining about him not being in the emergency? That was added later on, after the whole thing already escalated into a „everyone against everyone“ monster.
I don‘t want to blame any „side“ with „but you started it“. No. For me, that would be the wrong approach. Yes, the topic with Eddie still stands. But actually, it runs deeper in a way that this show has lost one essential part in general lately. This time the discourse started with Eddie but to be honest, it is lacking the familial connections in general. Not only for Eddie. It feels as if all these characters/couples just coexist in the same universe without having any deeper connection. It‘s mostly an outsider brought in to give them a story.
Ortiz was a threat to Mara and HenRen adopting her. Gerrard was the new Captain after Bobby quit that tormented the team. Brad was the obstacle that annoyed Bobby.
The question is: What about the sense of cohesiveness? The emergencies themselves might have gotten better this season, switching between serious and whimsical in a nice way. In the usual and well-known 911 way. But why are these emergencies not connected to the characters anymore? None of them really had a huge storyline that was really satisfying and left us „well fed“.
Hen‘s last bigger storyline was the adoption drama that revolved around the kids. Why not show her connection with Chim, especially since him and Maddie temporarily took care of Mara? This would have been perfect for some conflict between these two best friends that maybe could have lasted throughout a few episodes.
Chim‘s last real storyline was… the wedding? I am not sure, I really can‘t remember anything bigger happening to him even though he deserves it. That is why I am not unhappy about him being infected during this two parter (though I think that they could have gone with something else because… another disease? Really?). For the serial killer part the focus was more on Maddie.
Buck had a few storylines here and there and yes, the relationship was one with a bit more focus. But I think we all agree that they didn‘t do him justice at all with that. He hasn‘t even acknowledged his bisexuality yet. Instead he is floating around, having some minor spotlights here and there and that‘s it. He wasn‘t even shown after that kind of „big“ reveal about „Would it be that crazy to be in love with Eddie?“. These feelings haven‘t been explored yet. On the contrary. It felt as if the seed was planted… but someone forgot to water that plant now.
Bobby had more storylines, yes. But that is all. The amount is different. But there was no complexity and well thought-through plot. Stuff was made up for him but then changed halfway and switched and got twisted until we had weird things that made no sense (the cartel in season 7). Why did he even forgive his mother that fast? It was resolved in one episode. While he started angry and distant (relatable) he forgave her all of a sudden just because she has cancer now. Everything is roses and bubbles. Wow. Or what about the Brad thing? Yes, I know a lot of people have problems with the Hotshots storyline. Because it was not used to its full extent. It would have been amazing (and a lot of people were anticipating it) to parallel the Hotshots episodes and filming to the real life 118 stuff. It was there - rebar guy, the lightning scene… But it went absolutely unused. And instead of a fun little nod towards a 118 meta it was just annoying that Brad got that much focus (not to shit on the actor because he is sweet and well-loved by the cast and crew).
Athena‘s last bigger thing I can remember was the cart cop and the rookie who shot a woman. We know that they love the copaganda life. But why does nobody talk about another rookie now? The episode ended with her acknowledging that it might be the right thing to take a step back (paraphrasing it). But nobody has heard something about it ever since.
And last but not least, Eddie. The source of the whole discourse this time. I get it that a lot of people (me included) are not satisfied with how his storyline was treated these past two seasons. It felt sidelined that after the whole Kim debacle at the end of season 7 it took them six episode to address the „missing joy“ and how much it influenced him not being with Chris. As if they took six episodes and were „oh, damn, we forgot that he has a son in Texas who left. Quick, let‘s whip something up.“ Therefore the dance scene. We might have gotten two episodes now with the Texas arc but… since it has been a while that season 7 ended it feels as if, again, they just remembered that they should do something to wrap up this storyline.
So, let‘s be honest. Like I said. We know that this show isn‘t the best. But we still love it. Mostly because of that feeling the show gives us. How we get emotional. But lately, the emotions were more about fandom stuff than about the episodes. I liked most of them but they somehow felt off. The glue that keeps the 118 family together is missing more and more lately. They act less like a family and more like co-workers. And that feels wrong on so many levels.
And now to episode 14. The first part of the Contagion plot. Let‘s ignore the random scenes in the beginning and focus mainly on the lab accident. The acting was amazing and everything felt good and was exciting. And, let‘s admit it… with how the team stormed into the lab to get that fire under control? The explosion? Hen injured (she was really overdue for an NDE)? Chim infected? Buck in panic that he might loose his team? Maddie devastated because she can‘t do a thing at dispatch? Bobby feeling responsible for his team in that shitty situation? Athena on the outside not able to help her husband? And Ravi somehow finally admitting that he is part of the team, part of the family?
That is what people were waiting for. At least for a bit coming back to the familial connection. They are a team. A family. To say it with Eddie‘s words „That‘s what the 118 is, the family we chose“. But unfortunately he was not a part of the family this time. While everyone else was finally for this one episode (and probably the next) back to the deep rooted bond they share, that they would do everything for the others because they love them and care for each other… he was missing. The family had an Eddie shaped hole the show didn‘t acknowledge.
I don‘t mind that the characters haven‘t acknowledged it. It‘s been… what… an hour? Since the accident happened. No time to call him or inform him yet. But the show could have acknowledged him. With the aforementioned scenes with all the other couples in the beginning. To acknowledge him being there, him still being a part of that family even though there are hundreds of miles between them. The facetime call I was talking about for example.
So, I don‘t want to parrot what has been said so many times over these past probably 48 hours. I am not here to discuss these things again. And while I might have talked a lot about Eddie myself in that time, I think I made it clear that while he is my favorite and that‘s why I talk about him a lot… I can still see the bigger picture. And the actual issues that the show has.
I get it when people say that we should accept the things for „it is what it is.“ And mostly? We do. We accept it. Because we can‘t change it. If we don’t like something, we can always resort to fanfic. But what we can also do is talk about it. And hope and wish for better storytelling for ALL the characters. Because, like I said before, the show is lacking cohesiveness. It feels as if they have a huge pile of boxes and every character is in one of these boxes (in Eddie‘s case it‘s probably a closet xD).
And they have an idea about a story and then pull over one box to use that character to interact with outsiders who create conflict or give them a story while all the other boxes mostly stay closed and untouched. Why not mix the boxes? Why not have them interact more? What about Hen‘s and Chim‘s friendship? What about Buck‘s and Bobby‘s father-son-relationship? What about Athena and Hen? Eddie and Bobby? But all that is pushed aside for side characters or stories that look good on the board.
It wouldn‘t be such a huge problem if these stories would be well-rounded and thought through. But instead of this they lack a lot of connection and since often a lot more is filmed but cut we feel like we‘re missing essential parts in that plot and get confused how this got resolved in the end. Like the story about Bobby‘s mother, for example, who gained forgiveness after years of neglect just because she is sick now. Did we miss something on the way to that?
I know that has been a lot to read now and I am not sure who is still with me but… let‘s sum this up. We might talk and theorize about the show a lot. And that is a good thing. And we‘re all united in the love we have for this show and the characters. But we also should acknowledge that the show is lacking a lot in storytelling lately and that people do and are allowed to talk about that. How disappointed they are in a certain storyline. How something got resolved. How a certain character is treated. That is not hating on the show. It is just an exchange in opinions.
In the end, that is what fandom is there for. Imagine how boring it would be if we‘d all agree after every episode that this was „10/10“ and „amazing“… and then we have nothing to talk about anymore after listing the great things we saw on screen. Imagine we had all the same theories after one bts or still. Wouldn‘t that be boring real quick? „This still could mean that XY happens. - Yeah, you‘re right.“ The fandom would be really… uninteresting, wouldn‘t it?
Fandoms live because of discourse, different ideas, theories and opinions. It‘s okay to voice them in a respectful way, without insulting each other, hating each other or jumping someone‘s throat just because you disagree. I mean… „agree to disagree“ is still a thing, right?
Also, I understand that our nerves are raw. These past months have been hard because of a certain group of people that has constantly attacked and harassed people. So, most of us are probably very quick to get defensive or protective. Because of what has happened over the span of these last weeks and months.
But let‘s not forget that actually we‘re on the same „ship“, on the same side. We should not attack each other because someone has a different thought or theory. If you disagree either talk about it in a respectful way (you might learn a complete new point of view you haven‘t thought about before) or just scroll past it. Don‘t try to act like other people‘s opinions and views are wrong, don‘t invalidate them. Because we shouldn‘t forget that also people‘s own experiences might play a part how some people interpret a certain situation.
So, instead of jumping each other let‘s agree that this is our „silly little wee woo show with flaws“ and that it could be better concerning the character development and cohesiveness for all of them even though some people might just talk about one character in particular but think and care about all of them. Let‘s stop policing what others should think or post. Instead we should unite to enjoy the show together that has a few episodes left this season and is renewed for another one so that we have another year with these beloved characters. Let‘s hope that the writing will get better and unless it does, that people will talk about it.
Because in the end, we‘re here for the same thing, right?
It is kinda funny how consistent 911 is with their inconsistency concerning the timeline sometimes. At least not under special circumstances.
Because this didn't stop concerning Tommy.
Someone made a timeline how old Tommy has to be at least to make it make sense, concerning him being a pilot in the army, him being a full firefighter in the "begins" episodes etc.
They stated that after all of this, realistically speaking, he has to be at least somewhere in his mid-Forties, probably more leaning towards the upper half of Forty.
His fans and minions then wrote whole think-tanks why it didn't make sense, that he is as old as Buck or at least younger than predicted, solely based on Lou's real age (he just turned 40 yesterday). They even ran to Tim to take his words as proof that they were right, asking him about his age and Tim simply just replied "40" without elaborating.
This kinda shows that he hasn't thought about it, that it was just an age he seemed fitting and since they were writing a lot of messages at that time... I can get that he did not want to start a whole conversation, debating about the realism of Tommy's age since he was a plot device from minute one and everything unrelated to Buck's story was irrelevant concerning him.
Now, in episode 6 Tommy told Buck that he was engaged to Abby and was with her for two years before he ended it. Let's not go into the whole Abby debacle of it, let's just look at the timeline.
Abby was 42 in the pilot/season 1 when she started dating Buck who had been "half her age" (not real but Tommy might have exaggerated a bit to drive the point across, that's fine).
Let's pretend that Abby and Tommy had broken up just a bit before season 1. It is very unlikely that Tommy was in his early Thirties back then because then she would have already had a younger boyfriend/fiancè (and yes, ten years is not a bad thing in that age but it is noticable). It would have been a bit hypocritical to say that she ran away with a "himbo half her age" if Tommy had been a lot younger than her as well.
So, it is more likely that he was around her age. Like at least around 38 to 42.
Now fast forward the six years between the seasons. That means that he right now would be at least... *drumroll* mid-Forties or a bit older... And isn't that a surprise?
Because that is exactly what we always said and predicted and what was kinda confirmed now through the Abby story as well.
So, again. There is no consistency in the timeline. At least not if some people run to Tim to get confirmation and he just hands out random replies about stuff that is as irrelevant as it could be...
Last episode was a lot. And not just because the break up happened.
The fandom was speculating about this episode being Eddie-centric being the episode that he finally realized he was gay or that at least we would get a step towards his gay awakening. So, a lot were kinda devastated and disappointed that nothing happened.
But did it really?
Let’s break it down how much the episode gave us and why we are this close to gay!Eddie (and presumably Buddie).
Yes. Eddie did not have a sudden realization during confessional or a break down to confess his undying love for Buck. But nevertheless, this episode was a total win on these things. You just have to look a bit deeper into it to find all the hints and the foreshadowing for future episodes.
Eddie telling the priest that he is straight.
Eddie telling the priest during confessional that he hurt people with his behavior – Chris, his best friend, his girlfriend.
Eddie wanted to have some juice but then switched to buying himself some water.
Josh’s speech to Buck to make him understand Tommy.
Josh made a Glee reference during his speech.
The LAFD doesn’t allow beards.
Eddie calls his mustache a disguise.
Ryan calling Eddie straight in his interviews (and Oliver did as well) and talking about finding a “good woman”.
Bonus from prior episodes:
Eddie talking to the cheerleader’s father, asking him if he thinks that his son is weak for cheerleading and referencing to himself.
Now, let’s talk about these points a bit more.
1. “I’m straight!”
Concerning a sexuality being mentioned in a tv show, it is very uncommon for a character to point out that they are straight. Usually, queer characters say that they are gay, lesbian, bi or whatever. Because (unfortunately) for most people straight is still the default sexuality and doesn’t have to be addressed separately. So, it is very suspicious that Eddie told the priest that he is straight.
Especially, since the priest joining him at the table (even though Eddie did not know it was the priest then) and the short conversation before that sentence was not really openly flirtatious. Yes, it gave some flirty vibes if you were looking for them. So, Eddie immediately deflecting with telling the other man that he is straight? He could have worded this differently. “I don’t swing that way” or “I am not like that” or any other way. But he used the words “I am straight” to remind the audience that up to this moment Eddie thinks that he is straight.
Remember that everything in a tv show is very intentional and often has subtext. This scene totally fits in this kind of scenes when a character says something on screen just to hear the narrator’s voice saying in a voice over “In fact, he was not straight”.
This simple sentence was, concerning the “show don’t tell” rule, a quick reminder and one step closer to Eddie embracing his real sexuality. That he is not straight at all.
2. The order of the mentioned people
During confessional he told the priest that he hurt a lot of people with his behavior. Chris was mentioned first. His son. The most important person in his life that got hurt due to the Kim fiasco. And instead of listing Marisol, his girlfriend that time, next it was Buck. His best friend. And THEN Marisol followed.
This order is very important. Yes, people might say it is just a list of people but… again. Intentional writing. These are not real people and what they say and how they talk always has a layer and is intentional.
So, him mentioning Buck before Marisol is telling us that Buck is, after Chris, really the second most important person in Eddie’s life. Not his girlfriend. It is Buck.
This also fits into what we have already seen in season 7 when Eddie’s actions seemed to have a bigger influence on Buck who acted like the spouse instead of Marisol. Buck confronted him and had deep conversations with Eddie. It was not Marisol’s role who was the actual partner. Buck was in that position.
Therefore, it is only natural to list him as the second person and not her. She just seemed like an afterthought.
3. Juice vs. water
The show in form of the priest explained that the juice and the water were a symbol for Eddie punishing himself. That he thinks that he does not deserve something nice and good. Therefore, he switched from juice to water.
And yes, the drinks are a symbol for that. But not only for his punishment.
Queer people are often called “fruity” or “juicy”. The juice stands for Eddie’s real sexuality that he is still denying himself. Because he thinks that he does not deserve being happy and his true self. He is not ready yet for the juice/his gayness and therefore chooses the water/straightness. Because this is what he deserves. The bland and boring water instead of the tasty juice.
Later on, the priest tells Eddie that he still is allowed to enjoy things and that he should do something joyful because right now he is denying himself good things because of not feeling worthy. Eddie asks him “I don’t feel worthy of juice?” The priest replies “of joy”. So, yes. He deserves joy. And the juice. If this brings him joy. Feels kind of an absolution that he does not need to pretend to be straight. He is allowed to want the juice, to accept his own queerness.
4. Josh’s speech
Yes, this speech was not directed at Eddie. It was Josh talking to Buck. And even though it seemed he was talking about Tommy so that Buck could realize what he had with his now ex-boyfriend.
But actually, Josh was NOT talking about Tommy. He does not know Tommy at all. Not about his past and what he has gone through. In fact, he said something that was not true. Because Tommy was also one of the gay people who came out later in life (even though he might have known that he was gay a lot earlier than Buck found out he was bi). So, saying that he was one of the older queers who had to go through so much… Josh was talking about himself. He was projecting his own experience onto Tommy who is about his age so that he assumed that Tommy had gone through the same.
And not only was he talking about himself instead of Tommy… He was also kind of explaining compulsory heterosexuality – comphet – to the audience. This is something most people who are not a part of the LGBTQIA+ community or a close ally do not know about. So, Josh was talking about a guy trying to force himself to pretend to be straight. Force himself into a marriage with a woman to be, to feel, normal. How society expects him to be. Until he finally can be his true self. Rings a bell? This screams Eddie who was pushed into the marriage with Shannon due to her being pregnant. We got a lot of hints in earlier seasons that he always thought that dating was a performance, that he loved the thought of being married to Shannon but never said that he loved her and so on…
This speech was about Eddie and him being comphet right now.
5. The Glee reference
Probably it is just an Easter Egg and a nod to Ryan Murphy who is responsible for Glee.
But you can also put some interpretation into it. Because some might not have watched the show. There is a character called Kurt. In season one he pretended to be straight to be “normal”. He even tried to date some of his female classmates. But in the end, it did not work out and he admitted that he was gay and started to live like his true self.
Another bell that is ringing? This also sounds like Eddie who tried and tried so many times to seem straight by marrying Shannon, having girlfriends, living the life his parents and society expected him to lead, denying his truth. But in the end, Eddie, like Kurt, will find true happiness the moment he accepts himself as a gay person.
6. The LAFD doesn’t accept beards.
This is just a simple one. We know that partners are called beards to make another person seem straight. Marisol was Eddie’s beard. As was Ana and Shannon. Even though Eddie might not know it yet that they were beards.
7. The mustache
Eddie explained that he would have gone full beard mode but had to go with the mustache instead. Without he feels like a failure, a person who does not deserve forgiveness or joy. So, he needed this as a disguise. As a mask.
And there is a lot he has to hide. Like his true feelings and how lonely and isolated he feels since Chris is gone now (this was referenced and kinda foreshadowed in the episode before during Buck’s voice over when we saw Eddie being on his own, taking down his Halloween decorations, all sad while he acted normal the rest of the time when he was with other people).
But not only this is something that he has or wants to hide. There are more feelings he wants to mask. And these feelings are about his sexuality. About the person he can rely on and who is his significant other. Yes, this could be some reach. But combined with all the other hints it is not that unlikely that the disguise is also needed for his sexuality.
The priest explained that “we can’t take care of others if we don’t first take care of ourselves”. Which means that Eddie has to get rid of this disguise (by shaving off the mustache – RIP) and to take care of himself. Accept himself and his failures… and who he really is. A gay man.
8. The interviews
Honestly, they are the least I am worried about. Yes, Ryan and Oliver called Eddie straight, talking about him find a “good woman”. So what? What else should they say? They would never ever spoil a big storyline. Do people expect them to talk about “oh, and next episode Eddie will be gay”? Let’s be real. They have to answer questions from the present point of the story. And therefore, Ryan was not lying. Right now, Eddie is straight and just Buck’s best friend.
What will happen next? They cannot talk about it. They need to keep the audience invested, that we will tune in again and again. Because, let’s be honest, in the end, the numbers are what really count. How many viewers and how the episode is perceived.
You see there are a lot of hints for Eddie’s upcoming journey. We do not know how long it will take to get there. But this season and especially this episode has put down a very good foundation for what will happen next. We just need to be patient.
Since a lot of people have pointed this out, I gave that theory a bit more of a thought and... well...
Maybe it is true that they recycled the storyline they had for Buck and Natalia in mind and used it for Buck and Tommy.
We know that there was something planned for them but it fell through because Annelise was not able to come back to the show due to other obligations.
And honestly, this whole storyline would fit pretty much for Natalia, the death doula. Because the topic was mainly a dead corpse and a curse.
What is a death doula?
It is a person who assists in the dying process much like a midwife who is there while giving birth. They are there to help the families of the deceased to cope with the death of their beloved. That they will recognize it being sth natural and also a part of life.
Let's think about Billy then. He was an outlaw. A crimial. Who had a rough life and was not treated properly after he died. He was not buried and was passed along between a circus, rodeo and whatnot. He could not find peace.
That would fit so good to Natalia's backstory or better her profession because she helps people accept death and also helps them during the dying process.
It actually sounds quite plausible that this story was written for them. Yes, some things would have been needed to be different because in season 7 there was no Halloween. I am sure they had a different way of Buck getting in contact with Billy to start that story for him and Natalia.
For me, the more important thought it... if this is true and they really recycled the storyline... did they recycle all of it?
Because in that screenshot from an interview given by Tim in March you can see that this relationship between Buck and Natalia would have ended due to that planned story.
We know so far that in the next episode there will be some truths coming to light and "unexpected hurdles" in the relationship between Buck and Tommy.
Does it have to do with the curse storyline? We don't know yet. And actually, it is not that important. Because they probably had to adjust it so that it would fit the timeline and the new love interest.
But... all in all, maybe this is still the direction the story will take and it will be another nail in the coffin of the Buck and Tommy relationship.
That this story (no matter in what capacity it is played out on screen) would be the end of Buck's current relationship.
If... and really IF they parallel what they had in mind for Buck and Natalia with what they now gave Buck and Tommy.
Or „why you shouldn’t close on Buddie after episode 5”
“The relationship between Buck and Tommy was so present this episode. They sure are a thing. I am convinced Tommy will be Buck’s endgame.”
A few of us might have read stuff similar to that. Some people might even agree though still being Buddie fans while also feeling disappointed and starting to question things, maybe even closing on “our” ship.
So, bear with me, saddle up and let’s get into that whole relationship thing and how this episode was not “closing worthy” at all.
Disclaimer:
I already posted this on twitter and since there were a lot of people interested in what I had to say, I decided to take the leap and post it here as well, even though certain people might find it...
I also edited the text slightly, putting some thoughts others had in to make if feel complete.
First of all, a short callback to my post about screenwriting I did a while ago. Remember I said that “everything shown in an episode, on screen, is intentional” and there is this “show, don’t tell” rule. Keep that in mind all the time. Because the portrayal of Buck’s and Tommy’s relationship really has a lot to “tell” when you look at what is “shown”.
All in all, we had like six scenes with Tommy present this season:
the birthday party in episode 1
the hospital scene with Buck’s dislocated shoulder
him and Tommy at the loft
Buck, Eddie and Tommy with the boils the next morning
the hospital scene for Denny’s surgery
the cemetery at the end
The last five have all been in episode 5 and that was a lot of screentime compared to what we have seen in prior episodes.
Concerning this season, Tommy had barely a minute of screentime in episode 1. This included two lines he had to deliver at the birthday party scene. One, when Buck complained about Gerrard and the other one was when Buck and him hid behind the couch for the surprise.
There is no need to dive deeper into these two lines and the meaning of them because this could fill a completely different post. So, let’s just roll with him being there in that scene. And I am honestly not surprised about that.
Episode 1 was needed to show him to remind the audience that Buck is still bisexual (and no, it was not just a phase!) and yes, he is still in a relationship with a man. This scene was to pick upo where we left Buck in season 7 and to bring everyone who might have forgotten about it up to date.
Episode 1 did not only do that with Buck and his story, they did this with all the other characters as well. So the audience was reminded of Bobby’s and Athena’s house being burnt down, the whole Mara/Ortiz drama, that Chris left for Texas, Gerrard being the Captain of the 118 and so on. So, Tommy-wise he had to be there so that the audience would also remember Buck’s current situation – bisexual and in a relationship.
All in all, the narrative purpose of that episode was to show were we have left the characters in the season 7 finale and to introduce the opening emergency with the plane/bee-nado to start the new season.
It worked.
And Tommy had served his purpose concerning Buck.
Now, let’s move on to the next episodes.
It would have been an easy thing to include him in episode 2 to 4 as well. Not necessarily in a physical form because that would mean screentime for him and therefore less screentime for others when the focus should be on them (like Athena landing a damn plane on a highway).
But there are other means to include a character from a purely storytelling perspective. All the characters, mainly Buck since he is in a relationship with Tommy and/or Eddie since Tommy and him are supposedly friends, could have mentioned him.
For example:
Buck could have talked about being on a date with Tommy randomly on the way to a call or when they were cleaning the engines or whenever. He could have slipped in a sentence or two about meeting up with Tommy before or after shift.
Eddie could have done that as well because they are friends and might have gone to watch another fight, work on a car or do stuff they did in 7x04.
Buck could also have called him for advice with the plane emergency since Tommy is still a pilot. Yes, he is able to fly a helicopter and that is not a plane but he still works at Harbor which is the air support unit and he might have some knowledge or he might know someone who has.
These are just a few examples that could have established the importance Tommy has for Buck (and maybe also for his friend Eddie) in the episodes when there was no time or place to show him physically.
But, and that is the important part here to put the focus on, the writers decided against it. We almost forgot that Tommy existed AND that Buck is in a relationship with him.
I can already hear people saying that the focus was not on Buck and his story in these episodes so it was not important to mention him or to have Buck (and Eddie) talking about him. Yes, I might agree with that. That could be one reason for not including him in any way.
So, let’s simply ignore episode 2, 3 and 4 and put the focus on episode 5 in which Tommy WAS included in a physical way with a lot of lines and screentime. Because Buck is a main character and including his current love interest seems to be important for the plot and this probably has to mean something.
But before we dive into WHAT it could mean, let’s just take a little break. Because I might have a question to ask that has not necessarily to do with Tommy.
It is more about tv shows in general, especially how relationships are portrayed on screen. Because, how do you think the writers would do that? Remember. “Show, don’t tell”. I think we can agree that, following this rule, there should be a certain level of connection and intimacy (not necessarily in a sexual way) be shown through understanding, words and physical contact.
That is exactly what the writers would do. To establish a relationship, to show the development as a couple. They would show certain things on screen. So that the audience notices (or maybe just remembers) that these two people are in a relationship with each other and that there are romantic feelings between them.
It won’t be enough just to state that they are boyfriends. It cannot be as simple as that. Because if it is just voiced once, it might get overheard. And let’s be honest, in an ensemble show with so many main characters and storylines next to each other, so many things happen and the focus shifts ever so often. So, in this case the “show, don’t tell” rule should and has to be used. Show the relationship with little or sometimes even bigger things to keep the reminder up. That is important especially for newer relationships the audience is not used to yet. So, that it will always be in the back of their minds that these two people are a thing.
To anticipate the conclusion of the following explanations: The things described here did not happen with Buck and Tommy in this episode at all. On the contrary.
But, let’s break it down to each scene.
I will try to point out the things that could have shown their connection. That could have been about them as a couple so that the audience is given the “relationship reminder”. And then I will look at what was given us instead.
In the hospital with Buck’s dislocated shoulder
Tommy could have hurried to the hospital because even though the injury is not lethal, it is still his boyfriend that is in the hospital and he should be with him because he cares about him and is worried.
entering the room with a relieved sigh that Buck is indeed kind of okay, giving him a half-hug not to jostle his shoulder, leaning down to peck his lips, cheek or even kiss his head
sitting down onto the bed next to Buck, holding his hand while Buck explains what has happened
nodding along to Buck’s word’s, maybe teasing him a little bit in a playful way for the weird assumption of being cursed
sharing that important moment between just the two of them
What we got instead:
them NOT being alone because Eddie is there the whole time: To show the connection between Buck and Tommy they could have made Eddie leave after Tommy arrives with something like “thanks for looking after Buck until I could be there for him”. But the writers didn’t. Eddie was there with them the whole time, finishing Buck’s sentences and commenting on his antics with a fond look, being included in the conversation and not making a move to leave Buck and Tommy on their own.
Tommy not being in a hurry to get to the hospital: He stated that he left after his shift ended and he changed out of his uniform before being on his way to the hospital. Both these factors show that he seemed not to have been in a rush, that he took his time to get changed and ready, probably also taking a shower that would delay his arrival at the hospital. This could be interpreted as him not being seriously worried about Buck. Not like a doting and caring boyfriend would be, slightly stressed that his partner is at the hospital, not really taking the time to get ready because of being worried about the other. His thought only with Buck, to get to him asap. This slightly off behavior is even more obvious because there is a direct comparison to Eddie who we see being there in his LAFD shirt, straight after work (or maybe even going with Buck to the hospital straight from the call) and who stayed with him even though Buck is not seriously injured.
Tommy telling Buck that he heard about the “corpse incident” and that he was laughing with his co-workers about it. And yes, I get it. It is kind of funny and something that seems to happen to the 118 a lot. I am sure they are the talk of the day every time at all the other stations. And I get that Tommy thinks this is funny and that he would laugh about it. But there is no need to TELL his boyfriend that he was laughing about him with his co-workers. We saw Buck’s reaction to that. He looked kind of sad and hurt.
Eddie and Tommy laughing about the curse: Both of them were making fun of Buck and his assumption that he is cursed. But there is a huge difference between the two of them. Eddie knows Buck for six years. They are best friends. He knows what Buck can take concerning teasing and mocking him. He knows about the other’s boundaries. I mean, remember him making a joke about the tsunami and lightning. So, him laughing at Buck and the thought of being cursed can be seen as normal friendship behavior between the two of them. They are close enough to know how to take these jokes. While on the other hand, there is Tommy who knows Buck for just a few months. He has no clue what kind of jokes Buck can take and their relationship is not shown on screen (!) that they already have that deep connection to make this kind of jokes. So, it looks a bit mean to a. burst out laughing in front of Buck and b. tell him that he laughed with his co-workers about it as well.
the Visitor’s badge: Tommy wears a visitor’s badge while Eddie has none which could imply them being on a different level. That while Tommy is just a visitor Eddie is more important and more like a pillar of stability and just there. That he, compared to Buck’s boyfriend, does not need a badge because the hospital stuff knows him and that he is allowed to be in there.
Tommy needing Eddie’s “explanations” (for example the “Sergeant Grant” – “Bobby’s wife”) because he is not involved enough to know about these things in Buck’s life which is especially a bit weird because we remember him being at the cruise ship rescue where Bobby and Athena were rescued and he played a part in that.
no intimacy between the two people in a relationship at all: There was no real greeting. Just a “hey” and “thanks for coming”. Nothing that screams “THEY ARE A COUPLE!”. No kiss, no hug, no real touch. Tommy barely touched Buck’s knee for a second and that’s it. The whole conversation he was standing in front of the bed, unmoving, his hands to himself.
To sum this up. In this scene Tommy seemed more like a slightly concerned friend visiting another friend at the hospital who got injured somehow. Nothing in that scene was showing THEM being a couple and THEM being in a relationship. On the contrary. Not to put on any shipper googles but Eddie seemed more like a partner in that episode, the doting and caring boyfriend, than Tommy because the audience realizes that he has been there the whole time, sitting with Buck even though he is not badly injured, keeping him company and listening fondly to Buck’s weird assumptions.
You might argue that some of these points mentioned above might be a bit far-fetched. And okay, I give you that. I even said it myself that some things might be interpreted in a certain way. But since it is just my interpretation, let’s kind of put these things aside and break it down to the essential stuff.
Namely, what could have shown that Buck and Tommy being the ones in a relationship in that scene. It is kind of obvious – a. them being on their own with Eddie either leaving or not being there in the first place and b. them showing at least some kind of intimate connection with a touch or a greeting kiss.
But, nothing happened at all. Like I said. They looked more like friends than a couple in that scene.
Now, compare it to other established couples on the show. Remember Chim being injured and sick on his wedding day? Maddie was sitting with him. They had an emotional talk, they held hands, touched and kissed in the end. Now look at the scene with Buck and Tommy where Tommy did nothing like that. He was just there.
On to the next scene then.
Buck and Tommy at the loft
Buck’s shoulder was injured but the rest of his body was okay. So, he could have sat in his bed, complaining about the injury while Tommy coming up the stairs with medicine and food, listening to him.
Tommy could have sat down next to Buck so that he could pull Buck close, them cuddling up together and maybe another small kiss shared to show how much he cares for Buck.
Buck being on a deep dive about the corpse: we could have seen Tommy smile fondly at him, slowly closing the laptop and telling Buck to get some rest because he needs it. Because he is worried about his well-being.
Buck rambling about Billy’s background and Tommy sitting there, listening to him the whole time, chiming in with a comment or two and maybe even giving some input himself
They could have shared either the bed or couch with each other.
What we got instead:
Buck sitting in an armchair and Tommy taking the couch. I get why they might not have shared the couch because it is not that huge and they are both big guys. But Buck’s bed is perfectly fine. And Buck isn’t incapable of walking upstairs. So, instead of showing them sharing a bed they slept separately on the couch and the armchair.
One might say that it was a doctor’s order that Buck had to sleep in a sitting position. But, and that is the important part: We don’t know about any doctor’s orders who could suggest that. Yes, it might be a thing. But a. 911 is not known for their medical accuracy (Buck should have worn a sling and not have leant on his former dislocated shoulder on the bed as well) and b. the writers have to assume that not everyone in the audience knows about that so they should have mentioned it. But none of that happened. So, the audience remembers them not sharing the bed or couch and being distant.
Tommy telling Buck to shut the computer down: He said he should stop being on his laptop. Buck then replied “five more minutes” and Tommy replied “you already had your five minutes”. This sounded more like an exchange between an adult and a kid (“Pleeeease, just five more minutes, I don’t want to go to bed yet!”) than between two people in a relationship.
Buck rambling and Tommy falling asleep: We know about Buck’s ADHD brain and how he can deep dive into topics he is interested in. The “curse” being one of them. So, while he lists all these facts and why he thinks that he is cursed and all the background for Billy - what is Tommy doing? He lays down on the couch, pulls up the blanket and turns off the light. It can be seen as “I don’t care what you are talking about, I am tired, let’s go to sleep.” It gives a very dismissive and condescending impression how Tommy acts towards Buck.
While Buck continues to talk, we can hear Tommy’s voice getting quieter, indicating that he falls asleep on him, not trying to stay awake to listen to his boyfriend who really seems to be concerned about being cursed. Yes, you could say that the curse is stupid and fake. But you usually indulge your partner’s weird antics, you listen to them and try to push them slowly in the direction you want them to go. Like “go to sleep” without them feeling like an idiot
Again, there was no PDA. No kiss, no hug, not even a proper goodnight.
There were probably a few more smaller things that could have been mentioned but I think the ones above are enough to get it. This scene didn’t really give boyfriend/relationship vibes as well as the hospital scene before. You could see Tommy here again as just a friend who takes care of another friend. But not his romantic partner.
Yes, the stuff above might be seen as “make up scenarios” and too much influenced by “fanfiction”. But let’s be real. This stuff is what keeps the audience invested in a relationship. Watching them being cute together. Seeing their shared touches and intimate moments. People start to relate to them and root for them. Because they start to love them on their screens, their dynamic as a couple.
But what we have seen here doesn’t really tell anyone to root for them as a couple. Because they ARE NOT portrayed as a couple at all. Compare it to the end of the episode when for example Maddie and Chim look at Jee’s Halloween pictures. They are cuddled up on the couch together, they are close, they laugh together. Or Hen and Karen with their kids, sharing moments and glances and touches.
Now look back at the scene with Buck and Tommy and you will spot the difference. It is visible for the audience that the relationship between them is different than the ones the established couples have. And you cannot explain it with them being in a new relationship. Because in episode 5 they are already together for around half a year maybe. So at least some intimacy and shared moments could be shown. They are not five, they are grown-ups. Kisses and touching should be on the menu for them.
Before I get on to the next scene let’s have a short callback to the hospital scene and the non-existent PDA there. You could try to explain that back at the hospital was none because they were in a public setting. Eddie was there and the hospital staff. Okay. But what about the loft then? What about this scene here? They were on their own, nobody there. Just them. They could have shared some touches or kisses. But the writers decided not to make them kiss, hug, cuddle up or touch at all.
Like I said. Remember. Things are intentional in a tv show and stuff shown on screen usually has a deeper meaning and a subtext. And so does stuff NOT shown.
Next.
Buck, Tommy and Eddie with the boils
Honestly, I am not sure what else they could have shown us here instead of what they did. So, I will just point out a few things and not diving too deep in the what could have been.
We know Tommy is a firefighter and a helicopter pilot. Therefore, he has some basic medical training concerning injuries. He probably has seen a lot of stuff because he was also in the army. But still, he did not even dare to touch Buck.
When he first spots the boils, he jumps away from Buck, not daring to get too close to him. As if he is afraid that the stuff could be contagious. He does not even react properly when Buck asks for his phone. Buck has to repeat himself with a slightly raised voice before Tommy hands him his phone because he is too engrossed in staring at Buck’s face and the boils on them. And while Buck stares at his image, Tommy continues to stare at his boyfriend from a distance.
Yes, people might say that it is completely relatable that Tommy does not want to touch Buck and that he wants to keep a safe distance, not daring to get too close. And I agree. If you look at the situation as if it happened in real life. But this is different. This is a tv show. There, something is just contagious if the writers want it to be contagious. They decide and you cannot compare it with what would be in the real world.
In a show, on screen, when a person has a skin condition or any other disease, their beloved ones do not think twice about it. They care about the person they love. They want to be close, no matter what. They do not think about not touching them or whatever. This is also a means to show how deep a connection between two characters are. That even if one of them is sick the other cares and loves them enough to risk being sick as well.
Now, when we look at the scene with this background knowledge? We can question how strong Tommy’s feelings towards Buck really are and where they stand concerning the state of “I love you to the core, no matter what”.
The difference between Tommy and in this case Eddie again is also very clearly shown concerning this. For one, the writers decided to let Eddie be the person to help Buck. Not Maddie, his sister, who is a nurse or Chim or Hen who are both paramedics. No, it is Eddie, again, who is being put in between Buck’s and Tommy’s relationship.
We have already seen them act differently in the hospital scene and this difference is here in this scene as well.
While Tommy does not dare to get too close or even touch Buck, Eddie is the one in the end to treat Buck’s boils. He stands close and even dares to touch Buck after treating him without his gloves for the bet. We might not have seen the handshake (even though we know it is there due to the stills we got before the episode aired). But it is implied that they touch because we can see Eddie reaching out for Buck’s hand to shake it. And since later on Eddie pays Buck for losing the bet, we know that Buck has agreed on it. Therefore, they probably shook hands.
Another difference in Tommy’s and Eddie’s behavior towards Buck is that Eddie might make fun of Buck. But in the end, no matter how many times he laughs about the absurdity of a curse being responsible for the boils, he tries to be helpful. He offers an explanation (stress induced), tries to calm Buck down that it has nothing to do with a curse and assumes that it will be probably gone the next day, hence the bet.
During all of that Tommy is just sitting there, being absolutely unhelpful, just chiming in with unwanted comments. Like comparing what has happened to Buck with an “accountant cousin” who also gets gross boils when they are stressed. Buck is rightfully offended by the word gross and asks if Tommy thinks that he is gross as well which makes Tommy realize that this was the wrong thing to say.
Another point that should not be forgotten is that... until that moment when Buck is treated Tommy seemingly has no clue why Buck has been in the hospital in the first place. Why he had a dislocated shoulder. Eddie says something about him slipping on a pumpkin and Tommy is like "Oh, you have never told me. That is how that happened? See, there you have your explanation." referring to the rotten pumpkin seeds as a cause for the boils.
This is such a dissonance in their relationship. Why did Buck not tell him how that happened? And more importantly, why did Tommy not ask? He took Buck home and was with him the whole evening and did not bother to ask for once? And before people say "but what if...?" No. Remember. We can just work with what we have seen on screen. And the audience sees that they spend time together but either Buck did not want to tell Tommy or Tommy did not ask.
These things, this behavior, showed again that they are not really connected at all. And the audience might question what kind of behavior that is because they are supposed to be in a relationship, right? Again, Eddie looks more like a partner here than Tommy, treating him, getting close, touching him, knowing about his injury, trying to be helpful.
The Denny hospital scene
Buck is concerned about Denny being injured; he is worried. Tommy could talk to him, to distract him.
They could hold hands or Tommy having an arm around Buck’s shoulder.
Tommy and the rest of the 118 family waiting here could talk with each other to show that Tommy is included and accepted as Buck’s partner, one of their own, and that Tommy is concerned about Denny’s well-being since we know how much they all care for the 118’s kids.
What we got instead:
Them just sitting next to each other without any PDA after Tommy brought the two of them coffee. Their shoulders just touch because they sit on these small chairs. It is kind of obvious if you compare it directly with Bobby and Athena who sit behind them. An established couple. Also, close and holding hands, talking to each other. Being connected through their shared concern for the kid.
When Tommy came back with the coffee, he kind of scolded Buck with “stop picking” and Buck replied “I am not picking” which, again, sounded more like an adult talking to a child than two people in a relationship.
The group chat message: Tommy isn’t included in the group chat which shows that he is not really close to the “family” (which was already indicated by Eddie’s comment about “Bobby’s wife” earlier on). Not that every partner has to be in there, but all the established couples are. We see that Chim, Eddie, Buck, Bobby AND Athena (who is not part of the 118 but Bobby’s wife) get the message. Tommy is left out, showing that he is an outsider.
The other thing with the group chat is: Tommy already did that twice in season 7 already. He talks about the importance of the 118, the found family and what they mean to each other. And back then and now it could be read as pure jealousy. That he is not that close to them but wishes to be. It seems to be more important for him to point out what a great connection they have than to show empathy and real concern for people Buck cares about. Like Bobby eventually dying in the season 7 finale and now Denny in surgery. Both times he switches instantly to his own feelings, his view on the 118 in general, not supporting his partner and his concerns and worries.
We see it again that Tommy seems not to be in tune with Buck and they aren’t acting like a couple. No touches, not tuning in to Buck’s feelings and worries. He is, again, just there.
So, last but not least…
The cemetery
Them standing next to each other. There would be no need to hold hands because this is a cemetery and it could be weird to show PDA. But at least stand next to each other.
Tommy chiming in with some words for Billy’s eulogy to show that he still might think this curse thing is stupid but indulging in Buck’s weirdness about it
Them leaving together, holding hands and sharing an understanding and meaningful look.
What we got instead:
Buck having a monologue about the dead body (that is also a montage for the other characters, showing Eddie being alone with the words “Truth is, I can’t imagine anything more painful than going through life alone.”) while Tommy stands there a few feet apart from him. We know he was already weirded out and not too eager to touch Buck due to the boils and him maybe being scared that this thing could be transmitted. But like I said before. Stuff is just contagious if the writers want it to be. And loved ones do not usually care about it anyway. So, him standing a few feet apart? Why other than to show that they are still not on the same level.
Buck calling Tommy out for not kissing him: He tells Billy’s grave that Tommy does not want to kiss him due to the boils, the curse, and being gross. Tommy might deny it instantly but the show does not support his statement that it is NOT like that. He can deny it all he wants but Buck points out that they have not kissed and the audience has not seen one kiss between them at all throughout the whole episode. So, the impression that is left with the audience is that Tommy might really not have kissed him because he was disgusted. And what kind of behavior is that from a partner in a loving and promising relationship?
When Buck leaves the grave with the words “Yeah, and lift the curse” he doesn’t look back and waits if Tommy will follow. He could have waited and taken Tommy’s hands to walk to the car together. But he left, not a second glance or checking in if Tommy really follows.
Tommy being against the curse the whole time and thinking it was stupid. But in the end, he also muttered a “please lift the curse” towards the grave. This might have been just for the fun of it. So, okay, I won’t put too much emphasis on that even though you could interpret it as well in a certain way.
I think there is no need to really break this scene down in detail because I talked a lot about the stuff for the other scenes that happened here as well. Them being distant and not touching at all, not showing a physical and intimate connection.
Yes, Buck might have called him his boyfriend in that scene. But honestly, that was the first time he said it and that was the only thing that could lead an uninformed viewer to the conclusion that they are in a relationship with each other and not just friends. And I said it already. It is not enough to say things once or maybe twice. You have to show it so that everyone watching the show gets it.
~*~
So, all in all… To finally conclude the stuff I wrote here.
TV shows usually show the audience that people are in a relationship by giving the people hints about it. Touches, glances and other stuff. Not because the audience is stupid or has no clue about what is going on. It is more to remind them and keep them entertained. And that they would start to be invested and root for the couple, especially if it is a newer one. They would show that this relationship is sweet and nice and something to like.
But with showing none of that and sometimes even showing the complete opposite the writers made it pretty clear that this is not it.
Yeah, I can see people rolling their eyes at my “make up scenarios” and takes about the PDA in particular, explaining that Tommy is probably not that kind of guy for these things. That he is more mature and reserved. And yes, you might be right. He could be. But, and that is the important part here. We don’t know about that. The audience doesn’t know about this part of Tommy’s character. If he is a touchy guy or not. It was never stated in the show because it wasn’t relevant until now. So, we have to go with what we see on screen and what is told through the actions here. And that is that Tommy and Buck show no affection in their relationship, that often their connection looks more like between casual friends than between a couple. And that the usual indicators for a couple’s behavior aren’t portrayed in this relationship.
If you look at all these scenes I mentioned above and how they showed Tommy and how he acts towards Buck, it is not really boyfriend-coded.
He makes fun of him that borders on being just mean. Unlike Eddie he does not have years of knowing each other under his belt so that he would know how much teasing and mocking Buck can endure. Tommy acts slightly grossed out by Buck’s look and he acts more like a parent towards his child in the loft and later at the hospital with his scolding condescending tone. There is no loving connection between the two of them due to touches or something similar.
Therefore… this relationship might be in a situation right now that is quite okay. But we can see that this cannot stay like that in the long run. To make it last, to make it into an “endgame” one, the writers would need to invest more time and especially more hints and development so that they can be easily compared with basic stuff the already established couples show.
Kisses.
Touches.
Hugs.
Glances.
An understanding for each other.
Listening to each other.
And so much more.
But right now, we might have seen Tommy in a lot of scenes this episode. But none of his scenes with Buck gave away that this is couple behavior and this is something for the future. So, there are just two options. Either they develop that relationship so that the audience (not the fandom!) can also relate to them as a couple and start to root for them or they break them up because it stays as underdeveloped as Buck’s other relationships before.
Last words?
If you read all that and thought about it, it is quite obvious that the relationship between Buck and Tommy might seem okay on a surface level and Buck also calling Tommy his boyfriend for now. But storytelling wise, from a writer’s point of view? It is not a good one because it is lacking so much connection that on screen relationships usually have.
So, calling it “endgame” now and that they are so happy with each other? I doubt it. A lot has to happen to make it more believable. Because right now (and yes, this might be the shipper’s googles talking) Buck has still more chemistry and connection with his best friend Eddie than his on screen boyfriend Tommy.
Disclaimer:
First of all – this post is in no way to be seen as military propaganda. This is not to excuse anything that happened irl. This post has the sole purpose to explain some background concerning military rules etc. and to state some facts. Because sometimes I stumble across posts on social media about Eddie’s time in the army and about his character concerning his military past. I just have to shake my head over what I have to read in these posts because there is some misinformation going around.
Therefore, I decided to explain things, giving some kind of deep dive into the military part of Eddie’s character.
So, this post is just for information and informational purpose only. It is not to be seen as anything else.
Let’s get it started then.
There are two big points that are often talked about.
1. Soldiers wear guns and they use them all the time.
2. Soldiers have to follow orders blindly.
At least that is what I found most of the times. If there is anything else you want an explanation for, hit me up with an ask and I try my best to answer it properly.
1. Soldiers wear guns and they use them all the time.
This is not an easy thing to explain. So, I need to give out a lot of background information. I hope it isn’t boring because this goes into military politics and law and stuff…
On April 4th 1949 after WWII the North Atlantic Treaty was signed and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded. Until now, in 2024, 32 nations are part of this organization, including the U.S. as one of the founding nations.
In this treaty there are several rights and obligations written down. Every nation that is part of the NATO has to abide by this agreement and has to follow these points.
Next to the NATO there is the United Nations Organization (UNO or UN), a coalition of 193 states. While the NATO is a defence alliance to protect freedom and security for all their members, the UN is an alliance to keep peace and to ensure the continuation of human rights. To do that they sometimes have to use military means to, for example, help after natural disasters. You might have seen them, their “soldiers” are called “blue beret” as UN peacekeepers.
Nonetheless, even if the goals of both organizations might vary, there is one thing they have in common – the international humanitarian law. This is partly written down and agreed upon in the North Atlantic Treaty. The foundation for this law are the Geneva Conventions among others (the Hague Conventions or the “Laws of war”/ “jus in bello”).
The international humanitarian law, based on the Geneva Conventions, is a set of rules that seek to limit the effects of armed conflicts. People who are NOT participating in these conflicts are protected by it. It is also for restricting and regulating the means and methods of warfare available to those who DO participate (e.g. prohibition of torture).
To be able to differentiate between these two groups of people concerning military personnel the terms “combatant” and “non-combatant” are used. The definition for these two terms is also written down in the international humanitarian law.
Combatants are people who are authorized to participate directly in any conflict.
Non-combatants are members of the armed forces whose duties do not include fighting. (The term is also fitting for civilians who do not participate. If they do participate as civilians, they are called illegal/unlawful combatants.)
Let’s concentrate on the non-combatants because they are important for my further explanation.
Non-combatants are military personnel who do not fight. The international humanitarian law states that neither they have the right to actively participate in any conflict nor that it is allowed to attack them (their non-combatant status protects them).
The Geneva Conventions state explicitly who falls under this definition of non-combatants – including medical personnel.
To recognize them there are several signs we all know – the red cross, the red crescent and the red crystal. These are protection symbols that are kept pretty simple so that everyone can recognize them and if needed can be improvised easily.
In conclusion: Medical personnel wear these protection signs to show that they are non-combatants.
Now, what about the use of any weapons? I stated earlier that they do not actively participate in any conflict. But why do they carry weapons if not to use them? It is actually a good question. Normally you would see this as a disagreement with the former stated rules for them. But in fact, it is not that simple. Yes, they carry weapons and they know how to use them. But they do NOT use them to fight. Or attack. The international humanitarian law gives them the permission to use them to defend themselves or other against attacks in breach of international law.
What does that mean exactly? Medical personnel carry weapons to defend themselves or their patients from people attacking them. They are NOT allowed to attack. They just have them for their own and their patient’s protection/defence.
To sum it up after this detailed explanation and to come back to the original topic of this post…
Eddie Diaz is an army medic. Means, he is a non-combatant in the conflict he has been in. He carries a weapon to protect and defend himself, his comrades (who are also non-combatants) and his potential patients.
So, he is not an aggressive soldier, fighting and shooting like a mad man. When we saw him in the show, he was using his weapon to defend and save himself and his comrades. Like he is allowed to do by law.
People might ask though “why was he in a helicopter at first then, flying into an active war zone if not to fight?”.
Okay, another explanation time.
Usually, medical personnel are stationed in different locations and areas during a conflict. There is a so called “role” system.
role 1: immediate lifesaving measures, often provided by comrades that are with you when you get injured (self aid or Buddy aid) at the point of injury (battlefield)
role 2: advanced trauma management and emergency medical treatment, often handled by real medical personnel (not at the battlefield but close by)
role 3: medical treatment facility (e.g. military hospitals) that is staffed and equipped to provide care to all category of patients, still overseas but quite far away from any combat action
role 4: medical care based in the home country
Depending on what job and training you have, you can find yourself in any of these “roles”. For example: if you are a lab worker, it is very likely that you are stationed in a role 3 hospital or role 4 back home while if you are an emergency doctor you are probably stationed in a role 2 facility.
Let’s come back to Eddie Diaz again. He is a trained army medic. That means he is no doctor but he is a trained paramedic, trained for emergencies. So, it makes sense that he would be around a “role 2” situation, so to speak. But he was in a helicopter, what does this mean then?
“Role 1” situations happen at the battlefield, at the front row. These people that are injured need to be taken care of. They need to be brought back to a role 2 facility and later on to a role 3 hospital. So, there are people needed to transport them, hopefully combat medics that can take care of them during transport.
Most of the times, especially in an active warzone, it is not that easy to transport them with a truck or car due to landmines, IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and in particular - time. If people are wounded, they need to be taken care of asap. A ground-based transport takes time due to attacks, bad road conditions etc.. So, it is easier to use an aircraft, hence a helicopter. This is called “Forward AirMedEvac” (Forward Aeromedical Evacuation). With a helicopter you are able to fly in, get your patient and fly out, quick and usually without any bigger problems.
Back to Eddie. He was an army medic in a Forward AirMedEvac. Unfortunately, their helicopter was hit and they crashed.
(Just a short side note as information: In Afghanistan the protection signs like the red cross were used as a target and the others shot at them on purpose to lower the morals of any troops because… if the medics are down, the common soldiers get insecure because their backup safety system is gone.)
All in all, with this information we can say:
Eddie Diaz is an army medic and not an active participant in the conflict as a non-combatant. He was in the helicopter to do his job to save comrades and help them. When they crashed, he used the weapon to defend and protect himself and the others around him.
So, people who are saying that he is walking around, shooting, fighting, being a soldier through and through, are wrong. I think I explained it detailed enough what his role in the military was.
Therefore, up to the second point which will be a bit shorter, I promise.
2. Soldiers have to follow orders blindly.
In principle, this is right. Soldiers have to follow orders because in the military there is a hierarchy that exists for several reasons.
Although, you also cannot see this just as black and white. Like “follow an order or else”. You have to differentiate there as well.
Insubordination is covered under Article 19 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). This article covers disobeying LAWFUL orders as well as disrespectful language or even striking a superior. The key word here is “lawful”.
This means if your superior gives a soldier a lawful order, they have to follow it. For example: if you are told to walk left or to clean up a truck or whatever. That is rightful and you have to do it.
The more important part is – if your superior gives you a UNLAWFUL order, it is not called insubordination and you don’t have to follow it. For example: if a superior orders you to kill someone it is still illegal and you do not have to do it.
I want to point out that even if soldiers live in a hierarchical system, they are still people who can think for themselves. Yes, there might be a few who do not and who blindly follow ANY order. But these are not the rule.
Concerning the aforementioned article, it is needed for any soldier to question their orders to see if they are lawful or not. They are protected if they are not, the person cannot be called out or punished for insubordination because it is no insubordination if they do not follow an unlawful order.
So, concerning Eddie and his military past and the statements that he would follow blindly any order given to him, it is just plainly wrong. Eddie has shown that he disobeys orders quite often. Not because they are unlawful but because he thinks different and that he knows better.
Yes, he might follow orders from his captain when they are right and concern the job like “Diaz, you do the rope rescue” or “Diaz, you run into this burning building to save people”. But just because he was a soldier, he would not follow blindly any order his captain would give him just because it is/was an order.
Because soldiers are people and can still see the difference between lawful and unlawful. Eddie would not follow anything a superior told him if he thinks it is wrong just because he was a soldier and “they do this all the time without questioning”.
I hope I could shed some light especially on the “Eddie is a soldier and therefore a bad guy” thing. Like I said, if you want to know anything else, just ask and I try to answer.
Because it is a common accusation Buddie fans have to deal with I wanted to talk about the reasons why the female love interests for Buck and Eddie left the show.
I already talked about it on twitter but due to a limited space I couldn't post links and go deeper into the stories. Therefore I will talk about this a bit more on here.
I will admit that there might have been some fans out there who were really mean and acted weird/rude towards these women. But still... there are real reasons for leaving the show, not "the Buddie fans bullied them and they couldn't handle it anymore so they left".
Connie Britton (Abigail Clark)
When 9-1-1 started in early 2018 Connie Britton was part of the main cast. She was casted as the dispatcher "Abigail Clark" so that the viewer could have not only the firefighter's view but also the dispatcher's.
After an incident at a rollercoaster where Buck lost a person Abby looked up his number to ask if he was okay. They started to talk and soon after got into a relationship.
To begin with, her contract was just for one season and she left when her contract was up. Ryan Murphy said in an interview that they were renogotiating her deal because she loved the cast and wanted to come back for a couple of episodes (what we later got with the train wreck in the season 3 finale). But just as a guest star, not as a main cast again.
In the meantime, for that dispatch connection, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Buckley (now Han) was cast.
It was also the plan NOT to bring her back in season 2 so that Buck could grow on his own and that this growth won't be connected with Abby anymore. After all, they just had a brief relationship and she left him at the airport and ghosted him afterwards.
(Source)
So, all in all, she was just supposed to be there for one season only. She didn't want to have a longer contract because she prefers to work just for one season of any tv show. And because she and Ryan Murphy are good friends, he agreed on this, wanting her appearance on his new show in 2018 to help him get the series off the ground.
(Source)
Tiffany Dupont (Ali Martin)
Buck and Ali met in season 2 during an earthquake where she was rescued by him and Eddie. Later on they met again and started to date. When Buck was crushed by a ladder truck and severely injured she broke up with him afterwards in the hospital. She told him that she couldn't live with him being in danger and that he wanted to continue with this risky job after his leg would be better again.
Tim stated in an interview 2019 that he loved Ali but she wasn't his first choice. Because she had chemistry with Buck and Eddie he decided to bring her back for Buck.
Their relationship would have to go through the "make it or break it" because she knew that Buck's job was hard and dangerous and Ali wasn't a first responder. So, it had to be decided if she could live with that or not.
In the end Tim wanted to keep her as an option for the next season as he reintroduced her but the relationship didn't make it.
(Source)
Megan West (Taylor Kelly)
Megan West was already one of Buck's former hook-ups who was introduced in an earlier season but came back in season 4 and 5 to play Buck's love interest. The possibility to give her a bigger role was there due to Jennifer Love Hewitt being on maternity leave.
Therefore her character could get some screen time and she got a whole backstory.
Kristen Reidel, showrunner at that time, stated in an interview the inevitability of the couple's separation because of the people they were. Their characters were the complete opposites and even though sometimes opposites attract this didn't happen with Buck and Taylor. The break-up was the only logical conclusion.
Since Taylor's story arc came to an end with this break-up and the narrative of the show didn't demand another independant character, Megan West left the show after her story was told.
(Source)
Annelise Cepero (Natalia Dollenmeyer)
At the end of season 6 Buck met Natalia, a death doula, and started to date her. It seemed as if they had a connection (a weird one, but still a connection) and so she was Buck's girlfriend at the time season 6 ended.
In an interview mid-March Tim Minear said that he wasn't really interested in going down the road with Natalia when he took over again from Kristen Reidel as previous showrunner for season 5 and 6. He decided that it was time for Buck to stop talking about death, it was boring. He wanted Buck to live some more and to pursue joy. Buck should finally find happiness.
It seems like it was not just a creative decision. Not only storywise Tim decided to break up Buck and Natalia over hiatus.
Annelise is based in New York. After the end of season 6 there was the writer's strike happening and season 7 was postponed. During that prolonged hiatus she got a contract on Broadway for "Hotel Happy" that premiered in February 2024. Therefore she couldn't join 9-1-1 again.
And since Tim was also fine with her not coming back storywise... it was mutual for her not to return.
Gabrielle Walsh (Ana Flores)
Gabrielle Walsh was a guest star and played Ana Flores, Eddie's love interest. When they first met when she was Chris' teacher, they really didn't get along. But later on, in the "Jinx" episode, Eddie asked her out and they started dating.
In an insta video (uploaded on youtube) she stated that she liked being on the show and that she loved her role, praising all the cast members. She admitted that she was sad to go but in the end everybody deserved to be with who they really loved. Some people interpreted this as a comment towards Buddie because directly afterwards she also talked about the Buddie fans and that there are no hard feelings concerning them, that she loved them.
Edy Ganem (Marisol)
Edy Ganem played Marisol and was brought in last-minute. She was kind of a hardware store fling for Eddie in the season 6 finale. Back then nobody knew if 9-1-1 would be renewed (or taken over by abc) so Kristen Reidel wanted to give every character a partner and love interest in some kind of closure if the show had ended back then. Marisol who was introduced earlier on on a call seemed to be a fit for Eddie in Kristen's eyes.
Coming to season 7 she was not planned to come back at first because Eddie was supposed to start dating Tommy Kinard. But then, as already stated above, Annelise Cepero wasn't able to come back as Natalia. This would have left Buck without a storyline. So Tim decided to switch from Tommy dating Eddie to Tommy dating Buck. Edy Ganem was free and could come back as Marisol for season 7 to play Eddie's love interest because Tim Minear didn't want both Buck and Eddie without a partner.
In an interview in April 2024 he stated that he had no clue about Marisol and her character. (She doesn't even have a last name.) He didn't want to give her screentime to explore the character and went with what he had. Or better, what Kristen gave him - the nun storyline. The idea was amusing to him and he thought it would help to learn more about Eddie.
In the end Marisol didn't stick around. She didn't even get a proper on screen break-up, just vanished after the end of the Vertigo storyline for Eddie.
It might have to do with the actress behind the character. She showed her true self more than once, posting trans- and homophobic things on social media and kind of victimized herself. Therefore it was a win-win to let her go after season 7, story- and personwise.
In conclusion:
I read it very often that people say that the actresses left just because they were harassed by Buddie fans. Like I said in the beginning, there might have been some fans that have acted that way.
But the reasons I listed above where the cause for them to leave or not to return to the show - other obligations, wrapped storylines etc. And not just because "Buddie fans were mean to them".
Invisible strings – who hasn’t heard about that in any fandom? The true love. Faith. Soulmates. A forever kind of anything. This is what every fan wants for their favorite ship, right? Especially when it is two characters who have a built up. Share a story.
And if this theory turns into more, into the aforementioned “soulmatism” after these two characters got together, who wouldn’t be head over heels for it?
In my former post I explained some basic screenwriting rules, especially the “Show don’t tell” one. You can read it here if you want to.
Because there was and still is a big discourse in the fandom about the “They are made for each other and they are their endgame” I want to look at a few things concerning these theories and what happened on screen through the lens of the “Show don’t tell” rule.
Let’s start with the biggest part and what is mentioned in the post’s title.
The Invisible String Theory
To understand what I am talking about I will give you a short summary what this theory is about.
“Buck and Tommy are connected through invisible strings. Tommy left the 118 and Buck joined, taking his place metaphorically speaking and also literally speaking because he now sits at Tommy’s former seat at the 118’s dinner table. Later on, on a call where there was a big gas leak and a house was almost exploding (Eddie was inside with a kid, hiding in a bathtub) Chimney who was off duty at that time called Tommy to help. Tommy flew past that call to spill water all over the place and Buck looked up, watching his future boyfriend. There is also a connection through the episode “Buck actually” where Buck met Thomas and Mitchell, an older gay couple, who died together. Mitchell and Buck talked a bit about love and Mitchell said the famous phrase “You don’t find it, son, you make it.” Connecting this to Tommy due to the name of Mitchell’s love (Thomas) and because Tommy’s favorite movie is “Love actually” (said in one of the ‘Begins’ episodes).”
So, these are the main points for the theory. If I forgot any detail, I apologize. But it wouldn’t change that much about my interpretation if the summary had more details.
First of all:
I could quite easily debunk and kind of nip this whole theory in the bud with one big point. Tommy coming back for season 7 was a last-minute decision. He was not the first choice so this thing between him and Buck being planned years ago? The seed being planted back then? Doesn’t fit.
Tommy (as a love interest for Buck) was kind of plan c (?) if I recall it correctly.
First idea was to bring back Lucy Donato. She can fly a helicopter (we saw that in the bridge rescue in season 6). Her not being available due to the actress’ new show was a last-minute thing. It can be seen on the form Hen submitted at Harbor. In the form the name of the requested pilot is “Lucy Donato” and not “Tommy Kinard”. That shows that the switch was not planned early and kind of made last-minute. If Lucy would have been brought back as an old new love interest for Buck, we will never know.
Second problem was that Natalia’s actress was also unavailable. Her character and Buck were in a relationship at the end of season 6 and this would have lasted into season 7. But instead, due to the lack of availability, they broke up over hiatus and she was never mentioned again. Therefore, Buck was without a big storyline and without a love interest.
Because Tim, the showrunner, had it already in mind that Buck would and should realize some things about his sexuality (Buck has always been queer/bi-coded and Oliver has played and/or decided to play him like that) they decided now would be the right time. Buck’s story arc wouldn’t need that much time and so it could fit into the shortened season.
To get Buck to this realization that he could be attracted to men as well as women, there was a catalyst needed. Tim said in one of his interviews early on in season 7 that he didn’t want to invent a completely new character for that. Therefore he “recycled” an old one – Tommy. To give Buck an entry-level relationship that he can explore this new side of him a bit. But he also said that it wouldn’t be anything more than that. Even Lou, Tommy’s actor, stated the same in an interview he gave that Tommy was kind of the practice round for Buck.
And don’t mind that Lou mentioned in the same interview that Tommy was first brought back to be a love interest for Eddie but then they switched it to Buck, probably because to the reasons above.
To sum this part up:
Tommy being Buck’s soulmate and this being the plan in the long run doesn’t make sense when you look at the way of decision making.
But okay, benefit of the doubt. Let’s still look at the theory in detail.
Buck joining the 118 and sitting in Tommy’s seat
Mitchell’s husbands name
Episode title vs. “Love, actually”
I admit that these three things could be interpreted as something with a deeper meaning. But it could be also interpreted as nothing. Let’s dive into the screenwriting for a moment.
Like I said before it is quite essential to “Show don’t tell”. These three points might be big in the part of that ship’s fandom but the casual viewer doesn’t remember any of that. If it had been important and the show had wanted to lean into the theory they would have used some narrative devices. Like flashbacks.
For example:
The moment Buck learns that Tommy’s name is Thomas we could see a short flashback to Mitchell and Thomas and the conversation Buck had with the former. Or another flashback where Tommy sits at the table and then fades and Buck sits down in the same spot. So that the general audience would make this connection. That they would have their “oh” moment, realizing that Tommy and Buck are really connected on a deeper level and made for each other. Or at least that there is something more to their relationship.
But we don’t see any of that. Just the hardcore fans remember the episode “Buck, actually” actually. Because for us these moments with Mitchell are so important and a valid part in a lot of fanfics on both sides. The casual viewer? They probably won’t even remember the episodes they watched three weeks ago. An episode that aired in 2018? Well… just no.
Buck looked up at the plane
For this point I will take off the screenwriter’s hat again because I can explain it without any screenwriting rules.
We know that Tommy is a helicopter pilot who works at Harbor. He also was a pilot in the army. I am sure that not many people know that but if you are a pilot doesn’t mean that you can fly anything that goes up into the air.
Imagine the same with a driver’s license. Just because you got your license for a normal car you are not automatically able to drive a truck, a tank, a motorbike, a bus etc. Most vehicles need special licenses so that you are able to drive them.
And the same goes for anything that flies. Tommy is able to fly a helicopter and he has a license for that. But being able to fly a plane? Okay, screenwriter’s hat on again because I noticed that I need this for the next few sentences. It is possible that a person has more than one license. And Tommy could be one of them, being able to fly a helicopter AND a plane. But again. We don’t know and nobody told us that he can. We know him as the helicopter pilot. Connecting him to the plane? To make this connection someone would have to mention it on the show that the audience can see “Oh, Tommy flew that plane and saved them all”. And screenwriter’s hat off.
Chimey said that he called Tommy for help and I totally believe he did that. Because Tommy is connected to people who can help with air support. So, it was Chimney’s obvious choice to ask him. But it makes more sense that Tommy asked someone else to fly that plane to help instead of flying it himself due to the aforementioned license thing.
And if we now think that it’s more likely that someone else flew that plane, the theory that Buck looked up to see his future boyfriend flying in to save him (and others) makes no sense anymore. (And yes, I ignore the point that kind of everyone was looking up because there was a damn fucking plane coming to the rescue and nobody says that the pilot is Bobby’s soulmate… or Hen’s… or any of the other people who were around back then.)
I think I properly explained why the “Invisible String Theory” might be a nice fandom created idea but it makes no sense in the long run, realistically speaking on a tv show level. Too many things don’t add up and make no sense storytelling wise.
Let’s hop on to other things in that context.
2. The whole “Evan” thing
Fans and the general audience alike know what kind of relationship Buck has with his given name. He never says he hates it. But he shows it more than once or it is shown that his chosen name holds a special place in his heart, and not his given name.
Buck talks with his parents as they visit him at the station. When his father calls him “Evan” Buck interrupts him and tells him that his name is Buck. People who know him call him “Buck”.
When Buck is down after the I think the warehouse fire Athena talks to him and cheers him up. She gives him a pep talk and ends it with “That’s what being Buck means to me.”
In the coma episode coma!Bobby and coma!Buck talk before Buck realizes that he should escape this coma dream. It is about his name as well. That he is Buck. And not Evan.
There are a few other examples, I just listed the three most obvious ones, I think.
In conclusion we can say that Buck prefers this chosen name over his given name for several reasons. He accepted being Buck and not just Evan.
Now Tommy comes in and calls Buck Evan all the time. We even know that Lou has been told to just call Buck Evan as Tommy and not Buck. Why could that be?
People are saying that Buck reclaims his name, being called Evan is him being more mature. Or even that it is something special because only Tommy is allowed to call him Evan. But are these really the reasons? I doubt it.
We know that Buck has a complicated relationship with his name as stated earlier (family issues etc.). Why would he all of a sudden want to reclaim this name, to show him being more grown up? After the lightning strike and the follow up coma we saw him already grown up. Grown into the name, being comfortable with being Buck. Because being Buck is enough. Why would he all of a sudden decide that now he wants to be called Evan again after the audience has already experienced his growth in season 6 where he feels good as Buck, not Evan? And even if he wanted to be called Evan now for reasons, why would he not tell everyone to switch the name?
From a screenwriter’s perspective it is quite simple. Tommy being the only one calling him Evan is important. But not in the way people think it is. Not because it shows a special connection or because of a deep bond. On the contrary. Remember the phrase Buck said to his father. “People who know me…” It is more of a “Tommy doesn’t know Buck” thing. With this simple action the general audience notices that something is off between Tommy and Buck. Because the audience knows Buck’s preference and some might even remember all the reasons why (most might remember that it has something to do with his family).
“Language” is a very effective narrative device. Using certain words or how characters talk to each other can deliver a message for the audience. Screenwriters use this device so that they don’t have to actively say something but the audience will still get it. In this case: Nobody has to say that Tommy ignores Buck’s chosen name and that something feels off about it, the audience sees that he does and that it is.
Now people might say “But Buck hasn’t stopped him” and yes, I agree. Buck has not stopped him with the whole “Evan” thing. It could be simply because he still has to get used to his first relationship with a man, exploring stuff etc. Or it could be deeper and be rooted in his abandonment issues, unconsciously scared that if he tells Tommy to change the name that Tommy will leave. And Buck failed another relationship.
There could have been some possibilities to explain this name thing. Like Buck telling Tommy explicitly that he wants to be called Evan. Or Tommy asks Buck about it because he notices that he’s the only one calling him Evan and Buck states that he is okay with it because he likes it when Tommy does (this could have given a nice little look into their relationship and could have been a sweet moment.)
But nothing like that happened. We just hear Tommy call Buck Evan every time he appears on screen. And this is intentional, the intention behind even backed up through the instruction for Lou not to say Buck.
“Show, don’t tell”. Tommy uses the “wrong” name for Buck while the audience knows what Buck prefers. So, it feels off for people who watch the show and we get to see a relationship where both parts aren’t really on the same level.
3. Buck’s big “coming out”
There are people who complain about the way it was shown on screen. They argue that Tommy could have told Buck how he looked. And they are mad at him for that. That it was a forced coming out and that it was a shitty move from Tommy etc.
I don’t agree with that. Because I wouldn’t look that deep into it. In the end this scene had just one purpose - a subtle coming out for Buck. We know that they were already running low on time that episode, cutting of scenes almost worth one complete episode. So, Buck coming out to everyone else besides Maddie and Eddie? Would have taken too much time. The “soot face” scene was more effective and delivered the message to Buck’s friends and the audience. That Buck is out now.
I want to focus more on another part of the hospital scenes. The one when Buck and Tommy kissed. (And no, I don’t want to talk about that it was kind of out of character for Buck to leave Maddie’s wedding to go see Tommy because that is something else to discuss at another time maybe.)
Hardcore fans were happy about this scene and yes, I get it. Tommy promised to be at the wedding and he was. And they kissed. Great. Your ship sailed at that moment. But the moment people went deeper in and romanticized it that Tommy came to see Buck even after he fought a fire, I have to put my foot in.
Let’s put off the shipper’s googles for a second.
Tommy being at the hospital was just for one purpose. That Buck could come out to his friends and that the audience knows that he is out now to everyone and doesn’t have to hide anymore. Nothing else.
Because if we look deeper into it, there are some questions. Tommy works at Harbor. They usually do the air support. Why would he arrive at the hospital with a fire engine in full turn out? If you are on-call duty you usually aren’t for a different job. Compare it to a doctor maybe. If you are on call as an eye doctor you wouldn’t be called in to do a brain surgery. Especially such an expert like Tommy, a pilot, wouldn’t be used for normal fire-fighting that could keep him occupied when an emergency occurs that needs a pilot.
Therefore, him coming in with a turnout full of soot, having just fought a fire, was solely for getting the soot on Buck’s face. Their kiss was to remind the audience that they were still seeing each other even after their failed date and the coffee-date to get out the invite for the wedding.
There was no deeper meaning behind it and the writers used that scene to deliver a subtle coming out without Buck telling everyone.
Interpreting it as “Tommy came to see Buck even if he worked so hard in these past hours” and “he didn’t even go home to clean up himself because he wanted to rush to Buck” is looking too deep into this. (And just to mention, even Buck cleaned up and switched clothes although his sister’s wedding had to be cancelled because the groom was missing and Maddie was going crazy about it. But Buck went and cleaned himself up.)
4. The Bachelor Party
Yes, I know. There is a big controversy about it, especially Tommy’s reaction. Let’s analyze this.
Tommy didn’t dress up even though Buck told him that the party was 80s themed. Instead of just saying that he didn’t have much time and couldn’t find a fitting outfit, he stated “They had Henley’s in the 80s” in a very condescending tone and made somehow fun of Buck and Eddie for their Miami Vice costumes. “What are you, the Wedding singers?” (reference to a movie where the two people who are meant for each other are with the wrong people but that is not the point here).
The point is that Tommy did not put any effort in it. The audience knows how Buck can get with these things. Remember Clipboard!Buck and him being Firemarshal. The audience even saw in the previous scenes how important this party was for Buck. He really wanted to throw it for Chimney and was totally into it.
Tommy reacting so poorly was a mood dampener and we could see that in Buck’s (and Eddie’s) reaction.
Now, people explained that he was on call and that this was why he didn’t dress up. Usually, if you are on call, even as a First Responder (or especially as one), you have to switch into a uniform to work. Doctors, nurses throw on their scrubs, police officers wear their uniform, firefighters theirs etc. He could have easily worn something different. Tommy did not know if he would be called in or not. But he decided against it, wore a Henley and made a joke about Buck (and Eddie) being dressed up.
How can you analyze this from a screenwriter’s point of view?
If they had wanted to establish the relationship between Buck and Tommy further, we would have been shown stuff that would let the audience have another “Oh, they are into each other” moment.
For example:
Tommy could have worn something colorful or fun, just a shirt or something and they could have had a sweet little exchange about it. Or he could have explained to Buck in a normal way why he decided to go with the Henley. Or, and that is a major point, he could not have been on call in the first place and could have partied the whole night with Buck (and Eddie, or even without Eddie to give us more couple time). But he did neither of that.
It was an intentional choice to not dress him up and let him even act kind of condescending towards Buck concerning the outfit. It was also an intentional choice to make him leave. Him staying could have shown the two of them in a more relationship way, how they act around each other, how much fun they have together. But the writers refrained from this to a. show the disconnect between Tommy and Buck and b. not to dive deeper into their relationship and to show it to the general audience.
The bachelor party was the fifth scene we saw Buck and Tommy together – the first one at Harbor when they were interrupted by Eddie, the kiss in Buck’s kitchen, their failed date, the coffee date and now the bachelor party.
In none of these scenes the writer’s focus was to establish their relationship. For the audience it is still not really shown what kind of relationship these two have, especially not that it is such a lovely one like some fans claim it to be.
While I mentioned all their scenes until now, I want to go back to one and talk about this one as a last point.
5. Their first date
In episode 7x04 which is completely from Buck’s (unreliable) point of view we got the kissing scene when Tommy asked Buck out for a date. Ignore the “My attention? – I guess.” for a moment even though it probably is important. Remember, anything is intentional and not just because they had no clue what else to write. But this is not what I want to focus on here.
The whole episode was from Buck’s point of view and the audience learnt that Tommy is a lot like Eddie. They have so much in common – the military, Muay Thai, repairing cars etc. The audience learns that Buck seems to like Tommy who is similar to Eddie and that they kind of click.
Now we jump to the next episode and Buck’s and Tommy’s first date and the writer’s intentions switch. While thinking that Buck and Tommy would be a good fit after the last episode the audience now learns that there are differences between the two of them.
I don’t want to excuse Buck’s reaction, the “hot chicks” comment was misplaced. But thinking about it you could at least understand it. He is not out yet, just noticing his attraction to guys a few days prior and is now on a date with a man for the first time… and bumps into his best friend. It is just human that he panics and says something stupid. Still, it was needed that he apologized for that.
Tommy’s actions on the other hand were more than just a bit misplaced. His “closet” comment could have outed Buck in front of his best friend. Luckily, Eddie (and Marisol) was oblivious enough that the comment flew past their heads. Immediately after, Tommy ended the date and ordered himself an uber.
Again. Until then I could explain this by “he is mad at the comment Buck made, feeling like being shoved back into the closet” etc. I would agree. I wouldn’t be on that level myself because I think rudeness shouldn’t be countered with rudeness but okay. Everybody acts differently.
Now, to really end the date, the writers made another intentional choice. They could have shown that Tommy still cares about Buck, that Buck is important to him. They could have made him say something like that Buck isn’t ready and that he understands him but doesn’t want to go back into the closet. Something like that. He could have shown some empathy. He could have explained his want to end the date so that the viewer could relate and understand him.
But instead, the writers chose Tommy not to talk to Buck. Until the moment the uber stopped at the curb, Buck (and the audience) is still thinking that they are going to the movies. Then Tommy abruptly ends the date and drives away while Buck stands alone at the curb, staring at the leaving car. (Concerning his abandonment issues this is kind of heartbreaking.)
Every message, every action Tommy did after Buck’s comment could be explainable on its own. But sum everything up and it leaves the viewer with another off feeling – the closet comment, ending the date without saying so, leaving Buck on the curb.
Even later on when Buck met up with Tommy again at the coffee shop, Tommy did not apologize. I wouldn’t go that far and say that Tommy is gaslighting Buck. But he explains his actions with “You are not ready”. He probably doesn’t see that he did something wrong or that he could have handled the situation better.
The viewer starts to think about that relationship and that they maybe did not click that much like everyone thought at first. Nobody probably thinks that Tommy is a villain here. Just that he is probably the wrong fit for Buck.
There are a few more other scenes between Buck and Tommy and each one of them can be analyzed through the screenwriter’s lens. But probably there won’t be anything new that hasn’t been stated already. So, just a short summary of three scenes that are worth a comment.
During the medal ceremony when Buck is happy about the award (it is obviously his first) Tommy makes a comment – “Enjoy it while it lasts.” This shows another time that they are not on the same level and they don’t really match. Tommy just sees himself and cannot be happy for Buck. Therefore, he makes that slightly deprecative comment and Buck face falls.
While Bobby is in the hospital, being dead for 14 minutes and now in a coma afterwards, Buck is worried sick. Everyone knows that Bobby is his surrogate father. He wants to share this with Tommy who turns it into a joke, not really taking Buck seriously and listening to his concerns and fears. And Buck’s face falls again.
While Hen and Karen try to interrogate Tommy about his intentions with Buck (kind of a shovel talk), he deflects and makes jokes that are misplaced.
If you look at all of these things mentioned above - from the name calling, comments and certain scenes - from a writing perspective you can see that these were deliberate choices. There were enough moments to really establish the blooming relationship. To make Tommy likable.
First, he could have been on screen more so that the audience would see their relationship like we do with all the other couples. For example, like Athena and Bobby dancing together on the cruise ship. Did it add to the storyline per se? No. But it showed them being a couple and in love. There could have been small little scenes like that with Buck and Tommy. But the writers and the showrunner decided not to show any.
And remember. For the general audience things have to be shown that they will be able to relate to the characters and accept things into the narrative. So, if there are no e.g. domestic scenes between Buck and Tommy, nobody will believe they have a sweet little domestic relationship.
Second, the few scenes they had Tommy could have been written differently. Except in 7x04 where we saw the whole story through Buck’s eyes, he was always stiff and condescending, making misplaced comments and jokes. The writers could have given him lines where he e.g. supports Buck after he is worried about Bobby. Or an apology at the coffee date where they both decide to start over. There were many chances to make him a fit for Buck, to give him scenes and lines for the audience to relate to. So that we can see him as the fit for Buck people claim him to be.
But, the show did neither. There was just a limited number of scenes and the lines Tommy had were never really supportive or sweet towards Buck. All in all, the writers went full in with the “Show don’t tell”. They painted a certain picture of Tommy for the audience to understand that Tommy might not be a bad guy but just not a fit for Buck.
And in the end, this is what counts. What is shown on screen and the writer’s intentions with this.
Not what someone comes up with as a headcanon or what people assume happened off screen.
Disclaimer in the end:
I just want to say that this post isn’t about the casual part of the fandom. The people who just watch the show, enjoy the ship and are happy about anything. As long as they are respectful and live the “ship and let ship” lifestyle, I am completely fine with it.
This post is more about the hardcore five people who try to shove down these theories and “canon” events as a given we have to believe and accept and “how dare you ship something else???”. People who act superior and think they can be dismissive and condescending and whenever you don’t agree with their point of views you are called names, slurs and a lot of different other things.
Since there are a few people who really seem to think that a tv show is “just” a tv show I had the urge to explain a few things, especially concerning the writing process and what is seen on the screen.
I am not a screen-/scriptwriter myself but it is quite easy to dig into the world of writing and find the important points when it comes to tv shows and/or media in general.
Therefore, I decided to sum this all up in one post you can pull up whenever somebody tells you that “the curtain is just blue because it’s blue”.
First of all, the writers are writing for the screen. If you write a line about an internal monologue or thought you have to think about what it would look like on screen. Why? Well, that’s quite simple. Because the viewer isn’t able to look into the character’s head to see his thoughts. Therefore, you have to show it. To visualize it, using different narrative devices to do so.
If a character thinks “I don’t like him” but doesn’t want anybody to know, how would you portray this on screen? Maybe with a disgusted face. Maybe with a disgruntled noise. Maybe with a quip. You have to show the viewers this thought. this dislike. Otherwise, you won’t be able to get the message across.
Therefore, one of the most important rules for screenwriting is “Show, don’t tell”.
Usually, you don’t have a narrator who explains everything a character does. Ideally, the audience should be able to pick up on the context from the dialog and action.
For example: It’s not needed to be said that a character grew up as a person. It can be shown in a montage of his past. Or with a well-placed sentence to show this growth.
By experiencing a show, the only kind of information the audience absorbs is what can be seen and heard on screen. And that’s it.
Now people could say “yeah, isn’t this about the curtain then? If it is shown blue, then it is blue, right?”
Well, no. Yes, the curtain is blue. And that is what the audience can see. But the bigger point is to question WHY is the curtain blue. Okay, not everything is really that thought through, at least not the color of a random curtain. But other things might have a deeper meaning and subtext because the writers could not convey their idea/story otherwise.
They have to show some things so that the audience can figure it out what they wanted to tell with what they have shown.
Be it with words that are said or actions like giving a certain character a scene where they act like another character to show how similar they are.
And there comes the next big point. The “Show, don’t tell” rule is very often in correlation with the limited time the writers have for their story/episode. Usually, on tv you have a limited number of minutes for each and every episode. So, every second counts.
If you decide to write a certain part and to keep it in the episode, it has to be important. To show something without explicitly telling it.
So, some scenes might seem random and not important. But believe me, they usually are. Why would you keep something that blocks a time slot in your episode if it was not important for the plot, character growth or characterization in general?
Imagine. You want to write an episode of a show. And you have a general idea about the topic for this episode. You start to line it out, work around it, put life into it. And in the end, you notice that you have written a lot more than what would fit into the episode. What would you cut off? Right. Stuff that does not help the general storyline or the characters.
For example: You have written about a beautiful sunset. The birds are chirping, there’s a slight breeze. You can see a car passing by a park. What would you do? Keep it or cut it off?
Keep it if it is needed to show one of your characters walking around that park to pan in on him with the camera to set the tone for the next scene.
Cut if off if it is just a filler and in no relation with any story or character.
Many scenes are therefore intentional to show with actions or dialog what the writer wanted to convey in that scene. A tv show hasn’t the advantage like a book where every thought, every emotion can be described in detail. It is limited and has to use other methods to keep a storyline up and working.
Coming back to the aforementioned narrative devices. These are writing techniques used in writing in general, not only in media. They are important everywhere.
But let’s look at them from a tv show perspective. I have already explained why it is important to show stuff, mostly using dialog and visuals, so that the audience gets it and the possible subtext/context. Let’s look at how a writer would do it.
Foreshadowing:
This is a way to provide hints on what will happen in a later episode. You could show for example that somebody waits for a call, not being able to reach another person just to find out that said person wasn’t available due to an accident that will be shown at the end of an episode. The audience will then realize “Wow, that makes sense. Because the person couldn’t be reached before.”
Language:
It is always important what kind of language you use. Which words are said and which aren’t, mostly in combination what kind of tone they use. Calling somebody by their dead name and/or using the wrong pronouns on purpose get the point across that this person is a transphobe, for example. There’s no need to tell the viewer that this person is an asshole anymore because the audience already knows. So, the words that are used and how they are used is a vital point for the “show, don’t tell” because it can give a clue about the character or the situation they are in.
Plot devices:
It’s a technique used to move the plot forward. Plot devices can be objects or characters to show a certain character trait or support a storyline. For example, if you have a show and all of a sudden somebody from the past appears, a long-lost sibling maybe, it could be to show the difficult family situation. That sibling might be not important in the long run and could be gone a few episodes later. But it started another storyline and gave some insight to one of the main characters. Or the audience finds out that one of the characters has a relative with mental health issues who just appears in one episode which could be just to explain why a main character acted the way they did when faced with mental health issues in their current situation.
These are just a few storytelling tools that are often used in writing. And they all circle back to the “show, don’t tell” rule. Because if you look at each one of them and the examples I gave? Imagine how the situations would be without showing what I just described.
Would there be the “gasp” moment when you find out about the car accident without these little scenes before or would it be just “oh, car accident, whatever”?
Would it be believable if you have somebody call out another person as a transphobe without words used to show that the person really is?
Would it be understandable to start a new storyline without the long-lost sibling who started it?
No, usually, it wouldn’t.
Now, people could ask again about the “show, don’t tell”. Because why use these narrative devices when the rule is just to show stuff? Easy as that. Because otherwise a story would be boring.
It’s quite essential for a writer to put some tension into a story, to create a plot that hooks the audience (these are narrative devices as well, by the way). So, yeah. Show stuff. But make it exciting. Otherwise, nobody would tune in for the next episode.
This leads me to the next and probably last point.
Tuning in again. You might tune in again because a story is exciting. Yes. That’s one reason. Another one is or at least could be that the audience can relate to the characters. Writers usually give characters certain traits or flaws that the audience would get the feeling that this could be them. And that these characters might be fictional but still human somehow.
Characters don’t need to be perfect. They need to be relatable.
Connecting this with the main rule means that a character and his actions are just shown to give the audience a better feeling for them and who they are. So that they can relate. It’s usually important because if something happens off screen, the understanding might not be there. The audience needs to see things to understand what and why it happened. For example, a break-up offscreen always leaves the question about how and why they really broke up and that could dampen further scenes.
So, in conclusion. If something isn’t on screen it leaves the audience without something to relate to. Some might say that it probably wasn’t something important then and yes, I would agree. But there is also the possibility that something is left off screen on purpose to make the audience wary of a situation of a character because they haven’t seen things with their own eyes.
To sum this all up then:
A tv show doesn’t do stuff just because they can. The writing is intentional because they have limited means to convey their story to keep it exciting and relatable. Otherwise, the audience wouldn’t continue to watch.
So, maybe the next time you talk to somebody about a show, think about the possibility that there has been some subtext to it. And not just that the curtain is blue.
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