Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 4.9-1-1 on Fox is no stranger to emotional and heartbreaking stories. Starring Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Aisha Hinds, Jennifer Love Hewittand Ryan Guzman, among many others, the procedure follows first responders — police, firefighters, paramedics, and the 9-1-1 call center team — and tackles difficult topics directly, producing exciting and heartfelt stories that have kept viewers hooked, just so much. as the characters have. As we begin to settle into the series’ sixth season, one of our beloved characters is using this year of their lives to really re-evaluate where they are and what they want in the future: Buck (Oliver Stark).
After his serious breakup with Taylor (Megan West) at the end of the fifth season, causing Taylor to leave their shared apartment, Buck has decided to make this his eat, pray, love year. While he loves his job and friends more than anything, he’s certainly struggled in the romance department, like his doomed relationship with Abby (Connie Britton) from which he was hung for two seasons before returning, engaged to another man. In the fourth episode of the season, Buck begins to inform Maddie (Hewitt) about the new philosophy of life he has discovered and is interested in, which is to say yes to everything and deal with the awkward attitudes it can give you that you would never have. had. got in myself. And of course he is immediately presented with a situation that puts this philosophy to the test. After being out of touch for quite some time, Buck is approached by one of his college fraternity brothers, Connor (Colin McCalla).
Buck gets the chance to become a sperm donor
Connor and his wife Kameron (Chelsea Kane) invite Buck to dinner on the pretext of catching up with an old friend, but they have ulterior motives that slip out quite suddenly. Connor and Kameron have been trying to have a baby for a while, but nothing has helped. They recently learned that Connor has “low swimmers” which is why they’ve had trouble conceiving, which Connor is talking about because they both want a child. So, Connor and Kameron ask Buck if he would be willing to act and be their sperm donor, leaving him speechless.
Later in the episode, Connor approaches Buck at home alone to apologize for making him that proposal so early in their lunch, though they both admit there’s no “right” way to ever ask someone that incredibly personal and awkward question. to set. Connor confides in Buck how terrible he feels about their current situation and that he is the reason Kameron cannot have a child in their marriage. When Buck asks why Connor and Kameron chose him out of everyone they know and the dozens of donors they could choose from at the clinic, the bottom line is that Buck is an amazing person, as shown every day by Buck who chooses to be a first responder who is constantly putting his life on the line for others.
This whole situation causes Buck to gain momentum (as he always does with big decisions like this), getting drunk with Hen (Hinds) in the early afternoon as she faces her own problems at medical school. As a mom who is familiar with adoption and the foster system herself, Hen Buck offers some great, thought-provoking advice to help him make his decision as well, such as whether he will be able to walk away despite the fact that he knows he has a child biologically . In the end, Buck tries to make the decision based on what he wants in life, but he still doesn’t know. He does know, however, that he wants to help Connor and Kameron, so he agrees to be their donor, pushing him off the cliff and onto a pretty interesting path.
Buck’s journey of self-discovery can begin with this bow
Buck’s year of self-discovery and reflection was already an interesting starting point. Of all the characters, he is the one who has never been on a certain path. He knows he loves being a firefighter and will continue to do so, but the rest of his plans for the future are up in the air. Controversial or not, agreeing Buck to be the donor is an interesting decision with a lot of potential that will only advance Buck’s character development. There’s no way of knowing how the story will go or whether it will end if Connor and Kameron have a child. However, they don’t really need to have a child for Buck to use his situation to reflect on his life. It gives him a real chance to think about what he wants from life, including whether he wants to get married or have children and what kind of person he wants to spend his life with. Does Buck even want to settle down, or will he remain the free-spirited adventurer we’ve always known him?
It doesn’t really matter exactly how the story plays out to have a lasting impact on Buck. It’s a great, if urgent, opportunity to examine Buck’s current state of mind, his hopes, and the effort it takes to make a decision like this, even if your heart is in the right place. It’s already starting to be a fantastic story to watch, especially since it will be so focused on Buck, allowing Stark to use his phenomenal talent to shine. It could also lead to brutal and poignant conversations with Maddie and Eddie (Guzman), the two people closest to him, who both have children of their own and very different experiences they can rely on. Plus, given Buck’s relationship with Eddie’s son Christopher (Gavin McHugh), which is always very special and wonderful to watch 9-1-1, we know Buck would be an incredible figure in this kid’s life. Depending on how they decide to go about it, this could end up being just as satisfying for him as having a child of their own.
As 9-1-1 has consistently shown that there is no one way to be a family. There are many, and this could be yet another impactful and conscientious representation of them. But as said before, it doesn’t matter how it ends. This is the start of a very powerful and creative thread that offers such a unique opportunity to dig into Buck’s character in a new way, something that is always welcomed after so many years on the air.
9-1-1 Season 6 continues Monday on Fox. Every episode is now streaming on Hulu.