911 - Network Changes, 100 Episodes And Evan Buckley

Yes, it has been a long while since I've talked about 911, the firefighter drama created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear, but I decided to write this short piece.

Why, you may ask? Reasons could vary. I mean, 911 did spend six seasons on FOX (2018-2023) and managed to spawn the equally successful spin-off, 911: Lone Star. The show then moved to ABC for it's seventh season and with four episodes having just aired on it's new home, it bagged itself an eighth season. It also hit a very massive milestone for network television.

In the seventh season's fourth episode, titled Buck, Bothered And Bewildered (a crossover event with The Bachelor), the main takeaway from was that along with being the 100th episode of the series in general, this episode also had another milestone in it. The milestone involving regular Evan 'Buck' Buckley (Oliver Stark).

For as long as the show has ran, the character of Buck was mostly presented as a straight man with various female romantic love interests, the most notable being a relationship with 911 operator Abby Clark (Connie Britton) during the show's first season. Of course there were others, but far less successful ones in terms of audience interest in them.

With this seventh season, the reintroduction of another firefighter named Tommy Kinard (Lou Ferrigno Jr) brought some unexpected change. Buck initially saw Tommy as a rival for his friendship with fellow firefighter Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) but by the end of last night's episode, it was revealed that Tommy was interested in Buck and the feeling was mutual. Buck was definitely into that kiss Tommy planted on him.

Now, having the previously assumed straight Buck revealed to be a bisexual character was definitely something I didn't expect the show to actually do. For years, a certain fandom has wanted Buck and Eddie to become a couple and I never entertained the idea of it ever being a reality. However thanks to co-creator, Tim Minear, maybe it will be one.

I'm not expecting Buck and Eddie to be a couple anytime soon. Even I think if it happened in the remainder of this season, it might be too quick for it's own good. I also want to see how Buck and Tommy's relationship develops during the rest of Season 7. Buck and Eddie can wait at least until next season tbh.

In terms of LGBT representation, 911, prior to this latest development with Buck wasn't exactly lacking. We have fellow firefighter Henrietta (Aisha Hines) and her wife, Karen (Tracey Thoms) as well as Athena's (Angela Bassett) former husband, Michael (Rockmund Dunbar) and Maddie's (Jennifer Love Hewitt) co-worker, Josh (Bryan Safi). 

Then there's spin-off, 911: Lone Star. This show has ran for four seasons and in that time, we've had the very prominent relationship between firefighter/paramedic TK Strand (Ronen Rubenstein) and police officer Carlos Reyes (Rafael Silva). Those two have been through the ringer but managed to get married in the fourth season finale while fellow firefighter Paul Strickland (Brian Michael Smith) is a trans man to boot. 

911's seventh season continues to air on ABC, Thursdays at 9pm while 911: Lone Star's fifth season will premiere on FOX during the autumn.