[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 11, “In Another Life.”]
9-1-1 is all about Buck (Oliver Stark) within the episode following that cliffhanger of him getting struck by lightning.
While Buck’s in a coma within the hospital, we go into his head and see what he’s experiencing, particularly a dream by which he’s not a firefighter, his brother Daniel by no means died, and Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) continues to be with the abusive Doug (Brian Hallisay). And earlier than he can come out of it, he should face off with himself.
Stark breaks down the episode and teases who Buck goes ahead.
Talk about studying the script. It’s such a unique episode for Buck, particularly exploring the “what if” together with his brother surviving.
Oliver Stark: Yeah, it was fairly daunting, to be sincere with you, simply because I felt prefer it was such an enormous episode, and it’s actually a departure for the present. It’s fairly an experimental episode, and I simply actually wished to have the ability to do what I assumed was a extremely good script justice, and so I’m actually glad to see it now all come collectively. I feel it’s a extremely good episode. It nearly felt like I used to be capturing a unique present for just a little bit. It’s not essentially the usual 9-1-1 episode, so it was a extremely gratifying and collaborative expertise.
Speaking of filming, the Buck you’re enjoying is just not a firefighter. You do ultimately work with the identical folks as standard however in numerous methods, and Buck is attempting to narrate to them in the identical means, however they’re like, who’re you?
Yeah, it’s nearly like lucid dreaming, the place you’re in a dream, however you’ll be able to’t essentially get out of it. So it was actually enjoyable to get to work together with these characters however have them not know who he was, specifically, the early scenes with Hen [Aisha Hinds] and Chimney [Kenneth Choi]. I actually loved when Buck is having in the actual world problem respiration [it’s] mirrored in his coma world, and Hen and Chimney are discussing if I’m a loopy individual whereas I’m simply there struggling to breathe the entire time. It was actually enjoyable to get to swap positions and alter up the relationships.
Buck says when he wakes up, Hen is just about the identical. And it’s true.
Yeah, as a result of if you concentrate on it, Buck has been there for these fairly profound adjustments in most of their lives. But I feel relating to the Buck and Hen relationship that we’ve seen through the years, it’s typically her being there for him and serving to information him. So regardless that she’s clearly impacted by figuring out him, it’s not essentially the identical sort of character or situation-altering means.
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It’s additionally what he wanted on the time in his unconscious. He wanted Hen to be Hen.
Absolutely. It’s sort of her that breaks it down for him and begins to work issues out the place she says, “this isn’t a different reality, this is in your head, and the reason that you are running out of time here is because essentially, you are dying in the real world. So we better get to this.”
The Buck-Bobby (Peter Krause) scenes, whether or not within the coma dream or the one on the finish, have been so good.
I’m at all times an enormous fan of any time there’s Buck and Bobby content material. From the primary season, that’s been such an vital relationship, and one which I do know myself and Peter each actually take pleasure in enjoying, and each really feel very protected and comfy to simply discover it and let issues occur. So I used to be actually delighted with the alternatives, particularly within the coma dream, to get to do these scenes with him. He’s such an excellent scene companion and actually helps make me really feel comfy. I used to be actually pleased with how they turned out.
Especially as a result of within the coma dream, Buck wished Bobby to be Bobby, however Buck sort of needed to be Bobby as a result of it was all Buck.
Right. That’s it. There was truly, at one level, a model of the script the place, as soon as he figured it out and we’d seen Daniel remodel into Buck, there have been going to be these little pops the place you replay among the earlier scenes from the episode, however it was at all times Buck speaking to Buck. Buck was there wearing Chimney’s garments, Buck was there wearing Hen’s garments as a result of they’re, at this level, all figments of his coma creativeness. So yeah, it is very important keep in mind when you look again that each one these interactions he was, the truth is, having with himself.
We do see one interplay with himself. Talk about filming that.
Yeah, it was bizarre. I received to do it with my buddy and, the truth is, stunt double, Skyler Millicano, who I’ve nice belief with. He’s been my stunt double for the reason that pilot, so we’ve been by way of rather a lot collectively. They mentioned to me, do I do know one other actor that’s sort of my construct that would play reverse me? I used to be like, let’s get Skyler on this as a result of I really feel completely comfy with him, and I do know he’ll be up for the problem of it. So it was fascinating for me as a result of I assume the problem was that I’m enjoying Buck on each side of it, however I’m enjoying a unique a part of Buck’s psyche at that second. So what slight adjustments can I make? Does he transfer barely otherwise to distinguish between the 2?
Thanks to the coma dream, Buck does come to some key revelations. I favored the “I was Buck.” “That’s enough?” “I think it is.” change. What would it not have taken for Buck to return to these revelations with out this?
Maybe he wouldn’t have. Maybe he would have been consistently on the lookout for one thing and on the lookout for exterior validation, as we’ve seen him accomplish that many occasions. Maybe that is what it took for him to get to some extent the place he goes, “no, I’m doing just fine,” and as you say, “I am enough.”
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Who is Buck shifting ahead?
He’s going to battle, particularly at first, simply with the concept he got here so near dying, and so he’s going to battle with the concept of mortality and what does all of it imply. But then I feel following the battle, there’s potential for peace and for him to really feel just a little extra grounded. Once you’ve accepted that issues can come to an finish at any level, why not simply take pleasure in when you nonetheless can and take possession of your choices, and be the very best model of your self you can be?
Speaking of variations, as a result of we’ve heard of like Buck 2.0, what model is he now? Just Buck?
[Laughs] I feel we’re on about model 7.3? There’s consistently an replace file being advised that you must obtain, however I don’t assume that’s essentially a foul factor. He is in his early 30s, and he’s figuring issues out about himself and utilizing them as probabilities to improve who he believes he’s. I feel that’s solely a superb factor at this level.
We received’t see something completely different from him on the job, proper? He couldn’t have predicted he’d be struck by lightning.
I feel there’s going to be some hesitation about how rapidly he desires to return. But I feel as soon as he will get again, we’re in all probability going to seek out him with some new abilities due to what he’s been by way of.
Will Buck be on calls in Episode 6×12?
Not in 612. There’s just a little bit extra restoration forward first. … I feel by 6×13, he’ll be again across the firehouse.
Early this season, we noticed him need to be interim captain whereas Bobby was out. Is that developing once more now that he has time to consider it whereas recovering?
Yeah, I don’t assume that’s a thought that’s going anyplace from his head anytime quickly. He’s going to need to step into that function, and in the direction of the top of the season, he’s going to have some alternatives too, and he’s going to be pressured to in some senses. So yeah, he’s a bit tough across the edges, however there’s a sense of him being a frontrunner. He’s clearly very adept at his job, and I feel all these experiences that he’s going by way of are solely serving to form him into a greater chief. We noticed Bobby say to him at the beginning of the season that he simply must stay just a little bit extra life. We’ve actually seen him doing that throughout the season to date.
He was the sperm donor for his associates, which has had him fascinated about his personal future as a father. And it looks like he is perhaps getting a brand new sofa, a bit of furnishings he’s related to girlfriends earlier than. What’s his private life like going ahead?
I feel the primary factor for him is that anyone that he’s to change into romantically entwined with has to satisfy him the place he’s. He’s not going to sacrifice or compromise who he’s. He’s turning into very settled in himself, and if the person who he finally ends up partnering up with isn’t OK with that, then they’re simply not the proper individual. He’s not going to try to match anyone else’s field anymore. He’s going to be comfy with who he’s, and anyone that comes alongside must be equally as comfy with that.
That’s a wholesome perspective for him to have after what we’ve seen to date.
Yeah, completely. He’s at all times been on the lookout for different folks to form him or validate him. And so it’s very nice for me — ‘cause listen, I’m a fan of Buck — to see him get to a spot that I feel is far more healthy.
What else is developing for Buck? Who will he be leaning on?
He’s going to have extra folks at first, I feel, eager to be leaned on by him. He’s nearly going to get so many provides of assist that it’s going to change into a bit an excessive amount of for him, and as vital as it’s for him to study to lean on others, we’ve seen him try this rather a lot. I feel greater than something, truly, he’s going to study to lean on himself just a little bit and look inwardly quite than outwardly relating to needing a crutch of assist.
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