Pick Up the Pieces and Build a Lego House (2x08: Buck, Actually)

The Buddie System

Classic ‘Buck luck’ strikes again! This week Cil, Han, Rachel, and special guest host, Meg from Bed, Wed, or Behead Pod delve into the emotional chaos of 9-1-1's Season 2, Episode 8 "Buck, Actually."

As Buck flounders through his feelings we unpack how his romantic missteps mirror those of the couples he encounters, emphasizing the importance of emotional intimacy and self-acceptance—and boy, does he have a ways to go on that journey.

With a lineup of calls that tug at the heartstrings we explore themes of second chances, the importance of being seen, and how sometimes, even our messiest moments can lead to our most important growth.

The buddies explore the the emotional weight even short narratives like the poignant farewell between Mitchell and Thomas can pack. We discuss and celebrate the representation of diverse love stories and bucking the societal pressures surrounding masculinity and the often-overlooked emotional depth of male characters like Buck.

So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and join us as we dissect this episode's wild ride of love, loss, and yearning to build a home—one Lego piece at a time!

Takeaways:

• In this episode, we explore how Buck struggles to find what he’s looking for in his impulsive dating choices
• Maddie and Chimney's growing relationship serves as a stark contrast to Buck's romantic stumbles.
• Taylor's interactions with Buck reflect his self-worth issues, emphasizing the tension between his desire for connection and his fear of rejection
• The episode emphasizes that love is something you create, not just find, which resonates deeply with Buck's journey.

📔 Articles Mentioned:

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Star Oliver Stark Talks Buck’s Love Life & Saying Goodbye to Abby, TV Insider

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Star Ryan Guzman on Eddie’s Blast From the Past, the Buck Bromance & More, TV Insider

📰 Oliver Stark – Lighting Our Fire, Candid Magazine

📰 Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with 9-1-1’s Oliver Stark, Pop Culturalist

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Boss: Exploring Buck’s New Sexual Awakening “Felt Like It Was the Right Time”, The Hollywood Reporter

📰 “There’s Going to Be Chaos”: 9-1-1 Breakout Oliver Stark on Ryan Murphy’s Outrageous Procedural, Paste Magazine

📺 Oliver Stark interviewed from FOX’s 9-1-1 at PaleyFest 2019, Red Carpet Report on Mingle TV Media, YouTube

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Dispatch & Calls of the Week (Intro)

(00:02:35) Special Guest Meg Joins the Conversation

(00:04:46) Our general thoughts on the episode

(00:09:33) Jaws of Life (Deep Dive)

(00:34:54) Flashover (Themes)

(00:55:14) Who's Cookin' (Character Arcs)

(00:55:37) Athena

(01:16:26) Maddie and Chimney

(01:28:56) Buck

(01:53:00) Where's the Fire (Scene Dissection: Buck & Taylor “Connections”)

(02:11:27) Slow Burn (Bi Buck & Buddie Watch)

(02:44:35) Meg’s 9-1-1 History and Bring a Buddie With You (Outro)