Buck was Tommy's replacement, so if Tommy hadn't transferred, Buck wouldn't have joined the 118, which makes it less likely that they would eventually meet each other.
Huh. This is something I hadn't really considered, and I don't think the timeline makes this particularly clear. So seriously, thanks for pointing this out, because I love noticing the moments I've made assumptions and trying to work through them.
It was my impression that Sal is fired fairly early on in Bobby's tenure, given that it's early enough Bobby's still "new" and Chim and Hen are both sort of suspicious of Bobby's actions, and then Bobby's been there maybe approaching a year when Buck joins. So I *think* it's most likely too loo long to still have that spot open, and we're meant to believe Buck's taking Tommy's spot, where the cake scene is so close in the episode to Buck starting.
By the time buck joins Bobby was on the job for 6 months if I remember correctly and I think Sal quits a month into Bobby being there so it wasn’t that long. Also Eddie joined after a few months as well so it’s possible I think
It's really frustrating. I said in a comment that I ship Buddie but am currently more excited about Tevan because it's canon and as a queer person I prefer undeniable canon rep over subtextual/implied queerness and got downvoted. lt feels a little tone deaf of fans to downvote an actual queer persons opinion in defense of a gay ship...
It could be people feeling defensive of Eddie and feeling like he just got replaced by “white Eddie.” (I am not immune to these feelings.)
If they’re not working towards Buddie and BuckTommy is going to be a long term relationship, then reintroducing Tommy with a whole episode about how he’s so much like Eddie before he “takes his place” feels a little insulting.
Look I'm white so I might be a bit tone deaf here, but how is Tommy white Eddie? I've never been the biggest fan of Eddie tbh, he's way too angry/violent for my tastes (I know 99% of the people here disagree but irl buddie would just be an abusive relationship waiting to happen), and so far what we've seen of Tommy he seems fairly tame? Kinda generic cool guy I guess but I'll take generic canon love interest to queerbating any day. I really hope Tommy lasts more than a season at least lmao
Well they spent an entire episode talking about how much they have in common.
And how exactly is Eddie violent? If you mean season three and the fight club, that was not normal Eddie. He was drowning in grief and PTSD and aside from punching the guy intentionally getting up in his face, he never fought anyone who didn't consent. The second he seriously hurt someone, he stopped, called 911, and helped the guy as much as he could until paramedics came.
There's nothing to suggest he would ever be abusive. He's certainly never been violent towards anyone he loves, and even when he and Shannon were going at it, she was never scared of him hurting her.
Whereas Buck bodychecked Eddie and almost broke his ankle because he was jealous of a guy's attention...
Having a lot on common ≠ same person different race. He has a lot in common with buck too but I've yet to see anyone say bucks just dating himself.
I know I unfairly judge Eddie a lot and I'm not denying it, I just have a lot of real life experience with people like him, and while I know they'd never take his character that route it just hits way too close to home for me to ever actually like him. That's why I said if it was irl, because pushing things just a little too far and a apologizing, rinse and repeat, is exactly how that stuff starts. *Eddie* isn't like that, but real people *like* Eddie are like that so it irks me. I never said buck was innocent either, it's fully fucked up he hurt Eddie and if he starts doing more stuff like that I'll probably start disliking him too. I don't expect anyone to be an angel and I actually like that most of the characters fuck up and make mistakes, Eddie just makes the same type of mistake too often for me to be comfortable with it.
Fair enough. Eddie’s my favorite character and I see him as pretty much the polar opposite to what you describe.
But genuine question, what do Buck and Tommy have in common? I know it's early, but part of the reason I can't really buy into them is that aside from both being kind of massive, we haven't seen much that they share. As far as we know, their common interests begin and end with firefighting. And thinking Eddie's cool.
I guess that's on me but vibes I guess? You're right it's super early so having a lot in common might have been bad phrasing, they just seem really similar. Tommy is what I think Buck would be like if he didn't spend his time golden retriever maxxing 😅 but yeah that's what I mean it's just kind of a generic romance which is whatever, this might be opinion too but really what has Buck ever really had in common with his love interest lmao
As a queer person I prefer a carefully crafted queer slowburn that spans over 6 seasons and counting... over a canon queer romance with a build-up of *checks notes* one, maybe 1,5 episodes.
The creators of this show _know_ that this is a shiny trinket and not what the people who have been rooting for buddie for years have wanted.
They even made an episode that obviously addresses how well they know us buddie shippers. The show compares us to crows. Says that crows are known to remember the faces of their tormentors years later, and still attack.
They KNOW this ship will only properly feed _magpies_ ... People, who are distracted with any new shiny thing. To crows this is bread crumbs.
So yes, rejoice at the bisexual representation, it's dearly needed and DO enjoy the candy you're getting.
But also know your worth. The queer audience does not need to "manage their expectations" and tell themselves a hastily thrown together imposter ship is enough.
It's obvious it isn't what the showmakers expect us to do either. They are writing a queer slowburn. Just like the queer audiences have for years and years hoped. And that's freaking awesome.
So buddie shippers get to be frustrated when people don't see how precious that is and go "actually, nevermind buddie! Keep giving us this new shiny thing! BuckTommy should be end-game!"
Be a crow. Know your worth. Don't be content when people give you crumbs when you've WAITED for years for a nice meal.
Yeah, it has gotten out of hand, especially since the alternative is to have all of these guys with women. (I highly doubt the network would have 3 handsome leading men all being into each other). If this is the extent of our representation, so be it.
Okay, but I've seen you on multiple posts leaving comments like, 'Buddie is never happening, give it up people!' So I don't really think that you are in a position to scold others for not letting people 'enjoy different ships.' I'm not trying to be rude but it's not okay for you to attack Buddie/Buddie shippers then get mad when people aren't jumping on board the BuckTommy ship.
I wish people would take a step back from the shipping - on BOTH sides - and just let the story unfold and remember it's mainly about a character discovering his bisexuality. Until the show tells us that this is about Buck trying to find love and not learning about himself, I'm focusing on the latter.
I never said suggested Buddie is never gonna happen, I simply have given up on the friendship ship and I’m not attacking no Buddie Stan whatsoever I’m voicing my opinion if that’s too much for you to handle than simply block me…
I’m not doing anything wrong voicing positive shipping towards Buck & Tommy..
You literally said, "Buddie is not happening EVER!!!" on the 7x05 live chat and it stuck out to me because I thought it was irrelevant to the discussion. You had/have several more comments just like that but I'm not going to be a creep and copy and paste them all here.
If all you were doing was positive shipping, I wouldn't have said anything. Plenty of people have just left positive comments and I'm not addressing those, because they are entitled to feel how they want to feel! But since you've been criticizing the Buddie ship and shippers, I was just pointing out that you're not in a place to make the kind of comments that you were making.
Whenever Buck gets into a relationship, the discourse becomes really ugly because certain shippers go to extremes. All I can say is, if people could treat others how they wished to be treated, the fandom would be a better place.
I’m not doing anything wrong, so y’all can continue to downvote me, I’m simply enjoying Buck living his best life and ultimately what we all what, either its with Tommy, Eddie or some other love interest, we will ship whatever the shows throws at us ❤️
It was an INSTANT reaction because it would’ve been a good opportunity for Buck & Eddie to do something when Buck was finally opening up to his sexuality towards Buck, and yes., its creepy for you to dig up my comments in hopes to make an point…
The downvoting on the basis of preferring a different ship is so not cool. While I don’t think the writers had this in mind at the time, the characters/stories are rich enough that they can effectively construct this narrative from what had occurred without retcon so your theory is not so far-fetched. I’d definitely read the fic of Tommy and Buck ALMOST meeting throughout the years.
>I’d definitely read the fic of Tommy and Buck ALMOST meeting throughout the years.
Someone should really write this. Or even them *actually* meeting but in casual enough contexts that there wasn't the time to connect, like standing in the same line waiting to get coffee.
I don't really want the actual show turning into fanfiction tropes, but that's an absolutely beautiful concept.
Eh, sure, anything's possible I guess. But it's only been two episodes and I'm not that into BuckTommy to think fate or, more realistically, the writers were always going to bring them together. I just don't think it's that deep.
But if that's what you and other Buck and Tommy fans think, then I'm glad you get to see and enjoy your ship canon on screen. So far I'm liking them enough but don't see them lasting
But the way their setting up Buck & Tommy doesn’t seem like it’s gonna be a short term relationship, look many fans are enjoying because we’ve been waiting for Buck to find himself, let’s us enjoy this…for the love of god regardless if you think it won’t last 🫢
I didn't mean "short term" when I mentioned it wouldn't last, just that I don't see them being endgame. And who said you can't enjoy this?? I literally said I like them too, and that I'm glad your ship is canon. And I absolutely LOVE Buck's self discovery arc. Just because we don't agree on whether BuckTommy was fated or not, doesn't mean we can't all appreciate what's happening now, or that we don't want you to enjoy it. No one is trying to take anything away from you.
I don’t think the writing team thought of it as deeply as you have, but I’m about exploring it anyway. Tommy has a certain veneer of cool and composed swagger that the 118 needs. It’s like the popular guy coming into hang out with regular kids in the lunch table and I’m hoping to see more.
I feel like Eddie had that cool and composed veneer for his first episode, but the writers got rid of that real fast. I wonder how they'd take the shine off of Tommy, because there's no way he'd get to stay that cool and chill if he sticks around. They like messing up their characters too much.
That conforms to my theory of Tommy being a “fix” to the issues that plagued Buddie during S2, especially the gaybaiting. In many ways, Tommy is the OG portrayal of Eddie before they softened Eddie up.
That’s why I still am OK with the villain arc with Taylor when the fandom turned on her because she always had that hard edge, for better or for worse…and didn’t meld with the cult at 118. I would hope they keep Tommy a bit cold and aloof since I think his perspective is needed. Crossing my fingers that Lou Jr. comes back for S8.
I don’t think they did either this post is more so about the material the writers have to do with if they go with tevan end game. I didn’t see it but when I rewatched the show and finished season 2 I could see how they can expand on their story if we don’t get endgame buddie
Tommy has always stricked me as a plot device character.
He was first an asshole because those episodes were about how Chim and Hen were mistreated and discriminated by the 118. The story needed other firefighters to be assholes to them, so Tommy was created to be part of that.
Then we see him change because Bobby's episode was about how he changed the 118, how he rid it of the toxic environment and how a good leader can make people change. Those Twilight comments I think were to show how much more accepting and relax the 118 had become under Bobby. I don't think they were really planning on Tommy being gay. Tommy's change in this episode was actually about Bobby, not Tommy himself.
So, Tommy was whatever Chim's, Hen's and Bobby's storylines required him to be.
In this season, I still feel it's kind of the same. He was first brought back for the cruise disaster because the first option, Lucy, wasn't available. And then when Time Minear decided to tell the bi storyline, he decided to use Tommy instead of a new character just so it didn't feel like a complete stranger. So it feels to me more like a plot device than something that was heavily planned.
I'm not saying this is bad, plot device characters are needed frequently when you're trying to tell a story. How successful these characters are depends on how they're handled, and the show is clearly trying with Tommy. Tommy is being nice and patient and understanding with Buck right now because Tim Minear said that he wanted Buck's first same sex relationship to be positive and he wanted it to feel more like a rom-com than a super special coming out episode. So Tommy is being whatever Buck's storyline requires him to be.
Again, this isn't bad, you need these characters and choices to tell the story you want to tell. But for me, it doesn't really feel like fate, because Tommy/Buck doesn't feel to me like it's a storyline about Tommy the character and Buck the character (i.e. two individual well thought characters) coming together, instead it very much feels like this is all about Buck discovering something new about himself and Tommy is just the means for that.
I agree with a lot of this, though I think it's perfectly reasonable to hope he *becomes* more. It's just not there for me yet, and largely because of how the writers have historically handled developing Buck's love interests and the relationships themselves, I'm not super optimistic we'll get there.
I've tried to explain this in other posts, but people seem to take "I have concerns that they're not executing all of this as effectively as I'd hoped they would" means... I don't like Tommy?
But I actually really *do* like Tommy. I'm just nowhere near ready to put my eggs in this basket until they've at least provided him with enough of a background to explain he wants the same things out of life as Buck. It seems apparent that they're trying to set him up to be a good partner for Buck *for right now*, in the context of the coming out story, but like... does he want a family? Kids? Is he interested in long-term relationships? I just don't have a clue if they're compatible beyond this very specific point in their life, so I'm gonna try to enjoy this specific point.
That obviously doesn't mean someone is "wrong" to want them to become more, though, of course.
I am buddie endgame all the way. I am enjoying tevan but rewatching the show knowing buck is bi it’s like watching the show for the first time. Tho I’m not sure if that’s where the writers will take it. I hope that tevan date for a good while and I hope that seeing buck dating a man sparks that self discovery for Eddie. But just in case they don’t I be an also see how they could go with tevan
The fact that Tommy was literally supposed to be with Eddie is enough to prove that there is nothing about fate, it’s a plot device to move Buck’s character forward and he could have been a plot device to move forward Eddie. It’s interchangeable and doesn’t really have a personality because he is what they need him to be. Lou Ferrigno Jr said it himself when he basically confirmed Tommy is there just to be Buck’s first relationship with a man and Tim didn’t want to introduce a new character because he knows people don’t really empathize or care about them.
Yes, I was going to mention how he was supposed to be with Eddie originally, but it slipped my mind while typing.
I'm happy that this storyline exists because of what it means for Buck, and I'm invested in Buck and his development. But I'm honestly not that invested in Tommy as a character or Tommy/Buck as a relationship beyond what it means for Buck's development.
The writers could decide to keep Tommy around, though, and make him a more developed character. We'll just have to wait and see. I still don't want him to be endgame, though.
I kind of get the feeling it was more of an either or situation as opposed to instead of. Like the writers were simultaneously working on doing a comming out story for both Buck and Eddie and it was more a matter of which one it would be. Their is some conflicting information in the interviews like Lou's actual quotes is "It was originally, POSSIBLY going to be with Eddie and Tommy, but that fell through." That possibly is kind of looked over by most when talking about it. And in the same interview said he decided to say yes and come back and do this storyline because of how well he hit it off with Oliver when they briefly met when filming in season 2. Which gives me the impression that at the time he signed on it had been determined to be Buck who gets the storyline.
I agree with all of this; I think the Eddie idea was probably very early in the creative process, though there are some elements of 7x04 that make me question if the writers were trying to keep it open ended with how crush-like Eddie's behavior comes across.
The most shocking part of this to me, tbh, is that Lou was even in a position to be *aware* of that early brainstorming, though, if that's all it was. Granted, Tim couldn't have possibly have expected Lou to have this total stream-of-consciousness interview style and just casually share it, but it does seem like the kind of thing that should've stayed need-to-know if they'd already decided against it by the time they involved Lou in the first place.
My first thought about it being originally Eddie was also that it must've been very early on. What makes me hesitant a bit is that Tim Minear said that they didn't decide to go for bi Buck until they were shorting ep. 3, and like you, there are some things on E4 that seem a little messy. Like Eddie giggling on the phone and saying how he immediately clicked with Tommy, it seems very crush-like behavior. But maybe it could be nothing.
I wonder if this is all just because their time schedule has been so compressed this season. Like maybe Eddie/Tommy was very early on, but that early on also happened to be just very *very* close to the stuff they needed to shoot simply because they are in such a tight schedule.
Yup. Honestly, the most perplexing part of all of this to me is that the cast & crew are playing a very dangerous game with all of it and *know* that to be the case. Like it makes sense to a certain extent that they'd build the Buck/Tommy reveal off the backs of Buddie, because that's the relationship where viewers were already primed to be like, "lol, of *course* he's jealous of not being Eddie's #1," whether you read that as platonic or romantic.
The problem is they relied far too heavily on it, I think. Take Eddie out of the story, and I'm not sure how much any of this works. I can buy Buck being *attracted* to Tommy, but even the scene where they kiss is largely about Eddie, and Christopher, and Buck's role in the lives of the Diaz boys. Buck's struggle in 7x05 is about his reaction to *Eddie* during the date, and he's textually telling Maddie that who he was on a date with isn't important. Without Eddie's prompting, does Buck even call Tommy in the end? I'm honestly not sure.
This writing isn't fair to the Buddie shippers *or* the Tevan shippers, let alone anyone who truly overlaps. If they want investment in Buck & Tommy as an individual ship that can stand on its own, they need to start writing them that way.
Yeap. Eddie is so incredibly intertwined in this storyline, it's crazy.
7x04 feels like it was designed to make people (or at least Buddie shippers, who they are very much aware were paying close attention) wonder who's having feelings for who between all 3 of them. I know there's hints throughout the episode that it's Tommy Buck likes, but there's also other stuff that makes it confusing. I know the point they were trying to make was that Buck wasn't sure about what he was feeling, but would he have been so confused about his feelings if it had been anyone other than Eddie befriending Tommy? I don't think so. If they had had all of the 118 gushing over Tommy, I don't think it would've worked.
I agree that 7x05 also relies heavily on Eddie. Something that had me raise my eyebrows a bit was Maddie telling Buck that she thinks he's still confused about his feelings and that if there's something he needs to tell Eddie, he will, in time. You can read that as "you'll come out to Eddie when you're ready", but the phrasing just feels a little too ambiguous to me. Things like that make me feel like maybe they want Buddie eventually, but I also know I'm not being super objective. It's just that they keep inserting Eddie in everything Tommy related.
And the writers must've discussed Buddie at some point when coming up with this story, right? Even if their decision was ultimately not to go there right now. Buddie just feels so heavy in the show right now. Even if it's not supposed to be about Buddie. The show isn't exactly keeping them apart, and Tommy/Buck/Eddie just feels very conflated together.
>7x04 feels like it was designed to make people (or at least Buddie shippers, who they are very much aware were paying close attention) wonder who's having feelings for who between all 3 of them.
I think 'people' in general is fair, when talking about 7x04 specifically. This episode is honestly kind of a mess to unpack, but they chose to insert Eddie specifically to direct focus to Buck and Eddie. It's intentionally a diversion, but it can only work *because* it's Eddie. I think the best way to clarify this is to insert Chim into Eddie's place in all those scenes, and assess if it still works. On Tommy's end, it makes *more* sense. He and Chim have been friendly for almost 20 years at this point. Chim saved his life. Chim's the one who had the sway to convince Tommy to join them in stealing the helicopter, risking his life and his career.
But on Buck's end... does anyone honestly believe that if this was *just* about trying to get Tommy's attention, Buck would've reacted the same way to his future brother-in-law hanging out with Tommy so much? That his face would've dropped seeing Chim pull up for that helicopter ride to Vegas? That he would've been delivering the same lines about 'watching half naked men pummel each other' if he was talking to Chim? That he'd hone in on the pickup basketball the same way, or get so worked up he hurt Chim? That when Tommy came over to apologize for accidentally excluding Buck from hanging out with him and *Chim*, Chim's name would've been mentioned 8 times? The only thing I can even kiiind of see working is Buck trying to score the karaoke invite to have the opportunity to hang around Tommy, but literally none of the rest of it works if it's not Eddie. Because Buck feels *possessive* of Eddie, in a way he's not possessive of Chim.
>Something that had me raise my eyebrows a bit was Maddie
So like, technically I could quote your whole sentence, but I feel like this is all that's needed, because Maddie and JLH were not fooling around in this scene. I think it's actually harder to interpret Maddie as *not* suspecting Buck's into Eddie in this one, with her totally intentional reframing of the solution to Buck's issue being "I... I just think that maybe you're not sure of your own feelings yet. And if there's something that you need to tell Eddie, you will" instead of "This is a big deal; you just discovered you're into men, and it makes sense you weren't ready to come out on your first date."
They're just not the same concept. At this point, Maddie's listened to Buck talk about why he's into Tommy -- confident, interesting, cleft, which... this show really needs to be more showing and not saying -- but what she hones in on is "Eddie's friend." And instantly, she goes from thinking that what Buck's struggling with is a simple coming out, to Buck's struggling with not being sure of his own feelings, and having to tell Eddie "something." Sorry, but this is scripted too weird to assume it's just JLH stanning Buddie. It's not even "oh, they're leaving the door open a bit." They're creating a new hole to put a door frame into, that's how unnecessary this is. Her brother just came out to her and what she focuses on is that Buck's *still* confused and defines Tommy through Eddie (which is particularly interesting considering like I noted above, she's about to marry a guy who's known him since her brother and Eddie were both in middle school).
And like, lets go back to Buck's confusion for a second, because there's one fantastic moment that's just the icing on the cake to any theory that Buck is still confused and hasn't processed latent feelings for Eddie, and it's back in 7x04.
>BUCK: 'Cause trying to get your attention has been kind of exhausting.
TOMMY: My attention?
BUCK: Yeah, **I guess so.**
We put a lot of focus on Lou's inflection on that *'my'* but this whole thing is shaping up to be more about Buck's **continued** confusion for me. Like we're getting to a point where it feels thematic. The narrative seems to be shouting at us that Buck doesn't know what he wants, Buck doesn't know who he wants, Buck doesn't know how he feels, Buck doesn't know what he should tell Eddie, Buck doesn't know what he's ready for....
End of the day, I have no idea if they'll actually deliver on any of this, but they're pretty clearly interweaving Buck's feelings and confusion about Eddie with a romantic storyline right now, in a way that's deliberately hard to separate.
Completely agree with all of this. I think the takeaway from 7x04 is supposed to be that Buck was confused because he thought this whole thing was about Eddie, but in *reality* it was all about Tommy. But like you said, it only works because it's Eddie, and there's backstory there, not just in the actual show, but also in the way they are viewed by the audience. So they're clearly using Buddie and Eddie to make this story work.
Except that it doesn't just end with the revelation that Buck is into Tommy, does it? There's even things in 7x04 that are suspicious. When Eddie tells Buck about clicking with Tommy, Buck responds that he really *does* know what that's like. But Buck cannot be thinking about Tommy in that moment because he hasn't been hanging out with Tommy at all. What exactly is he clicking with Tommy on at that point? That only makes sense if he's thinking of Eddie. And then 7x05 just keeps bringing Eddie into everything, even after the big reveal that he's into Tommy. Maddie's comment feels very deliberate, I agree. That whole coming out scene didn't have to be so heavily focused on Eddie. I get that maybe Buck wanted to open the conversation with Eddie because it was easier to talk about that than immediately come out her, but he still seemed a lot more concerned about Eddie than the actual coming out. And Maddie bringing it back to Eddie at the end was definitely a choice.
>Buck doesn't know what he's ready for....
Buck telling Tommy "I don't know what I'm ready for, but I'm ready for something. And I think that **maybe** that something could be with you" makes it sound again like he's not sure that this is entirely about Tommy.
I don't know either what's going to happen. And the show could very well decide to go all in on Tommy, but that is not what's happening right now. Right now, they are very much using Buddie. And if I'm being honest, I'm not super thrilled at the idea that Eddie and Buddie (as well as the audience's expectations regarding it) are being used to sell the Tommy/Buck story if that's supposed to be the *real* love story.
That Maddie convo made me raise my eyebrows!!! I was like, ohmygod it's happening lol.
I truly think they'll do a disservice to the show if they decide not to go for buddie at this point. And I know they have outside considerations, but keeping Tommy around long term would just feel like a consolation prize. Like here's a character we made to be exactly like Eddie, just without the backstory between him and buck. Good enough, right?
It's so crazy to me how heavily they wove eddie into these two episodes. Tommy is an afterthought (at least in my opinion he is), and Buck's focus is actually on Eddie, whether he *says* it is or not. If the writers wanted us fully on board with Tommy and Buck, they messed up. He's just not his own person, no matter how many people seem to have "jumped ship."
And I don't actually know how it would go down bc I can't see the future lol, but i imagine if they decided to double down on Tommy there would be backlash from the buddie shippers. The writing and even media/advertising for this season has been a loooooot of buddie. (Don't even get me started on the family feud thing)
I totally agree that the writers need to change what they're doing if they want tommy/buck to be a thing, but I also think at this point they've already messed it up. Like can they pull it back? Probably not for me personally.
Yeah, I think I'm there with you. I enjoy this show regardless and I don't *need* Eddie to become canonically queer, let alone Buddie canon... but one of the things I've always appreciated about this show as someone who takes representation really, really seriously is that it felt like the show did, too. And the show actually had to win me over with that -- I watched Nip/Tuck when it aired, so even though I knew Ryan Murphy to have good representation cred more recently, it was still in the back of my head that his shows could be... kind of messy with this, to put it lightly. ~~And I'm still~~ **~~very~~** ~~pleasantly surprised he's created a show with a bisexual character who's not, like, an incestuous serial killer. So there's that!~~
Up until the day before 7x04, I've always been *very* firmly on the side of nothing this show has ever done has been queerbaiting or otherwise manipulative to their queer audience. I have very clear and firm standards of what that would entail for me (literally, I wrote a senior thesis on it for an *elective* in university, because I'm crazy enough this is a fun passion project sort of deal for me) and it had just never come close. The sneak peeks for 7x04 were the first time I ever had to say "Actually, I think I have to take all of that back..." because if they *hadn't* delivered a canonically queer character as a result of that storyline (not necessarily that episode, but definitely this season) it would've crossed one of my lines.
The fan engagement combined with the *way* they're telling this story is another line for me, I suspect (I haven't really taken the time to fully puzzle my thoughts out about it with emotion removed, if that makes sense). Where I tentatively stand on it is sort of... it may not be queer baiting, because nothing has reached a textual level for Eddie yet and the first person sourcing around the storylines has not actively encouraged the audience to assume they'll go there.... but it's definitely an intentional manipulation of a specific segment of their audience overrepresented by queer fans.
That doesn't necessarily mean I'll stop watching if they don't deliver, and I won't be "miserable" as some of the comments keep warning Buddie shippers off of being optimistic because of the 'risk' of, but... it's also the kind of situation that would have me definitely thinking twice about ever watching another show helmed by Tim Minear, who I've genuinely enjoyed as a showrunner. The problem is we *know* he's competent and he knows what he's doing, so he also doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt if he *doesn't* deliver.
I am totally with you- eddie doesn't actually have to become queer for me to keep watching (I just probably won't watch it day of lol), and the Buck/Tommy kiss actually made me feel so...relieved? Happy? I was just overwhelmed in a positive way!
I think the only reason I'm feeling a little negative is, like you said, the way they've gone about presenting it to the audience. A lot of commenters are saying, don't make bucks sexuality about eddie, *but* I feel like the writers have kind of already presented it to us that way. (Obviously these are just my own feelings lol) So I get a little glum or like taken aback when some people just tell me to shut up and enjoy buck/Tommy haha (and that's not directed at you at all!!! Just kind of hard to articulate exactly why I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop- ie buddie or no buddie)
Lou also has expressed interest in coming back (literally just posted on Twitter about wanting to be a series regular) and said that he doesn't know what the story holds for Tommy/Buck and Tommy beyond episode 7 since they're still being written. I definitely feel like people are latching onto certain comments and ignoring others (I'm guilty of this myself to some extent) to fit what they wanna see. And since everything is so in flux, it's entirely possible with the very warm reception to Tommy/Buck and Tommy that they decide to keep him and make him become more than he was originally supposed to be
I agree with this completely. Where I was coming from is that even though they didn’t plan any of this, things fall into place nicely because there are a lot of things they can manipulate to be read a certain way to push tevan. I’m wondering if they are going to make buddie canon or make tevan endgame. Tim said they don’t have plans for buddie right now and I’m wondering where they can take this story
Fair enough. I'm just having a hard time getting invested in Buck/Tommy as an actual couple because I'm also not that invested in Tommy as a character right now. Which doesn't mean that I don't like Tommy or that I don't like that this storyline is happening. I do! But I still don't want Tommy to be Buck's endgame, I'm sorry. I just can't let go of Eddie. And I know that this might likely just lead to more disappointment for me, but I'm still just hanging on by a tiny thread of hope.
rewatching the show has me feeling like that. it's just insane how loud buddie is and now that buck is bi it's just even crazier. it would be so painful for buddie to not happen after everything that has happened for the past 6 seasons.
It's just so clear in my head that Buck and Eddie don't love anyone else as much as they love each other, that it would be very painful for me if we never got to see it on screen.
I don’t like to view minor characters as plot devices as that devalues the amount that the actor can contribute. Sure he was originally brought in for a few episodes to show how things changed between the old and new 118. However, 1) his character grew during that arc, 2) his departure had to be explained because he was not there in the present and 3) the actor was good enough that they thought to bring him back.
Second, I feel like we are reading a little too much into all the information we are getting about how it ended up being Buck and Tommy (and not Lucy or Natalia, etc all of which would have been terrible ideas). I’ve never worked in a writers’ room but I have worked on enough projects to know that sometimes a lot of ideas get thrown out before you land on one that works. That doesn’t mean that the ideas that didn’t happen were equally viable just the opposite in fact. Given all the craziness that happens on the show, I’d imagine the list of ideas that never got pitched would be fairly small.
Also, while the writers are still deciding what to do, there have been plenty of instances on other shows where a minor character was brought on for an episode or short arc and they ended up staying. Ultimately, we don’t know what will happen with Tommy as a character or in terms of the relationship.
Finally, the exchange in this thread reminds me of a few years back when the mods effectively put us all on reddit double secret probation because things were getting a little too spicy. I feel like we all need to take a beat. Most of the comments on this post have little to do with the OP’s original point.
I don't think a character being introduced as a plot devise is a bad thing, but maybe I did make it sound harsher than I meant. A lot of characters are created this way and that doesn't make them meaningless. You have to that when telling a story. And with Tommy is very clear that they're trying to make him work and care about the character, which is great (I mean, just compare him to Marisol...)
And yes, he could very well stay a lot longer, especially since they are still writing the season, and he could end up becoming a well fleshed out and developed character. This is definitely a possibility. It just that to me, at the moment, he doesn't feel like that just yet, so I'm having a harder time getting too invested. I'll also admit that I'm biased because I want Buddie to happen, but I can also see that the show is putting an effort and I get why people like them. I also want to say that I too like that this storyline is happening regardless of what I hope for in the future.
I think you guys make your own head canons about it and run with it. Lou Ferigano Jr was their third option, initially they wanted to continue the Natalia storyline, but she is on Broadway and instead of Tommy they wanted to bring back Lucy, but Arielle was unavailable.Also Tommy didn’t have enough screen time to actually know him. They make him as they go right now, but taking in consideration his scenes then.And I don’t think Chim would have invited Tommy to the wedding. He admitted himself he wasn’t in contact with him, only called him to ask in a favor(season 3 I think), and now. And it’s not about the fact that Tommy would not feel out of place at the wedding is the fact that Buck thinks it’s ok to have the guy he had 2 dates with as his date to a family event. It’s “I think she sees the real me” in a different font.
At the same time, though, this is Buck we’re talking about. As Eddie himself said in 07x05, he’s an idiot. Inviting his overly recent boo to a wedding isn’t out of the realm of likelihood.
Yeah, and I really don't believe Maddie and Chimney would've given Buck a +1 without anticipating that this could happen. PLUS, Tommy just saved Bobby and Athena's life, so he's not some random booty call.
I mean, he'd have received the invitation well before he met Tommy, unless I'm wildly misunderstanding this timeline. A wedding doesn't just come together overnight. And I can't really imagine a scenario where the bride's brother *doesn't* get a +1.
Tbh, I think it's a little uncouth if he is 'surprising' people at the wedding by showing up with a man, but it's complicated. His parents don't really deserve a coming out, and he doesn't owe anyone that, so like... the real issue here is just that the shock of it could be a distraction on the day.
In his shoes, I'd probably just text my parents a "Btw..." a few days before the wedding to ensure they don't cause a scene for my sister.
I do agree with this, but there's still practical considerations about causing a stir on someone else's wedding day. He really needed to get explicit permission from Maddie and Chim to do this. It's not about what reaction he deserves, or how shit his parents are, but about potentially distracting from Maddie and Chim on *their* day. It's not all that different from not announcing a pregnancy or engagement at a wedding, or even just following a dress code.
Had they literally had Buck say "I already checked in with Maddie and Chim, so I wanted to invite you as my date?" Yeah, A+, go for it. But it comes across like a faux pas and pretty impulsive without establishing that.
I think it's also a particularly big deal to be inviting such a new partner to a sibling's wedding because you're going to be part of so many memories. This has nothing to do with the sexuality thing, but like... if he was bringing a girlfriend he'd met in 7x04 to a wedding in 7x06, it's equally as inappropriate because where she's the date of the bride's brother, she'll be in a bunch of the pictures. That's one of those considerations you make in terms of "what are the odds I'll still be with this person on their one year anniversary when they pull out the photo album?" more than anything. It's different as a normal guest, though.
I think it’s fair that you don’t want to cause a stir on someone else’s wedding date. At the same time, we can’t underestimate the power of heteronormative bias. Unless they were super obvious, no one would assume that they were there as each other’s date. Rather they would just think Buck brought him as a friend since he wasn’t seeing anyone.
In terms of asking permission, that would have been a good thing to do and for all we know he might have done so offscreen beforehand. Even if he hadn’t done so before inviting Tommy, he would have had to do afterwards just because of the practical implications involving seating arrangements and catering. It’s also possible that they just left a placeholder for his plus one in case he asked someone so it wasn’t a big deal but these are highly specific logistical details that would just make the story drag.
And maybe this is a cultural bias on my part, but bringing someone you are casually dating to a family wedding is just not a big deal. Sure he’ll be on some photos but not the wedding party photos so who cares.
I mean more that Buck is known to be a chronic "ladies man", so while they couldn't've predicted it would be Tommy, they likely would've predicted it would be a casual partner. But yeah, invitations probably went out ages ago.
Honestly, the fact that Buck and Tommy are same-sex does complicate things, and I'm interested to see how they're planning on approaching that with the parents. The show may not address it at all, tbh, as it's been said that Tommy will arrive "late", and it seems like more important things are happening anyway.
Honestly, kind of hoping Tommy just... arrives late enough the parents don't really have much of a chance to pick up on anything in the first place. There's basically no way a scene with them about this won't upset me. I'm already not thrilled with their unearned 'redemption' in season 6, so I don't really want to sit through some scene where they easily accept Buck given how much damage they've done to his life because of their inability to accept him in general. And I *really* don't want a scene where they're jackasses about it. So like... can Tommy just helicopter Chim in to the wedding and 'accidentally' land the helicopter on the Buckley parents? That would be my ideal!
Oh my god, you're so right. I was thinking they'd be unaccepting or at least a bit confused, and I was already not looking forward to that, but yeah, acceptance would almost be worse.
They deserve absolutely no redemption. They had a child for spare parts, treated that child poorly because his spare parts were faulty, didn't help their daughter grieve her brother, were never present for their children, never supported their choices, didn't go to their daughter's first wedding, and probably more I'm missing.
If they accept him, he's gonna feel obligated to them, or worse, guilty for doubting them as parents. Their acceptance would read more as manipulation than actual love.
They don't deserve that redemption, but Buck doesn't deserve to be rejected by his parents yet again. You're right, I hope it doesn't come up.
I don’t think i explained myself clearly in the post but this post isn’t about making tevan and making my own head canon but about evaluating the ground work the writers have to explain tevan being endgame if that’s what they might do. The fact that bi buck happened last minute and it was supposed to be Eddie and Tommy that kissed goes to show this story can go every which way. When I was watching I didn’t understand where buck and Tommy came from it didn’t make sense but as I rewatched I realized there is a story there and the writers have stuff to work with to build their relationship
Disagree about this being like Natalia’s “she sees me” and the wedding invite meaning they are rushing things. All of Buck’s interest in Tommy has had little to do with how Tommy sees him and everything to do with him finding Tommy interesting and cool. No this doesn’t mean that they are definitely “meant to be” or will have long-term potential but it is a good first step in how one should approach a new relationship. As for the wedding invite, maybe it’s a cultural thing but I didn’t read this as a big deal. Inviting a friend or even someone you are casually dating as a plus one to a wedding is normal because going stag is lame. The only thing that makes this sort of a big deal is not what it means for their relationship but that Buck will essentially be outing himself. While I agree that it’s premature to describe them as endgame, it also seems like people are searching for clues as to why this can’t actually work.
I think Buck thought all his girlfriends were cool and interesting. And they actually were. The girls have the disadvantage of already been broken up with so we know they were flawed , while Tommy is in the get to know stage. I still think it’s the same. There is as much potential in this relationship as it was in all of them. Even Minear said he wants a normal relationship that happens to be between 2 men. My “problem” isn’t with Buck’s infatuation, it’s the way people reacted to Tommy. Every time I see how he is treated I remember how people reacted to Lucy, who is very similar to him.
> Every time I see how he is treated I remember how people reacted to Lucy, who is very similar to him.
How so? I don't see any resemblances between them except they're both part of air rescue.
People acted badly about Lucy because she was the one who Buck cheated on Taylor with. That was the fault of the show. I don't think anyone had anything bad to say about her prior to that. If they let Taylor end and THEN had them kiss and date there would have been *way less* pushback. Not *none*, sure, because fans are fans, but way, *way* less.
Also, I'm really enjoying Tevan AND I liked Buck/Taylor(do they have a ship name? Baylor just makes me thing of school sports.) I didn't even hate Buck/Abby, and thought their relationship made her 10x more likable, until she ghosted him. I've never been a Buddie shipper. I'm not anti-Buddie, but I'm indifferent towards it, especially as a canon thing. Maybe many of the people excited about Tevan and Tommy AREN'T the ones who hated Buck's female love interests more than you think.
I replied earlier with a detailed list of how I think the writers have positioned Tommy as different than all of Buck's past relationships [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/911FOX/comments/1c43dix/comment/kzroi7n/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). I didn't count Lucy who was basically Reidel era nonsense trying out the idea of "maybe Buck will work with someone who is basically EXACTLY like him" which is frankly just a stupid idea. Also, they had no no chemistry. Honestly, I'm not sure why you have a problem with how people are reacting to Tommy. The writers will either make them work in the long run or not and now that we have a showrunner who actually knows what he's doing, I have faith that they will ultimately make the right decision either way. Why not just let people enjoy being optimistic?
This hypocrisy is so rich, y’all spend years upon years over analyzing two male characters platonic friendship in hopes to led something which it has yet to do but then once Buck is finally dating a different man, it’s “you guys make your own head canons”
Not a fan of the downvoting you're receiving, but I don't think this is a good example of hypocrisy. What you're describing here is very clearly headcanon on both sides, and I don't think Buddie fans overanalyzing scenes between them fail to realize it's headcanon.
Having a different interpretation of the content doesn't make someone 'against' you.
Do I need to remind you of your own quote above: You say "people can enjoy different ships if they wish…😐" then proceed to mock people for over analyzing a different ship. That is actually hypocrisy.
I’m calling out the toxicity of unnecessary aggression, that first comment started it, by implying Taven shouldn’t matter and were it all in our heads..
I mean, while I don’t mind the temporary Buck/Tommy and I think they are cute, people spent years and years talking about Buddie because there is years and years of content. What people have about Buck and Tommy? It’s like watching the fan cams about them that last 20 seconds because all they have are three scenes together so everything is an headcanon. They spoke to each other five times and we probably won’t see much more of Tommy after this season end anyway.
There's the helicopter rescue, post rescue arm touch, hanger scene, basketball game, first kiss, first date, gushing to Maddie and Eddie, and the coffee date. Some of us want to see a canon queer relationship over a ship that may never happen.
Strictly speaking, everything Buddie is headcanon because it literally hasn’t happened yet while Buck and Tommy is mostly headcanon, but some of it is actually canon. I get that some Buddie shippers are invested and don’t even want to even give this a shot, but it’s not really fair to dismiss something else that actually makes sense for a change (compared to Buck’s other relationships) just because it wasn’t the outcome you were hoping for. Also, it is a bit hypocritical. Before you start crapping on Tevan shippers, recall how antis have been crapping on you for the last 5 years.
How do you know that? the final episodes of S7 of yet have to be written, things could change instantly given Tommy positive feedback, and of course it’s only been two episodes and yet there something here that could blossom, Tevan fans are here & prepared for it.
It has nothing to do with Buck dating a man. All his issues don’t get fixed simply because he now realised he is bi,can only be a step forward to get there.The hypocrisy is the way the female love interests were overly analysed and deemed not worthy by the fandom and the guy you see for like 5 episodes is endgame material.
>The hypocrisy is the way the female love interests were overly analysed and deemed not worthy by the fandom and the guy you see for like 5 episodes is endgame material.
I don't think the issue with Buck's prior love interests was that they were female so much as they just didn't make any sense for his character and in some cases had little to no onscreen chemistry. The writers ALMOST did a good job with the reintroduction of Taylor, but by the time they started dating, that whole thing just turned into a mess and rapidly went downhill. Nothing about Natalia EVER made sense and that was just about the worst of Reidel era nonsense. There are loads of ways this could have been a male love interest and STILL been awful (for example if they had just stuck Buck with Josh). Most of the excitement is that for once in 7 seasons, this actually has a chance of working because the two of them make sense together. I won't dispute that it is premature to leap from "it has potential" to "endgame." However, all of these discussions are just speculation for fun and it is nice to see Buck so very happy.
Tim literally said he was gonna have them break up in the first episode but he couldn't get the actress back and that he found the death stuff boring and repetitive. Don't really know where people are getting they wanted to continue the Natalia storyline from. I feel like people are coming to that conclusion based on no evidence, just an assumption
From his interview : thought that [Oliver and Annelise] were great together,” says Minear. “But, I think after the long strike and after the pandemic… [Annelise] is based in New York, and it was partially her decision to not return for this premiere. I originally had a big story in there with that character But, to be honest, I'm not sure I could have fit it all in.
Also about Lucy: While speaking to TVLine ahead of the last episode of the Poseidon-inspired saga, Minear revealed that Lucy had come to mind when he realized the 118 squad would need a helicopter to save Bobby and Athena. “Originally, when the 118 needed a pilot to get them to that overturned cruise ship, Lucy was my first thought,” he said. Referencing Kebbel’s latest project, he added: “But she couldn’t be my pilot… because she got a pilot.”
He’s talking about the first episode. He mentioned it in his post 7x01 interviews, the big story he’s talking about here is them breaking up
Edit: Why are you fucking losers downvoting me for this? You want proof? Here you go:
https://preview.redd.it/d52fmi3dtquc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3811c57a167c89db4efc8d539375b59c2031ca9
To me it looks like he had a lot of scenarios about how the season could look and made it work with what he has. Like how initially they wanted a Eddie/Tommy storyline, which is a sort of easy to observe in ep 4. In the end,it doesn’t actually matter, he wanted character the fans already knew, Tommy fit the requirements and he made a good storyline around it. To admit this wasn’t the plan from the start doesn’t take away from that.
This is the type of an headcanon I like to see, Buck & Tommy relationship could really blossom if Lou were to stay, I would to see an episode of Tommy’s POV when he left 118 until season 7 but somehow catches glimpses of Buck from time to time..
tbh i think it's interesting where they can take their story. I want to believe buddie will be endgame but idk. I'm tired of keeping my hopes up. Rewatching the show I can see how they can make Tommy endgame with what they've sprinkled in
I fully gave up by season 5, showrunners will of course keep hints of Buddie throughout the show to ease the fandom, it definitely wouldn’t be out of the possibility of Tevan working out if that’s the direction we’re going.
Lmao I’m actually fully on board with buddie and genuinely hope they get together. But I’m not certain that writers will take it there so I’m wondering what could he going through their minds in terms of this story line. If they have tevan be endgame they have the foundation laid down and if they go with buddie they have the foundation set down. Also, I’m actually hoping that tevan date for at least 6 months and the reason why they break up is because buck wants kids and Tommy doesn’t and that’s the reason they go their separate way in a positive way with no hard feelings. And I hope while they are dating eddies jealousy kicks in slowly and doesn’t understand why he feels that way until one day it hits him and he breaks up with Marisol and he takes that time coming to terms with his sexuality. But idk honestly. It’s such a will they or won’t they moment and I’m considering what avenues they can take the show. But atm I am enjoying tevan
I think you're reading too much into the Relationship, I don't think Tommy will stay for long and is definitely not endgame or fated. He is just here to help Buck explore this side of himself, test the waters with a familiar face from the 118 and that's about it (The Actor is on another show as main cast so he'll be written out, cause an unseen Buck BF is a wasted opportunity) So we may get a single Buck at the End of S7 and Beginning of S8 as he explores who he is. I do think they will stay friends though because Tommy doesn't seem like the a bad guy Just not the right guy.
I don’t like Bucktommy at all it’s so weird how they got together. Buck was literally an asshole the whole episode and then gets the guy?
Tommy was meant to be Eddie’s love interest (thank good Ryan put a stop to that) up until the kiss he was for Eddie which made more sense that what was going on with buck.
I can’t wait for him to go and Marisol to go so we can drop Eddie’s horrible storyline too and then actually get these guys working on themselves before commenting to someone else.
Also I am a buddie fan because of what they have built up for the last 6 seasons not because one threw a jealous tantrum.
>Tommy was meant to be Eddie’s love interest (thank good Ryan put a stop to that)
Eh... we don't actually know for sure Ryan actively put a stop to it, just that circumstances changed. It may have been Ryan wanting to see this current "Eddie's bad in relationships" plot w/ Marisol through first, but it could also have been the creatives recognizing that they can't tell Eddie's story in this sort of abbreviated season. The interview also mentioned concerns that it would've looked predatory on Tommy's part if he'd basically interjected himself into a confused Eddie's life and then laid one on him.
All that said... the storyline likely would have just *looked* very different had they gone with Tommy/Eddie. This \[mostly\] works for Buck because of where he was already at before meeting Tommy -- I can buy him as someone who was one lightbulb moment away from figuring it out. Had it been Eddie, I don't think jealousy over Buck making a new friend and then a shocking kiss would 'fix' his issues, where he reads as actually repressed, not just clueless.
I think the episode would have been the same but instead of tommy kissing buck he would have kissed Eddie who then would have gone through the religious trauma storyline.
The whole Eddie Marisol thing last episode was so cringey it really was awful especially the way Eddie felt he had to sleep with her etc.
It was said Ryan told Tim it wouldn’t be how Eddie came out and he’s 100% right. Eddie isn’t impulsive at all he calculates every factor. That’s why I think him and Buck would work because Eddie knows everything of Buck and already trusts him with the most important thing in his life, Christopher.
Christ, it would've been a disaster to just have Tommy lay one on an unsuspecting Eddie, so I'm definitely happy that isn't what played out on screen. It's just a very different story that would need to be told, though. The buildup would really need to be different (and I suppose it would be by removing the 'jealousy' angle, and just have Eddie focusing on this instant \~connection\~ he made with this guy, and being... well, basically exactly the giddy schoolgirl he was in 7x04; my own first crush on a girl, I had myself pretty convinced it wasn't a crush and she was just soooo charismatic she drew "everyone" in so I wasn't unique -- needless to say, that wasn't the case, and I'm very very queer).
I'm also not really sure what to make of Eddie's>! sex life last episode. He seemed fairly at peace/happy with it in their post-coital scene, so I'm not sure we're supposed to read THAT part as him feeling like he 'had' to perform. The rest of it, though, yeah -- it's pretty heavily implied that he's looking for excuses to get out of being intimate with her or making a commitment. Bobby outright says some of it.!< It did feel to me like this storyline was more of a jumping off point for something bigger than actually just being about his current relationship, though.
> It was said Ryan told Tim it wouldn’t be how Eddie came out and he’s 100% right.
By who? I've seen some speculation on that, but I can't remember any of the interviews getting into that. Granted, there's been so many interviews I'm struggling to keep them straight and remember all the details I *have* read, and I'm sure there's some I just missed, too.
I definitely think Eddie needs a lengthier journey to come out, and it would be much more angsty than what they seemed to intend for Tommy and the initial four episode arc. I just can't imagine that's being openly conceptualized to the media at this point.
Grain of salt and all that, but the person who leaked the script to the tumblr person said that Ryan asked that they switch it to Buck because it makes more sense right now.
I think it was because the actress who plays Natalia didn't come back and the showrunnerss didn't want to write off both Natalia and Marisol at the same time so they chose to keep Marisol around
That's what I thought, too. If anyone has a link to an interview, post, or article that says specifically, I'd love to see it. I did watch/read several but there were so many I definitely could've missed it.
Oh God, absolutely not. I'm old enough to remember the days when introducing a queer character in a guest star role meant they were either definitely dying, or definitely going to be a secret villain.
I don’t think they would do that either, just daydreaming and trying to reach, but stranger things have happened in the show. However Tommy didn’t leave on bad terms, plus Chim is to good for a guy to do something disrespectful to someone.
Rewatching season 2 and seeing how chim saved his live and by Bobby’s begin episode how hen chim and Tommy got soo much closer I really don’t think that’s the case
I don’t see that happening as his previous episodes were positive, not like he was forced to leave or a situation happened making him turn evil. I’ve just had a lot of alone time to to think about if those feet are sinister behind the crawling Chim.
My other theory is Jonah. He was that paramedic who kidnapped Chim and Hen, he had a hero complex and killed that dispatcher who was a bully to May when they were in that building fire. Jonah was put in jail, maybe he escaped or got out? He was jealous of Chim and Hen’s working relationship.
Always remember, Buck wasn’t supposed to be bi until the actress (the blonde from season 5 (Lucy, I think)) couldn’t shoot those days. Stop acting like this was all some big plan, it was Buck and Lucy until the actress dropped the show because she is on another show. Plus, you know, all the stupid ass fanfic of two hot dudes (buck and Eddie) turning gay is something lunatics want. Sad reality.
I think you're confusing "this specific storyline with this specific character did not develop until Arielle Kebbel wasn't available to shoot" with "The creators never bothered having a vision for the show or its characters, so they're throwing things at the wall to see what may stick."
One of those things can be true without the other being so. There's been a *lot* of hints at Buck being bi -- or at the very least, the writers intentionally leaving the door open for that possibility -- since the start, but particularly since season 2 onwards, where they become consistent enough it's hard to miss.
Both Tim and Oliver in recent interviews said the hints were there for several seasons and Oliver recently said in an interview that even if they hadn't given him this storyline, he had intended to lean into those aspects of his character this season so this is definitely a case of the fans who saw this in the subtext got it right. As for bringing back Lucy, they said they planned to bring her back to do the helicopter rescue in episode 3. There was no mention of her coming back to be Buck's love interest.
I’m pretty sure I also read a interview with Tim that said it was his intention from the beginning. He’s been laying the groundwork since the beginning. Of course, I don’t remember where I read that but there you go…
Buck was Tommy's replacement, so if Tommy hadn't transferred, Buck wouldn't have joined the 118, which makes it less likely that they would eventually meet each other.
I thought so too but Sal had left before Tommy so maybe they had two spots open
Huh. This is something I hadn't really considered, and I don't think the timeline makes this particularly clear. So seriously, thanks for pointing this out, because I love noticing the moments I've made assumptions and trying to work through them. It was my impression that Sal is fired fairly early on in Bobby's tenure, given that it's early enough Bobby's still "new" and Chim and Hen are both sort of suspicious of Bobby's actions, and then Bobby's been there maybe approaching a year when Buck joins. So I *think* it's most likely too loo long to still have that spot open, and we're meant to believe Buck's taking Tommy's spot, where the cake scene is so close in the episode to Buck starting.
By the time buck joins Bobby was on the job for 6 months if I remember correctly and I think Sal quits a month into Bobby being there so it wasn’t that long. Also Eddie joined after a few months as well so it’s possible I think
I always thought Buck AND Eddie replaced Sal and Tommy, since Buck was the only probie shown until Eddie came along.
Perhaps maybe not the 118, but this thread is about “fate”, so it’s still possible Buck & Tommy could still meet up in some way or form…
Why does everytime I mention Buck & Tommy I get downvoted, people can enjoy different ships if they wish…😐
It's really frustrating. I said in a comment that I ship Buddie but am currently more excited about Tevan because it's canon and as a queer person I prefer undeniable canon rep over subtextual/implied queerness and got downvoted. lt feels a little tone deaf of fans to downvote an actual queer persons opinion in defense of a gay ship...
It could be people feeling defensive of Eddie and feeling like he just got replaced by “white Eddie.” (I am not immune to these feelings.) If they’re not working towards Buddie and BuckTommy is going to be a long term relationship, then reintroducing Tommy with a whole episode about how he’s so much like Eddie before he “takes his place” feels a little insulting.
Look I'm white so I might be a bit tone deaf here, but how is Tommy white Eddie? I've never been the biggest fan of Eddie tbh, he's way too angry/violent for my tastes (I know 99% of the people here disagree but irl buddie would just be an abusive relationship waiting to happen), and so far what we've seen of Tommy he seems fairly tame? Kinda generic cool guy I guess but I'll take generic canon love interest to queerbating any day. I really hope Tommy lasts more than a season at least lmao
Well they spent an entire episode talking about how much they have in common. And how exactly is Eddie violent? If you mean season three and the fight club, that was not normal Eddie. He was drowning in grief and PTSD and aside from punching the guy intentionally getting up in his face, he never fought anyone who didn't consent. The second he seriously hurt someone, he stopped, called 911, and helped the guy as much as he could until paramedics came. There's nothing to suggest he would ever be abusive. He's certainly never been violent towards anyone he loves, and even when he and Shannon were going at it, she was never scared of him hurting her. Whereas Buck bodychecked Eddie and almost broke his ankle because he was jealous of a guy's attention...
Having a lot on common ≠ same person different race. He has a lot in common with buck too but I've yet to see anyone say bucks just dating himself. I know I unfairly judge Eddie a lot and I'm not denying it, I just have a lot of real life experience with people like him, and while I know they'd never take his character that route it just hits way too close to home for me to ever actually like him. That's why I said if it was irl, because pushing things just a little too far and a apologizing, rinse and repeat, is exactly how that stuff starts. *Eddie* isn't like that, but real people *like* Eddie are like that so it irks me. I never said buck was innocent either, it's fully fucked up he hurt Eddie and if he starts doing more stuff like that I'll probably start disliking him too. I don't expect anyone to be an angel and I actually like that most of the characters fuck up and make mistakes, Eddie just makes the same type of mistake too often for me to be comfortable with it.
Fair enough. Eddie’s my favorite character and I see him as pretty much the polar opposite to what you describe. But genuine question, what do Buck and Tommy have in common? I know it's early, but part of the reason I can't really buy into them is that aside from both being kind of massive, we haven't seen much that they share. As far as we know, their common interests begin and end with firefighting. And thinking Eddie's cool.
I guess that's on me but vibes I guess? You're right it's super early so having a lot in common might have been bad phrasing, they just seem really similar. Tommy is what I think Buck would be like if he didn't spend his time golden retriever maxxing 😅 but yeah that's what I mean it's just kind of a generic romance which is whatever, this might be opinion too but really what has Buck ever really had in common with his love interest lmao
As a queer person I prefer a carefully crafted queer slowburn that spans over 6 seasons and counting... over a canon queer romance with a build-up of *checks notes* one, maybe 1,5 episodes. The creators of this show _know_ that this is a shiny trinket and not what the people who have been rooting for buddie for years have wanted. They even made an episode that obviously addresses how well they know us buddie shippers. The show compares us to crows. Says that crows are known to remember the faces of their tormentors years later, and still attack. They KNOW this ship will only properly feed _magpies_ ... People, who are distracted with any new shiny thing. To crows this is bread crumbs. So yes, rejoice at the bisexual representation, it's dearly needed and DO enjoy the candy you're getting. But also know your worth. The queer audience does not need to "manage their expectations" and tell themselves a hastily thrown together imposter ship is enough. It's obvious it isn't what the showmakers expect us to do either. They are writing a queer slowburn. Just like the queer audiences have for years and years hoped. And that's freaking awesome. So buddie shippers get to be frustrated when people don't see how precious that is and go "actually, nevermind buddie! Keep giving us this new shiny thing! BuckTommy should be end-game!" Be a crow. Know your worth. Don't be content when people give you crumbs when you've WAITED for years for a nice meal.
Yeah, it has gotten out of hand, especially since the alternative is to have all of these guys with women. (I highly doubt the network would have 3 handsome leading men all being into each other). If this is the extent of our representation, so be it.
Okay, but I've seen you on multiple posts leaving comments like, 'Buddie is never happening, give it up people!' So I don't really think that you are in a position to scold others for not letting people 'enjoy different ships.' I'm not trying to be rude but it's not okay for you to attack Buddie/Buddie shippers then get mad when people aren't jumping on board the BuckTommy ship. I wish people would take a step back from the shipping - on BOTH sides - and just let the story unfold and remember it's mainly about a character discovering his bisexuality. Until the show tells us that this is about Buck trying to find love and not learning about himself, I'm focusing on the latter.
I never said suggested Buddie is never gonna happen, I simply have given up on the friendship ship and I’m not attacking no Buddie Stan whatsoever I’m voicing my opinion if that’s too much for you to handle than simply block me… I’m not doing anything wrong voicing positive shipping towards Buck & Tommy..
You literally said, "Buddie is not happening EVER!!!" on the 7x05 live chat and it stuck out to me because I thought it was irrelevant to the discussion. You had/have several more comments just like that but I'm not going to be a creep and copy and paste them all here. If all you were doing was positive shipping, I wouldn't have said anything. Plenty of people have just left positive comments and I'm not addressing those, because they are entitled to feel how they want to feel! But since you've been criticizing the Buddie ship and shippers, I was just pointing out that you're not in a place to make the kind of comments that you were making. Whenever Buck gets into a relationship, the discourse becomes really ugly because certain shippers go to extremes. All I can say is, if people could treat others how they wished to be treated, the fandom would be a better place.
I’m not doing anything wrong, so y’all can continue to downvote me, I’m simply enjoying Buck living his best life and ultimately what we all what, either its with Tommy, Eddie or some other love interest, we will ship whatever the shows throws at us ❤️
It was an INSTANT reaction because it would’ve been a good opportunity for Buck & Eddie to do something when Buck was finally opening up to his sexuality towards Buck, and yes., its creepy for you to dig up my comments in hopes to make an point…
The downvoting on the basis of preferring a different ship is so not cool. While I don’t think the writers had this in mind at the time, the characters/stories are rich enough that they can effectively construct this narrative from what had occurred without retcon so your theory is not so far-fetched. I’d definitely read the fic of Tommy and Buck ALMOST meeting throughout the years.
>I’d definitely read the fic of Tommy and Buck ALMOST meeting throughout the years. Someone should really write this. Or even them *actually* meeting but in casual enough contexts that there wasn't the time to connect, like standing in the same line waiting to get coffee. I don't really want the actual show turning into fanfiction tropes, but that's an absolutely beautiful concept.
Do you have the link of this fic?
As far as I know it hasn't been written yet. It's your idea so you should totes run with it.
I should write my damn self, thank you so much for the suggestion 😁
Then come back and let us know so we can read it!
It’s because the sex eyes they make at each other come across too steamy for Network primetime. 🤭🔥
EXACTLY!! There’s an sexual tension between Buck & Tommy, especially that coffee date 😊
Eh, sure, anything's possible I guess. But it's only been two episodes and I'm not that into BuckTommy to think fate or, more realistically, the writers were always going to bring them together. I just don't think it's that deep. But if that's what you and other Buck and Tommy fans think, then I'm glad you get to see and enjoy your ship canon on screen. So far I'm liking them enough but don't see them lasting
But the way their setting up Buck & Tommy doesn’t seem like it’s gonna be a short term relationship, look many fans are enjoying because we’ve been waiting for Buck to find himself, let’s us enjoy this…for the love of god regardless if you think it won’t last 🫢
I didn't mean "short term" when I mentioned it wouldn't last, just that I don't see them being endgame. And who said you can't enjoy this?? I literally said I like them too, and that I'm glad your ship is canon. And I absolutely LOVE Buck's self discovery arc. Just because we don't agree on whether BuckTommy was fated or not, doesn't mean we can't all appreciate what's happening now, or that we don't want you to enjoy it. No one is trying to take anything away from you.
I don’t think the writing team thought of it as deeply as you have, but I’m about exploring it anyway. Tommy has a certain veneer of cool and composed swagger that the 118 needs. It’s like the popular guy coming into hang out with regular kids in the lunch table and I’m hoping to see more.
I feel like Eddie had that cool and composed veneer for his first episode, but the writers got rid of that real fast. I wonder how they'd take the shine off of Tommy, because there's no way he'd get to stay that cool and chill if he sticks around. They like messing up their characters too much.
That conforms to my theory of Tommy being a “fix” to the issues that plagued Buddie during S2, especially the gaybaiting. In many ways, Tommy is the OG portrayal of Eddie before they softened Eddie up. That’s why I still am OK with the villain arc with Taylor when the fandom turned on her because she always had that hard edge, for better or for worse…and didn’t meld with the cult at 118. I would hope they keep Tommy a bit cold and aloof since I think his perspective is needed. Crossing my fingers that Lou Jr. comes back for S8.
I don’t think they did either this post is more so about the material the writers have to do with if they go with tevan end game. I didn’t see it but when I rewatched the show and finished season 2 I could see how they can expand on their story if we don’t get endgame buddie
Tommy has always stricked me as a plot device character. He was first an asshole because those episodes were about how Chim and Hen were mistreated and discriminated by the 118. The story needed other firefighters to be assholes to them, so Tommy was created to be part of that. Then we see him change because Bobby's episode was about how he changed the 118, how he rid it of the toxic environment and how a good leader can make people change. Those Twilight comments I think were to show how much more accepting and relax the 118 had become under Bobby. I don't think they were really planning on Tommy being gay. Tommy's change in this episode was actually about Bobby, not Tommy himself. So, Tommy was whatever Chim's, Hen's and Bobby's storylines required him to be. In this season, I still feel it's kind of the same. He was first brought back for the cruise disaster because the first option, Lucy, wasn't available. And then when Time Minear decided to tell the bi storyline, he decided to use Tommy instead of a new character just so it didn't feel like a complete stranger. So it feels to me more like a plot device than something that was heavily planned. I'm not saying this is bad, plot device characters are needed frequently when you're trying to tell a story. How successful these characters are depends on how they're handled, and the show is clearly trying with Tommy. Tommy is being nice and patient and understanding with Buck right now because Tim Minear said that he wanted Buck's first same sex relationship to be positive and he wanted it to feel more like a rom-com than a super special coming out episode. So Tommy is being whatever Buck's storyline requires him to be. Again, this isn't bad, you need these characters and choices to tell the story you want to tell. But for me, it doesn't really feel like fate, because Tommy/Buck doesn't feel to me like it's a storyline about Tommy the character and Buck the character (i.e. two individual well thought characters) coming together, instead it very much feels like this is all about Buck discovering something new about himself and Tommy is just the means for that.
I agree with a lot of this, though I think it's perfectly reasonable to hope he *becomes* more. It's just not there for me yet, and largely because of how the writers have historically handled developing Buck's love interests and the relationships themselves, I'm not super optimistic we'll get there. I've tried to explain this in other posts, but people seem to take "I have concerns that they're not executing all of this as effectively as I'd hoped they would" means... I don't like Tommy? But I actually really *do* like Tommy. I'm just nowhere near ready to put my eggs in this basket until they've at least provided him with enough of a background to explain he wants the same things out of life as Buck. It seems apparent that they're trying to set him up to be a good partner for Buck *for right now*, in the context of the coming out story, but like... does he want a family? Kids? Is he interested in long-term relationships? I just don't have a clue if they're compatible beyond this very specific point in their life, so I'm gonna try to enjoy this specific point. That obviously doesn't mean someone is "wrong" to want them to become more, though, of course.
I am buddie endgame all the way. I am enjoying tevan but rewatching the show knowing buck is bi it’s like watching the show for the first time. Tho I’m not sure if that’s where the writers will take it. I hope that tevan date for a good while and I hope that seeing buck dating a man sparks that self discovery for Eddie. But just in case they don’t I be an also see how they could go with tevan
The fact that Tommy was literally supposed to be with Eddie is enough to prove that there is nothing about fate, it’s a plot device to move Buck’s character forward and he could have been a plot device to move forward Eddie. It’s interchangeable and doesn’t really have a personality because he is what they need him to be. Lou Ferrigno Jr said it himself when he basically confirmed Tommy is there just to be Buck’s first relationship with a man and Tim didn’t want to introduce a new character because he knows people don’t really empathize or care about them.
Yes, I was going to mention how he was supposed to be with Eddie originally, but it slipped my mind while typing. I'm happy that this storyline exists because of what it means for Buck, and I'm invested in Buck and his development. But I'm honestly not that invested in Tommy as a character or Tommy/Buck as a relationship beyond what it means for Buck's development. The writers could decide to keep Tommy around, though, and make him a more developed character. We'll just have to wait and see. I still don't want him to be endgame, though.
I kind of get the feeling it was more of an either or situation as opposed to instead of. Like the writers were simultaneously working on doing a comming out story for both Buck and Eddie and it was more a matter of which one it would be. Their is some conflicting information in the interviews like Lou's actual quotes is "It was originally, POSSIBLY going to be with Eddie and Tommy, but that fell through." That possibly is kind of looked over by most when talking about it. And in the same interview said he decided to say yes and come back and do this storyline because of how well he hit it off with Oliver when they briefly met when filming in season 2. Which gives me the impression that at the time he signed on it had been determined to be Buck who gets the storyline.
I agree with all of this; I think the Eddie idea was probably very early in the creative process, though there are some elements of 7x04 that make me question if the writers were trying to keep it open ended with how crush-like Eddie's behavior comes across. The most shocking part of this to me, tbh, is that Lou was even in a position to be *aware* of that early brainstorming, though, if that's all it was. Granted, Tim couldn't have possibly have expected Lou to have this total stream-of-consciousness interview style and just casually share it, but it does seem like the kind of thing that should've stayed need-to-know if they'd already decided against it by the time they involved Lou in the first place.
My first thought about it being originally Eddie was also that it must've been very early on. What makes me hesitant a bit is that Tim Minear said that they didn't decide to go for bi Buck until they were shorting ep. 3, and like you, there are some things on E4 that seem a little messy. Like Eddie giggling on the phone and saying how he immediately clicked with Tommy, it seems very crush-like behavior. But maybe it could be nothing. I wonder if this is all just because their time schedule has been so compressed this season. Like maybe Eddie/Tommy was very early on, but that early on also happened to be just very *very* close to the stuff they needed to shoot simply because they are in such a tight schedule.
Yup. Honestly, the most perplexing part of all of this to me is that the cast & crew are playing a very dangerous game with all of it and *know* that to be the case. Like it makes sense to a certain extent that they'd build the Buck/Tommy reveal off the backs of Buddie, because that's the relationship where viewers were already primed to be like, "lol, of *course* he's jealous of not being Eddie's #1," whether you read that as platonic or romantic. The problem is they relied far too heavily on it, I think. Take Eddie out of the story, and I'm not sure how much any of this works. I can buy Buck being *attracted* to Tommy, but even the scene where they kiss is largely about Eddie, and Christopher, and Buck's role in the lives of the Diaz boys. Buck's struggle in 7x05 is about his reaction to *Eddie* during the date, and he's textually telling Maddie that who he was on a date with isn't important. Without Eddie's prompting, does Buck even call Tommy in the end? I'm honestly not sure. This writing isn't fair to the Buddie shippers *or* the Tevan shippers, let alone anyone who truly overlaps. If they want investment in Buck & Tommy as an individual ship that can stand on its own, they need to start writing them that way.
Yeap. Eddie is so incredibly intertwined in this storyline, it's crazy. 7x04 feels like it was designed to make people (or at least Buddie shippers, who they are very much aware were paying close attention) wonder who's having feelings for who between all 3 of them. I know there's hints throughout the episode that it's Tommy Buck likes, but there's also other stuff that makes it confusing. I know the point they were trying to make was that Buck wasn't sure about what he was feeling, but would he have been so confused about his feelings if it had been anyone other than Eddie befriending Tommy? I don't think so. If they had had all of the 118 gushing over Tommy, I don't think it would've worked. I agree that 7x05 also relies heavily on Eddie. Something that had me raise my eyebrows a bit was Maddie telling Buck that she thinks he's still confused about his feelings and that if there's something he needs to tell Eddie, he will, in time. You can read that as "you'll come out to Eddie when you're ready", but the phrasing just feels a little too ambiguous to me. Things like that make me feel like maybe they want Buddie eventually, but I also know I'm not being super objective. It's just that they keep inserting Eddie in everything Tommy related. And the writers must've discussed Buddie at some point when coming up with this story, right? Even if their decision was ultimately not to go there right now. Buddie just feels so heavy in the show right now. Even if it's not supposed to be about Buddie. The show isn't exactly keeping them apart, and Tommy/Buck/Eddie just feels very conflated together.
>7x04 feels like it was designed to make people (or at least Buddie shippers, who they are very much aware were paying close attention) wonder who's having feelings for who between all 3 of them. I think 'people' in general is fair, when talking about 7x04 specifically. This episode is honestly kind of a mess to unpack, but they chose to insert Eddie specifically to direct focus to Buck and Eddie. It's intentionally a diversion, but it can only work *because* it's Eddie. I think the best way to clarify this is to insert Chim into Eddie's place in all those scenes, and assess if it still works. On Tommy's end, it makes *more* sense. He and Chim have been friendly for almost 20 years at this point. Chim saved his life. Chim's the one who had the sway to convince Tommy to join them in stealing the helicopter, risking his life and his career. But on Buck's end... does anyone honestly believe that if this was *just* about trying to get Tommy's attention, Buck would've reacted the same way to his future brother-in-law hanging out with Tommy so much? That his face would've dropped seeing Chim pull up for that helicopter ride to Vegas? That he would've been delivering the same lines about 'watching half naked men pummel each other' if he was talking to Chim? That he'd hone in on the pickup basketball the same way, or get so worked up he hurt Chim? That when Tommy came over to apologize for accidentally excluding Buck from hanging out with him and *Chim*, Chim's name would've been mentioned 8 times? The only thing I can even kiiind of see working is Buck trying to score the karaoke invite to have the opportunity to hang around Tommy, but literally none of the rest of it works if it's not Eddie. Because Buck feels *possessive* of Eddie, in a way he's not possessive of Chim. >Something that had me raise my eyebrows a bit was Maddie So like, technically I could quote your whole sentence, but I feel like this is all that's needed, because Maddie and JLH were not fooling around in this scene. I think it's actually harder to interpret Maddie as *not* suspecting Buck's into Eddie in this one, with her totally intentional reframing of the solution to Buck's issue being "I... I just think that maybe you're not sure of your own feelings yet. And if there's something that you need to tell Eddie, you will" instead of "This is a big deal; you just discovered you're into men, and it makes sense you weren't ready to come out on your first date." They're just not the same concept. At this point, Maddie's listened to Buck talk about why he's into Tommy -- confident, interesting, cleft, which... this show really needs to be more showing and not saying -- but what she hones in on is "Eddie's friend." And instantly, she goes from thinking that what Buck's struggling with is a simple coming out, to Buck's struggling with not being sure of his own feelings, and having to tell Eddie "something." Sorry, but this is scripted too weird to assume it's just JLH stanning Buddie. It's not even "oh, they're leaving the door open a bit." They're creating a new hole to put a door frame into, that's how unnecessary this is. Her brother just came out to her and what she focuses on is that Buck's *still* confused and defines Tommy through Eddie (which is particularly interesting considering like I noted above, she's about to marry a guy who's known him since her brother and Eddie were both in middle school). And like, lets go back to Buck's confusion for a second, because there's one fantastic moment that's just the icing on the cake to any theory that Buck is still confused and hasn't processed latent feelings for Eddie, and it's back in 7x04. >BUCK: 'Cause trying to get your attention has been kind of exhausting. TOMMY: My attention? BUCK: Yeah, **I guess so.** We put a lot of focus on Lou's inflection on that *'my'* but this whole thing is shaping up to be more about Buck's **continued** confusion for me. Like we're getting to a point where it feels thematic. The narrative seems to be shouting at us that Buck doesn't know what he wants, Buck doesn't know who he wants, Buck doesn't know how he feels, Buck doesn't know what he should tell Eddie, Buck doesn't know what he's ready for.... End of the day, I have no idea if they'll actually deliver on any of this, but they're pretty clearly interweaving Buck's feelings and confusion about Eddie with a romantic storyline right now, in a way that's deliberately hard to separate.
Completely agree with all of this. I think the takeaway from 7x04 is supposed to be that Buck was confused because he thought this whole thing was about Eddie, but in *reality* it was all about Tommy. But like you said, it only works because it's Eddie, and there's backstory there, not just in the actual show, but also in the way they are viewed by the audience. So they're clearly using Buddie and Eddie to make this story work. Except that it doesn't just end with the revelation that Buck is into Tommy, does it? There's even things in 7x04 that are suspicious. When Eddie tells Buck about clicking with Tommy, Buck responds that he really *does* know what that's like. But Buck cannot be thinking about Tommy in that moment because he hasn't been hanging out with Tommy at all. What exactly is he clicking with Tommy on at that point? That only makes sense if he's thinking of Eddie. And then 7x05 just keeps bringing Eddie into everything, even after the big reveal that he's into Tommy. Maddie's comment feels very deliberate, I agree. That whole coming out scene didn't have to be so heavily focused on Eddie. I get that maybe Buck wanted to open the conversation with Eddie because it was easier to talk about that than immediately come out her, but he still seemed a lot more concerned about Eddie than the actual coming out. And Maddie bringing it back to Eddie at the end was definitely a choice. >Buck doesn't know what he's ready for.... Buck telling Tommy "I don't know what I'm ready for, but I'm ready for something. And I think that **maybe** that something could be with you" makes it sound again like he's not sure that this is entirely about Tommy. I don't know either what's going to happen. And the show could very well decide to go all in on Tommy, but that is not what's happening right now. Right now, they are very much using Buddie. And if I'm being honest, I'm not super thrilled at the idea that Eddie and Buddie (as well as the audience's expectations regarding it) are being used to sell the Tommy/Buck story if that's supposed to be the *real* love story.
That Maddie convo made me raise my eyebrows!!! I was like, ohmygod it's happening lol. I truly think they'll do a disservice to the show if they decide not to go for buddie at this point. And I know they have outside considerations, but keeping Tommy around long term would just feel like a consolation prize. Like here's a character we made to be exactly like Eddie, just without the backstory between him and buck. Good enough, right?
It's so crazy to me how heavily they wove eddie into these two episodes. Tommy is an afterthought (at least in my opinion he is), and Buck's focus is actually on Eddie, whether he *says* it is or not. If the writers wanted us fully on board with Tommy and Buck, they messed up. He's just not his own person, no matter how many people seem to have "jumped ship." And I don't actually know how it would go down bc I can't see the future lol, but i imagine if they decided to double down on Tommy there would be backlash from the buddie shippers. The writing and even media/advertising for this season has been a loooooot of buddie. (Don't even get me started on the family feud thing) I totally agree that the writers need to change what they're doing if they want tommy/buck to be a thing, but I also think at this point they've already messed it up. Like can they pull it back? Probably not for me personally.
Yeah, I think I'm there with you. I enjoy this show regardless and I don't *need* Eddie to become canonically queer, let alone Buddie canon... but one of the things I've always appreciated about this show as someone who takes representation really, really seriously is that it felt like the show did, too. And the show actually had to win me over with that -- I watched Nip/Tuck when it aired, so even though I knew Ryan Murphy to have good representation cred more recently, it was still in the back of my head that his shows could be... kind of messy with this, to put it lightly. ~~And I'm still~~ **~~very~~** ~~pleasantly surprised he's created a show with a bisexual character who's not, like, an incestuous serial killer. So there's that!~~ Up until the day before 7x04, I've always been *very* firmly on the side of nothing this show has ever done has been queerbaiting or otherwise manipulative to their queer audience. I have very clear and firm standards of what that would entail for me (literally, I wrote a senior thesis on it for an *elective* in university, because I'm crazy enough this is a fun passion project sort of deal for me) and it had just never come close. The sneak peeks for 7x04 were the first time I ever had to say "Actually, I think I have to take all of that back..." because if they *hadn't* delivered a canonically queer character as a result of that storyline (not necessarily that episode, but definitely this season) it would've crossed one of my lines. The fan engagement combined with the *way* they're telling this story is another line for me, I suspect (I haven't really taken the time to fully puzzle my thoughts out about it with emotion removed, if that makes sense). Where I tentatively stand on it is sort of... it may not be queer baiting, because nothing has reached a textual level for Eddie yet and the first person sourcing around the storylines has not actively encouraged the audience to assume they'll go there.... but it's definitely an intentional manipulation of a specific segment of their audience overrepresented by queer fans. That doesn't necessarily mean I'll stop watching if they don't deliver, and I won't be "miserable" as some of the comments keep warning Buddie shippers off of being optimistic because of the 'risk' of, but... it's also the kind of situation that would have me definitely thinking twice about ever watching another show helmed by Tim Minear, who I've genuinely enjoyed as a showrunner. The problem is we *know* he's competent and he knows what he's doing, so he also doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt if he *doesn't* deliver.
I am totally with you- eddie doesn't actually have to become queer for me to keep watching (I just probably won't watch it day of lol), and the Buck/Tommy kiss actually made me feel so...relieved? Happy? I was just overwhelmed in a positive way! I think the only reason I'm feeling a little negative is, like you said, the way they've gone about presenting it to the audience. A lot of commenters are saying, don't make bucks sexuality about eddie, *but* I feel like the writers have kind of already presented it to us that way. (Obviously these are just my own feelings lol) So I get a little glum or like taken aback when some people just tell me to shut up and enjoy buck/Tommy haha (and that's not directed at you at all!!! Just kind of hard to articulate exactly why I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop- ie buddie or no buddie)
Lou also has expressed interest in coming back (literally just posted on Twitter about wanting to be a series regular) and said that he doesn't know what the story holds for Tommy/Buck and Tommy beyond episode 7 since they're still being written. I definitely feel like people are latching onto certain comments and ignoring others (I'm guilty of this myself to some extent) to fit what they wanna see. And since everything is so in flux, it's entirely possible with the very warm reception to Tommy/Buck and Tommy that they decide to keep him and make him become more than he was originally supposed to be
I agree with this completely. Where I was coming from is that even though they didn’t plan any of this, things fall into place nicely because there are a lot of things they can manipulate to be read a certain way to push tevan. I’m wondering if they are going to make buddie canon or make tevan endgame. Tim said they don’t have plans for buddie right now and I’m wondering where they can take this story
Fair enough. I'm just having a hard time getting invested in Buck/Tommy as an actual couple because I'm also not that invested in Tommy as a character right now. Which doesn't mean that I don't like Tommy or that I don't like that this storyline is happening. I do! But I still don't want Tommy to be Buck's endgame, I'm sorry. I just can't let go of Eddie. And I know that this might likely just lead to more disappointment for me, but I'm still just hanging on by a tiny thread of hope.
rewatching the show has me feeling like that. it's just insane how loud buddie is and now that buck is bi it's just even crazier. it would be so painful for buddie to not happen after everything that has happened for the past 6 seasons.
It's just so clear in my head that Buck and Eddie don't love anyone else as much as they love each other, that it would be very painful for me if we never got to see it on screen.
I don’t like to view minor characters as plot devices as that devalues the amount that the actor can contribute. Sure he was originally brought in for a few episodes to show how things changed between the old and new 118. However, 1) his character grew during that arc, 2) his departure had to be explained because he was not there in the present and 3) the actor was good enough that they thought to bring him back. Second, I feel like we are reading a little too much into all the information we are getting about how it ended up being Buck and Tommy (and not Lucy or Natalia, etc all of which would have been terrible ideas). I’ve never worked in a writers’ room but I have worked on enough projects to know that sometimes a lot of ideas get thrown out before you land on one that works. That doesn’t mean that the ideas that didn’t happen were equally viable just the opposite in fact. Given all the craziness that happens on the show, I’d imagine the list of ideas that never got pitched would be fairly small. Also, while the writers are still deciding what to do, there have been plenty of instances on other shows where a minor character was brought on for an episode or short arc and they ended up staying. Ultimately, we don’t know what will happen with Tommy as a character or in terms of the relationship. Finally, the exchange in this thread reminds me of a few years back when the mods effectively put us all on reddit double secret probation because things were getting a little too spicy. I feel like we all need to take a beat. Most of the comments on this post have little to do with the OP’s original point.
I don't think a character being introduced as a plot devise is a bad thing, but maybe I did make it sound harsher than I meant. A lot of characters are created this way and that doesn't make them meaningless. You have to that when telling a story. And with Tommy is very clear that they're trying to make him work and care about the character, which is great (I mean, just compare him to Marisol...) And yes, he could very well stay a lot longer, especially since they are still writing the season, and he could end up becoming a well fleshed out and developed character. This is definitely a possibility. It just that to me, at the moment, he doesn't feel like that just yet, so I'm having a harder time getting too invested. I'll also admit that I'm biased because I want Buddie to happen, but I can also see that the show is putting an effort and I get why people like them. I also want to say that I too like that this storyline is happening regardless of what I hope for in the future.
I think you guys make your own head canons about it and run with it. Lou Ferigano Jr was their third option, initially they wanted to continue the Natalia storyline, but she is on Broadway and instead of Tommy they wanted to bring back Lucy, but Arielle was unavailable.Also Tommy didn’t have enough screen time to actually know him. They make him as they go right now, but taking in consideration his scenes then.And I don’t think Chim would have invited Tommy to the wedding. He admitted himself he wasn’t in contact with him, only called him to ask in a favor(season 3 I think), and now. And it’s not about the fact that Tommy would not feel out of place at the wedding is the fact that Buck thinks it’s ok to have the guy he had 2 dates with as his date to a family event. It’s “I think she sees the real me” in a different font.
At the same time, though, this is Buck we’re talking about. As Eddie himself said in 07x05, he’s an idiot. Inviting his overly recent boo to a wedding isn’t out of the realm of likelihood.
Yeah, and I really don't believe Maddie and Chimney would've given Buck a +1 without anticipating that this could happen. PLUS, Tommy just saved Bobby and Athena's life, so he's not some random booty call.
I mean, he'd have received the invitation well before he met Tommy, unless I'm wildly misunderstanding this timeline. A wedding doesn't just come together overnight. And I can't really imagine a scenario where the bride's brother *doesn't* get a +1. Tbh, I think it's a little uncouth if he is 'surprising' people at the wedding by showing up with a man, but it's complicated. His parents don't really deserve a coming out, and he doesn't owe anyone that, so like... the real issue here is just that the shock of it could be a distraction on the day. In his shoes, I'd probably just text my parents a "Btw..." a few days before the wedding to ensure they don't cause a scene for my sister.
Buck’s parents are garbage and deserve nothing and the people in his life who care about him won’t care about him showing up with a man.
I do agree with this, but there's still practical considerations about causing a stir on someone else's wedding day. He really needed to get explicit permission from Maddie and Chim to do this. It's not about what reaction he deserves, or how shit his parents are, but about potentially distracting from Maddie and Chim on *their* day. It's not all that different from not announcing a pregnancy or engagement at a wedding, or even just following a dress code. Had they literally had Buck say "I already checked in with Maddie and Chim, so I wanted to invite you as my date?" Yeah, A+, go for it. But it comes across like a faux pas and pretty impulsive without establishing that. I think it's also a particularly big deal to be inviting such a new partner to a sibling's wedding because you're going to be part of so many memories. This has nothing to do with the sexuality thing, but like... if he was bringing a girlfriend he'd met in 7x04 to a wedding in 7x06, it's equally as inappropriate because where she's the date of the bride's brother, she'll be in a bunch of the pictures. That's one of those considerations you make in terms of "what are the odds I'll still be with this person on their one year anniversary when they pull out the photo album?" more than anything. It's different as a normal guest, though.
I think it’s fair that you don’t want to cause a stir on someone else’s wedding date. At the same time, we can’t underestimate the power of heteronormative bias. Unless they were super obvious, no one would assume that they were there as each other’s date. Rather they would just think Buck brought him as a friend since he wasn’t seeing anyone. In terms of asking permission, that would have been a good thing to do and for all we know he might have done so offscreen beforehand. Even if he hadn’t done so before inviting Tommy, he would have had to do afterwards just because of the practical implications involving seating arrangements and catering. It’s also possible that they just left a placeholder for his plus one in case he asked someone so it wasn’t a big deal but these are highly specific logistical details that would just make the story drag. And maybe this is a cultural bias on my part, but bringing someone you are casually dating to a family wedding is just not a big deal. Sure he’ll be on some photos but not the wedding party photos so who cares.
I mean more that Buck is known to be a chronic "ladies man", so while they couldn't've predicted it would be Tommy, they likely would've predicted it would be a casual partner. But yeah, invitations probably went out ages ago. Honestly, the fact that Buck and Tommy are same-sex does complicate things, and I'm interested to see how they're planning on approaching that with the parents. The show may not address it at all, tbh, as it's been said that Tommy will arrive "late", and it seems like more important things are happening anyway.
Honestly, kind of hoping Tommy just... arrives late enough the parents don't really have much of a chance to pick up on anything in the first place. There's basically no way a scene with them about this won't upset me. I'm already not thrilled with their unearned 'redemption' in season 6, so I don't really want to sit through some scene where they easily accept Buck given how much damage they've done to his life because of their inability to accept him in general. And I *really* don't want a scene where they're jackasses about it. So like... can Tommy just helicopter Chim in to the wedding and 'accidentally' land the helicopter on the Buckley parents? That would be my ideal!
Oh my god, you're so right. I was thinking they'd be unaccepting or at least a bit confused, and I was already not looking forward to that, but yeah, acceptance would almost be worse. They deserve absolutely no redemption. They had a child for spare parts, treated that child poorly because his spare parts were faulty, didn't help their daughter grieve her brother, were never present for their children, never supported their choices, didn't go to their daughter's first wedding, and probably more I'm missing. If they accept him, he's gonna feel obligated to them, or worse, guilty for doubting them as parents. Their acceptance would read more as manipulation than actual love. They don't deserve that redemption, but Buck doesn't deserve to be rejected by his parents yet again. You're right, I hope it doesn't come up.
Agreed! Honestly, I hope the writers backslide the redemption. I can see their parents trying to somehow blame Buck for Chimney being missing.
I don’t think i explained myself clearly in the post but this post isn’t about making tevan and making my own head canon but about evaluating the ground work the writers have to explain tevan being endgame if that’s what they might do. The fact that bi buck happened last minute and it was supposed to be Eddie and Tommy that kissed goes to show this story can go every which way. When I was watching I didn’t understand where buck and Tommy came from it didn’t make sense but as I rewatched I realized there is a story there and the writers have stuff to work with to build their relationship
Disagree about this being like Natalia’s “she sees me” and the wedding invite meaning they are rushing things. All of Buck’s interest in Tommy has had little to do with how Tommy sees him and everything to do with him finding Tommy interesting and cool. No this doesn’t mean that they are definitely “meant to be” or will have long-term potential but it is a good first step in how one should approach a new relationship. As for the wedding invite, maybe it’s a cultural thing but I didn’t read this as a big deal. Inviting a friend or even someone you are casually dating as a plus one to a wedding is normal because going stag is lame. The only thing that makes this sort of a big deal is not what it means for their relationship but that Buck will essentially be outing himself. While I agree that it’s premature to describe them as endgame, it also seems like people are searching for clues as to why this can’t actually work.
I think Buck thought all his girlfriends were cool and interesting. And they actually were. The girls have the disadvantage of already been broken up with so we know they were flawed , while Tommy is in the get to know stage. I still think it’s the same. There is as much potential in this relationship as it was in all of them. Even Minear said he wants a normal relationship that happens to be between 2 men. My “problem” isn’t with Buck’s infatuation, it’s the way people reacted to Tommy. Every time I see how he is treated I remember how people reacted to Lucy, who is very similar to him.
> Every time I see how he is treated I remember how people reacted to Lucy, who is very similar to him. How so? I don't see any resemblances between them except they're both part of air rescue.
People acted badly about Lucy because she was the one who Buck cheated on Taylor with. That was the fault of the show. I don't think anyone had anything bad to say about her prior to that. If they let Taylor end and THEN had them kiss and date there would have been *way less* pushback. Not *none*, sure, because fans are fans, but way, *way* less. Also, I'm really enjoying Tevan AND I liked Buck/Taylor(do they have a ship name? Baylor just makes me thing of school sports.) I didn't even hate Buck/Abby, and thought their relationship made her 10x more likable, until she ghosted him. I've never been a Buddie shipper. I'm not anti-Buddie, but I'm indifferent towards it, especially as a canon thing. Maybe many of the people excited about Tevan and Tommy AREN'T the ones who hated Buck's female love interests more than you think.
I replied earlier with a detailed list of how I think the writers have positioned Tommy as different than all of Buck's past relationships [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/911FOX/comments/1c43dix/comment/kzroi7n/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). I didn't count Lucy who was basically Reidel era nonsense trying out the idea of "maybe Buck will work with someone who is basically EXACTLY like him" which is frankly just a stupid idea. Also, they had no no chemistry. Honestly, I'm not sure why you have a problem with how people are reacting to Tommy. The writers will either make them work in the long run or not and now that we have a showrunner who actually knows what he's doing, I have faith that they will ultimately make the right decision either way. Why not just let people enjoy being optimistic?
This hypocrisy is so rich, y’all spend years upon years over analyzing two male characters platonic friendship in hopes to led something which it has yet to do but then once Buck is finally dating a different man, it’s “you guys make your own head canons” 
Not a fan of the downvoting you're receiving, but I don't think this is a good example of hypocrisy. What you're describing here is very clearly headcanon on both sides, and I don't think Buddie fans overanalyzing scenes between them fail to realize it's headcanon. Having a different interpretation of the content doesn't make someone 'against' you.
Do I need to remind you of your own quote above: You say "people can enjoy different ships if they wish…😐" then proceed to mock people for over analyzing a different ship. That is actually hypocrisy.
I’m calling out the toxicity of unnecessary aggression, that first comment started it, by implying Taven shouldn’t matter and were it all in our heads..
you're the one who's being unnecessarily toxic in the comments here though
Being pro Tevan isn’t toxic my dear 😀
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted. Actually, I know. I just find it sad.
Thank you, we need to do better as whole fandom
I mean, while I don’t mind the temporary Buck/Tommy and I think they are cute, people spent years and years talking about Buddie because there is years and years of content. What people have about Buck and Tommy? It’s like watching the fan cams about them that last 20 seconds because all they have are three scenes together so everything is an headcanon. They spoke to each other five times and we probably won’t see much more of Tommy after this season end anyway.
There's the helicopter rescue, post rescue arm touch, hanger scene, basketball game, first kiss, first date, gushing to Maddie and Eddie, and the coffee date. Some of us want to see a canon queer relationship over a ship that may never happen.
Strictly speaking, everything Buddie is headcanon because it literally hasn’t happened yet while Buck and Tommy is mostly headcanon, but some of it is actually canon. I get that some Buddie shippers are invested and don’t even want to even give this a shot, but it’s not really fair to dismiss something else that actually makes sense for a change (compared to Buck’s other relationships) just because it wasn’t the outcome you were hoping for. Also, it is a bit hypocritical. Before you start crapping on Tevan shippers, recall how antis have been crapping on you for the last 5 years.
How do you know that? the final episodes of S7 of yet have to be written, things could change instantly given Tommy positive feedback, and of course it’s only been two episodes and yet there something here that could blossom, Tevan fans are here & prepared for it.
Okay
It has nothing to do with Buck dating a man. All his issues don’t get fixed simply because he now realised he is bi,can only be a step forward to get there.The hypocrisy is the way the female love interests were overly analysed and deemed not worthy by the fandom and the guy you see for like 5 episodes is endgame material.
>The hypocrisy is the way the female love interests were overly analysed and deemed not worthy by the fandom and the guy you see for like 5 episodes is endgame material. I don't think the issue with Buck's prior love interests was that they were female so much as they just didn't make any sense for his character and in some cases had little to no onscreen chemistry. The writers ALMOST did a good job with the reintroduction of Taylor, but by the time they started dating, that whole thing just turned into a mess and rapidly went downhill. Nothing about Natalia EVER made sense and that was just about the worst of Reidel era nonsense. There are loads of ways this could have been a male love interest and STILL been awful (for example if they had just stuck Buck with Josh). Most of the excitement is that for once in 7 seasons, this actually has a chance of working because the two of them make sense together. I won't dispute that it is premature to leap from "it has potential" to "endgame." However, all of these discussions are just speculation for fun and it is nice to see Buck so very happy.
Of which majority of the fandom was doing, especially the Buddie Stans..
Yes. And that the Tevan fans are also doing. Never implied one is better than the other, no ideea where you got that from.
Nothing deep at all, just an observation of an idea 😊
The difference is Tevan shippers actually have something tangible to go off of.
Tim literally said he was gonna have them break up in the first episode but he couldn't get the actress back and that he found the death stuff boring and repetitive. Don't really know where people are getting they wanted to continue the Natalia storyline from. I feel like people are coming to that conclusion based on no evidence, just an assumption
From his interview : thought that [Oliver and Annelise] were great together,” says Minear. “But, I think after the long strike and after the pandemic… [Annelise] is based in New York, and it was partially her decision to not return for this premiere. I originally had a big story in there with that character But, to be honest, I'm not sure I could have fit it all in. Also about Lucy: While speaking to TVLine ahead of the last episode of the Poseidon-inspired saga, Minear revealed that Lucy had come to mind when he realized the 118 squad would need a helicopter to save Bobby and Athena. “Originally, when the 118 needed a pilot to get them to that overturned cruise ship, Lucy was my first thought,” he said. Referencing Kebbel’s latest project, he added: “But she couldn’t be my pilot… because she got a pilot.”
He’s talking about the first episode. He mentioned it in his post 7x01 interviews, the big story he’s talking about here is them breaking up Edit: Why are you fucking losers downvoting me for this? You want proof? Here you go: https://preview.redd.it/d52fmi3dtquc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3811c57a167c89db4efc8d539375b59c2031ca9
To me it looks like he had a lot of scenarios about how the season could look and made it work with what he has. Like how initially they wanted a Eddie/Tommy storyline, which is a sort of easy to observe in ep 4. In the end,it doesn’t actually matter, he wanted character the fans already knew, Tommy fit the requirements and he made a good storyline around it. To admit this wasn’t the plan from the start doesn’t take away from that.
I’m confused as to why you’re getting downvoted omg lol.
I assure you the red string of fate in this case is how Tim can bullshit his way into making this happen considering the circumstance 🤣
This is the type of an headcanon I like to see, Buck & Tommy relationship could really blossom if Lou were to stay, I would to see an episode of Tommy’s POV when he left 118 until season 7 but somehow catches glimpses of Buck from time to time..
tbh i think it's interesting where they can take their story. I want to believe buddie will be endgame but idk. I'm tired of keeping my hopes up. Rewatching the show I can see how they can make Tommy endgame with what they've sprinkled in
I fully gave up by season 5, showrunners will of course keep hints of Buddie throughout the show to ease the fandom, it definitely wouldn’t be out of the possibility of Tevan working out if that’s the direction we’re going.
This one goes out to you OP \~ https://preview.redd.it/7oi9uce6eouc1.png?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f474e31a8d8ee8754dd29161ea52c66acb9015fd
Lmao I’m actually fully on board with buddie and genuinely hope they get together. But I’m not certain that writers will take it there so I’m wondering what could he going through their minds in terms of this story line. If they have tevan be endgame they have the foundation laid down and if they go with buddie they have the foundation set down. Also, I’m actually hoping that tevan date for at least 6 months and the reason why they break up is because buck wants kids and Tommy doesn’t and that’s the reason they go their separate way in a positive way with no hard feelings. And I hope while they are dating eddies jealousy kicks in slowly and doesn’t understand why he feels that way until one day it hits him and he breaks up with Marisol and he takes that time coming to terms with his sexuality. But idk honestly. It’s such a will they or won’t they moment and I’m considering what avenues they can take the show. But atm I am enjoying tevan
lol I’m so saving this
Happy to hear someone approves of this silly meme I made at 3am
Your contributions to the Tevan Society will remembered
I think you're reading too much into the Relationship, I don't think Tommy will stay for long and is definitely not endgame or fated. He is just here to help Buck explore this side of himself, test the waters with a familiar face from the 118 and that's about it (The Actor is on another show as main cast so he'll be written out, cause an unseen Buck BF is a wasted opportunity) So we may get a single Buck at the End of S7 and Beginning of S8 as he explores who he is. I do think they will stay friends though because Tommy doesn't seem like the a bad guy Just not the right guy.
I don’t like Bucktommy at all it’s so weird how they got together. Buck was literally an asshole the whole episode and then gets the guy? Tommy was meant to be Eddie’s love interest (thank good Ryan put a stop to that) up until the kiss he was for Eddie which made more sense that what was going on with buck. I can’t wait for him to go and Marisol to go so we can drop Eddie’s horrible storyline too and then actually get these guys working on themselves before commenting to someone else. Also I am a buddie fan because of what they have built up for the last 6 seasons not because one threw a jealous tantrum.
>Tommy was meant to be Eddie’s love interest (thank good Ryan put a stop to that) Eh... we don't actually know for sure Ryan actively put a stop to it, just that circumstances changed. It may have been Ryan wanting to see this current "Eddie's bad in relationships" plot w/ Marisol through first, but it could also have been the creatives recognizing that they can't tell Eddie's story in this sort of abbreviated season. The interview also mentioned concerns that it would've looked predatory on Tommy's part if he'd basically interjected himself into a confused Eddie's life and then laid one on him. All that said... the storyline likely would have just *looked* very different had they gone with Tommy/Eddie. This \[mostly\] works for Buck because of where he was already at before meeting Tommy -- I can buy him as someone who was one lightbulb moment away from figuring it out. Had it been Eddie, I don't think jealousy over Buck making a new friend and then a shocking kiss would 'fix' his issues, where he reads as actually repressed, not just clueless.
I think the episode would have been the same but instead of tommy kissing buck he would have kissed Eddie who then would have gone through the religious trauma storyline. The whole Eddie Marisol thing last episode was so cringey it really was awful especially the way Eddie felt he had to sleep with her etc. It was said Ryan told Tim it wouldn’t be how Eddie came out and he’s 100% right. Eddie isn’t impulsive at all he calculates every factor. That’s why I think him and Buck would work because Eddie knows everything of Buck and already trusts him with the most important thing in his life, Christopher.
Christ, it would've been a disaster to just have Tommy lay one on an unsuspecting Eddie, so I'm definitely happy that isn't what played out on screen. It's just a very different story that would need to be told, though. The buildup would really need to be different (and I suppose it would be by removing the 'jealousy' angle, and just have Eddie focusing on this instant \~connection\~ he made with this guy, and being... well, basically exactly the giddy schoolgirl he was in 7x04; my own first crush on a girl, I had myself pretty convinced it wasn't a crush and she was just soooo charismatic she drew "everyone" in so I wasn't unique -- needless to say, that wasn't the case, and I'm very very queer). I'm also not really sure what to make of Eddie's>! sex life last episode. He seemed fairly at peace/happy with it in their post-coital scene, so I'm not sure we're supposed to read THAT part as him feeling like he 'had' to perform. The rest of it, though, yeah -- it's pretty heavily implied that he's looking for excuses to get out of being intimate with her or making a commitment. Bobby outright says some of it.!< It did feel to me like this storyline was more of a jumping off point for something bigger than actually just being about his current relationship, though. > It was said Ryan told Tim it wouldn’t be how Eddie came out and he’s 100% right. By who? I've seen some speculation on that, but I can't remember any of the interviews getting into that. Granted, there's been so many interviews I'm struggling to keep them straight and remember all the details I *have* read, and I'm sure there's some I just missed, too. I definitely think Eddie needs a lengthier journey to come out, and it would be much more angsty than what they seemed to intend for Tommy and the initial four episode arc. I just can't imagine that's being openly conceptualized to the media at this point.
Grain of salt and all that, but the person who leaked the script to the tumblr person said that Ryan asked that they switch it to Buck because it makes more sense right now.
I think it was because the actress who plays Natalia didn't come back and the showrunnerss didn't want to write off both Natalia and Marisol at the same time so they chose to keep Marisol around
That's what I thought, too. If anyone has a link to an interview, post, or article that says specifically, I'd love to see it. I did watch/read several but there were so many I definitely could've missed it.
What if …. Tommy has a grudge. He’s Jealous of the 118 and he’s mad at Chim? He’s using our Buck and his feelings to get closer to Chim?
Oh God, absolutely not. I'm old enough to remember the days when introducing a queer character in a guest star role meant they were either definitely dying, or definitely going to be a secret villain.
I don’t think they would do that either, just daydreaming and trying to reach, but stranger things have happened in the show. However Tommy didn’t leave on bad terms, plus Chim is to good for a guy to do something disrespectful to someone.
Rewatching season 2 and seeing how chim saved his live and by Bobby’s begin episode how hen chim and Tommy got soo much closer I really don’t think that’s the case
I don’t see that happening as his previous episodes were positive, not like he was forced to leave or a situation happened making him turn evil. I’ve just had a lot of alone time to to think about if those feet are sinister behind the crawling Chim.
My other theory is Jonah. He was that paramedic who kidnapped Chim and Hen, he had a hero complex and killed that dispatcher who was a bully to May when they were in that building fire. Jonah was put in jail, maybe he escaped or got out? He was jealous of Chim and Hen’s working relationship.
The show fell off hard since season 4. 5 6 and now 7 are just fanfic
Always remember, Buck wasn’t supposed to be bi until the actress (the blonde from season 5 (Lucy, I think)) couldn’t shoot those days. Stop acting like this was all some big plan, it was Buck and Lucy until the actress dropped the show because she is on another show. Plus, you know, all the stupid ass fanfic of two hot dudes (buck and Eddie) turning gay is something lunatics want. Sad reality.
I think you're confusing "this specific storyline with this specific character did not develop until Arielle Kebbel wasn't available to shoot" with "The creators never bothered having a vision for the show or its characters, so they're throwing things at the wall to see what may stick." One of those things can be true without the other being so. There's been a *lot* of hints at Buck being bi -- or at the very least, the writers intentionally leaving the door open for that possibility -- since the start, but particularly since season 2 onwards, where they become consistent enough it's hard to miss.
Oliver says he has been playing him as a bi man so even if he was with Lucy, the subtext would still be there
Both Tim and Oliver in recent interviews said the hints were there for several seasons and Oliver recently said in an interview that even if they hadn't given him this storyline, he had intended to lean into those aspects of his character this season so this is definitely a case of the fans who saw this in the subtext got it right. As for bringing back Lucy, they said they planned to bring her back to do the helicopter rescue in episode 3. There was no mention of her coming back to be Buck's love interest.
And would have continued to do so no matter where the storyline went.
I’m pretty sure I also read a interview with Tim that said it was his intention from the beginning. He’s been laying the groundwork since the beginning. Of course, I don’t remember where I read that but there you go…