9-1-1 star Oliver Stark shares his thoughts on a slow-burn relationship in Buck’s life and offers his hopes. Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley and his romance with Tommy Kinard (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) has so far played out in the background of 9-1-1 season 8. However, Stark has promised that Tommy will come to the fore in episodes 5 and 6, after which the status of their relationship will be clarified, with new episodes airing Thursdays at 8 PM ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Hulu.

In an interview with Screen Rant‘s Rachel Foertsch, Stark reflected on Buck’s habit of falling quickly into romantic relationships and whether he’d favor a slower approach, including, potentially, with Ryan Guzman’s Eddie Diaz. In response, Stark agrees that “the best relationships are ones that have a slow burn element.” Read the exchange below:

Screen Rant : You mentioned about a season ago that it’s been pretty smooth sailing for Buck in terms of, he has a crush on someone, and he ends up dating them shortly after, and you’d like that to be drawn out a little bit more. Is that still something you’d like to see? More of a slow burn development? It could apply to Eddie, but, really, just in general.

Oliver Stark : Yeah, listen, I think the best relationships are ones that have a slow burn element. I want there to be some longing involved. I want there to be some will they/won’t they. So yeah, absolutely. I think that is a key element in forming a new relationship from a TV show perspective. I want there to be some uncertainty for the audience. As the characters are experiencing that kind of longing for each other, I want the audience to be longing for it as well. So absolutely. I think that’s an important element.

What Stark’s Comments Could Mean For Buck

It’s Something That Buck Has Never Really Experienced On-Screen

Heading into 9-1-1 season 9, which is so far unconfirmed, Buck’s relationships have tended to fall apart for one reason or another. Although the specifics tend to differ, a common thread that can be pulled on is that Buck does rush into things, only realizing later that he and his partner may differ fundamentally when it comes to where they are in life and what they want. This happened most prominently with Abby Clark (Connie Britton) early on in 9-1-1, but also occurred with his other pairups.

Reading between the lines of Stark’s comments to Screen Rant, it could happen again with Tommy. Stark previews that Tommy will be “a little bit weirded out by some things going on with Buck” and adds that “in episode 6, there’s a lot of clarity on where their relationship is at and a lot of truths learned about each other.” That could mean that they will go through a rough patch. Or, alternatively, that Stark’s ideal slow burn is still a possibility.

Our Take On Stark’s Slow Burn Hopes For Buck

There’s Only One Person For The Job

Although it’s spoken with a bit of self-aware playfulness, considering how long the pairing has been a favorite among fans, Eddie is an ideal candidate to have that slow-burn relationship with Buck. They’ve been friends since Eddie was introduced in the series during 9-1-1 season 2, with Buck becoming another parent to Eddie’s son Christopher (Gavin McHugh). The slow burn, in this case, has already been happening for several seasons.

It’s not just that the history is there, or that Stark and Guzman have an easy chemistry that makes their scenes fun to watch. It’s also that the story would be novel. In the realm of television, where pairings are decided early on, with only little room for variation, it would be rare for 9-1-1 to explore what happens when two platonic friends decide to make the jump into something more. That rarity is only increased, given the history that’s already there and what it would mean for Buck and Eddie to grapple with it.