[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 5 “You Don’t Know Me.”]
Buck (Oliver Stark) and Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) may get off to a rough start in the latest 9-1-1 episode, but they do seem to be back on track by the end of it–and moving in the right direction!
Their dinner is interrupted when Eddie (Ryan Guzman) and Marisol (Edy Ganem) happen to be at the same restaurant, and Buck lies about why he and Tommy are there together. After that, Tommy cuts the night short because while he thinks Evan’s adorable, he doesn’t think he’s ready. But Buck does eventually admit to his best friend—after telling his sister Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt)—that he and Tommy were on a date. And after Buck admits that he can’t stop thinking about Tommy and Eddie urges him to call him, the two meet for coffee.
It’s then that Buck apologizes for this behavior on their date and Tommy assures him that he only left because he didn’t want to pressure him. Buck says he’s ready for something, which he thinks could be with Tommy, who reminds him he knows he’s interested. With that, Buck invites him to be his date at his sister’s wedding; he knows half the people there, and she wants to meet him. Yes, he’s sure.
Disney / Chris Willard
Below, Ferrigno Jr. talks about returning to 9-1-1, Buck and Tommy’s relationship, what’s coming up in the wedding episode, and more. (For more about the wedding episode, including the tease for it at the end of “You Don’t Know Me,” read here.)
Talk about coming back to the show and talking to Tim Minear about the arc, from Tommy going to help the 118 save Bobby (Peter Krause) and Athena (Angela Bassett) to, by the way, he’s sticking around and he’s Buck’s new love interest.
Lou Ferrigno Jr.: Considering it’s an interesting storyline, at first I had my own apprehensions, but then based on what he wanted to create and where his character has basically gone so far, I thought about it and I just realized that this is such a wonderful way to—it’s so novel, I feel, and it shouldn’t be in TV. I’m just so thrilled that he gave me the chance to be in that light. This was the first same-sex role for me, but just by the response of the fans, this is bigger than all of us. So I’m just really thrilled to be a part of it. And it evolved. The job was contingent on knowing that there’s going to be a romantic moment, and I just stayed the course. I had faith in Tim. I knew Oliver briefly during my flashback episodes when we would meet on set, and I felt comfortable that he would be a competent actor to do that with. And from what everyone has written and seen, I guess it’s played out really well.
What do you enjoy most about playing Tommy now? There’s a confidence in him that we didn’t see before, which is easily explained by what he tells Buck on the date about not lying to himself once he transferred.
We never really got to meet Tommy before. He came around with Hen and Chimney, he started to warm up, and then by ‘Bobby Begins,’ he was part of the crew. And then that’s where the story kind of ended. But Tommy’s very confident and in speaking with Tim Minear, he wanted to model him—and it’s weird even saying it—after me because he said he wanted to be the high school football jock that would stick up for the nerdy kid. And that’s exactly who I have been, who I always was. And even during filming, Kenny Choi happened to share some videos of me doing impressions and me hanging out, and that kind of lent Tim to have the faith to say, “Just do you, just be you. Don’t try to play gay, don’t try to play at [that storyline]. Just be you. Be the fun-loving you.” And so the cut that you guys saw was really towards the end and me just kind of being open and free with the performance.
Being someone’s date to their sister’s wedding is a big step to be taking, I feel like, at this point.
Is it?
Disney / Chris Willard
It can be, although Tommy does know the people, which I think does help, right?
Yeah. I mean, Chimney’s one of his good friends. He saved Tommy’s life. He would do anything for Chimney. Tommy just missed that boat of being in the 118 when it became this tremendous unit. Tommy and Eddie hit it off. Lou and Ryan hit it off. I love Ryan—and I love Oliver, too. I think with Eddie, he sees a real kinship and a real brotherhood. And I don’t think it’s anything predatory. I don’t think it’s anything that he’s trying to score by any means. There’s a sensitivity to Evan that he really admires. And I think that along the line there could have been some resentment because he just slipped right in there when it started to get real good, and Captain Gerrard was out and Bobby comes in, but he let that slide with a lot of things in his life.
Tommy’s very clear on who he is. He’s a man who works with his hands and he has interests just like everybody else that are unique to him, and his confidence comes from just being fully grounded in understanding who he is and how he functions.
What is Tommy looking for right now in terms of a relationship? Is he looking at just what happens with Buck? Is he looking at something long-term?
Tommy’s looking for love, okay? Just like all of us, he’s looking for love.
I’ve read some of the comments on Twitter and whatnot, and it’s like, people want Buck and Eddie to become a thing, but life happens. It is a beautiful way, and I think that Tim is genius because he’s totally subverted everybody with The Bachelor and I think bringing me on [for this arc]. But I just think it’s been great and I am just thrilled. I’m so excited that people are seeing this and they’re responding and it’s connecting with people and I just love it.
Tommy is Buck’s date at the wedding. What can you preview about how that’s going to go?
All I’m going to say are two words: so cute. Just as this is unconventional, that’s going to be unconventional. And do we really want just another same old, this happens here? Everything has its own spin, its 9-1-1 spin. And I think the wedding and all that will reflect that.
What else can you say about what’s coming up with Tommy and Buck in general?
Some sweaty palms, some cold feet. … The coffee shop scene was sweet, wasn’t it?
It was!
Oliver’s such a great actor. I am confident in my abilities, but this was a challenge. But Oliver was so just generous and just so skilled as an actor that it made everything just more interesting.
Fans are enjoying this and it seems like more people are discovering the show now because of this relationship.
Really? … Have you ever come across watching a situation, a relationship like this similar to Tommy? Because I couldn’t think of one. … I’ve auditioned for characters that were gay, but this seems to really have struck a chord with a lot of things. And just the way Tim played it out, Lucy was going to come back, but why not have this left-field zinger of a what? I’m watching these reaction videos and there’s a nice crescendo when we’re talking and then when people are like, they’re going to kiss. Oh my God. And then it worked.
Can you say how much more we’re going to see of you this season, and if we could see you next season since the show has been renewed?
Yeah, that was a surprise. I didn’t think it would come mid-season before this episode. I was anticipating it, and I had my own concerns. It could have been complete vitriol against Tommy. Sometimes things work, sometimes things don’t. The wedding will be 706. And as far as I know, Tommy will be busy flying helicopters somewhere until he gets a call back from the 118.
Tommy has to meet Maddie, which I’m assuming coming in the wedding episode. Is there anything you can tease about that?
It goes great. The first moment Maddie and Tommy make eye contact is at the wedding, and there’s a lot going on that it’s one of those, “Oh, hey, okay.” So I think that’s my favorite scene for the entirety of this season thus far. It’s so great. It is such a beautiful button.
Episode 705 ends with a tease of the wedding but Chimney’s whereabouts are unknown. Is Tommy part of that at all?
I’ll tell you this: Tommy has a purpose and his purpose in life is to save lives, is to fight fires, and to rescue kittens when need be. … Tommy’s an active firefighter, so he’s still on call. When he was with Buck in that scene, he had to go on a call. So there’s going to be a lot of, I think, rocky platforms. I think the end of 706 clarifies a few things.
9-1-1, Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC