9-1-1 season 2, episode 8 recap: Buck, Actually

It may not be Valentine’s Day just yet, but love is the theme of this week’s episode of 9-1-1.

9-1-1 goes all in with the feels as Buck embraces single life (although most opted to say that he’s been single for months), and tries to be a better man, a Buck 2.0. It hasn’t been easy for Buck who has been clinging onto Abby and the idea of her, but after finally moving out of her apartment and temporarily bunking with Chimney, Buck is finally ready to try and date like a gentleman.

He decides to go to the bar with Chimney, and while he momentarily succeeds at brushing off the attention of a woman looking at him seductively, it doesn’t last too long. But before his bar bathroom sex with Taylor Kelly (yes, the reporter) goes down, he takes notice to the fact that Chimney has invited Maddie out to the bar, and the two of them have grown awfully close without his knowledge. How cute was their karaoke duet?

It’s not enough to keep him away from hot bathroom sex though, which he has with Taylor Kelly, the same woman who interviewed and followed the men around in a past episode. It’s strange because Buck feels guilty for just hooking up with her (almost two times), and he doesn’t want to give the wrong idea.

However, the tables are turned on him in this week’s episode of 9-1-1 when the team helps him realize that Taylor is actually Buck 1.0 while Buck is trying to be Buck 2.0. She’s not looking for anything serious and honestly doesn’t care much for Buck in any capacity besides sex.

Credit: Fox

By the episode’s end, however, Buck finds himself on a date with Ali, the woman he and Eddie rescued during the earthquake. She called him and asked him out to coffee, and it seems like things may work out for him after all.

Buck’s relationship woes weren’t the prime focus of 9-1-1, in fact, there were multiple marital and relationship issues and triumphs embedded throughout the episode. One particular one is of a woman named Lola who climbs up on a highway sign to try and get the attention of her husband who she claims ignores her.

She’s frustrated, angry, and comes off a bit crazy until we realize that she’s just upset about the lack of attention, and while yes, it’s still an extreme reaction, after you meet her husband Norman, it becomes clear why.

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Because of her being on the highway sign, traffic is jammed and her husband, Norman, is actually stuck in the same traffic.

When he realizes it’s because of his wife, he is escorted to her and seems to have no idea why she feels so neglected.

The first responders try to calm her down, but nothing seems to help and she pulls out her gun. It’s not until Buck jumps down next to her and relates to her about feeling ignored by a significant other that she starts to calm down.

Norman finally shows up and wins her over by playing their song over the speaker, reminding her that he sees her and he remembers everything about their love story.

And while this situation has a happy ending, Athena still arrests her on multiple charges and does not feel any remorse in doing so.

We then switch to the love story of an elderly gay couple, Mitchell and Thomas. Their love story was illustrated through a series of flashbacks as one of them looks through a scrapbook of memories. These scenes are indicative of something really sad to come, and it doesn’t help that this couple is absolutely adorable, and got married at an old age because their love was so strong for one another.

As they prepare to head out from their home, Thomas heads back into the house to grab something while Mitchell heads down the driveway to open the gate. Unbeknownst to him, the car is in neutral and starts to roll down towards Mitchell and eventually pins him against the gate causing his death.

After the team shows up to take his body away, Thomas has a conversation with Buck and soon after he dies of a broken heart while embracing Mitchell in a goodbye. Talk about heartbreak, jeez 9-1-1, tone it down, would ya?

The final situation came when a couple tried to rob a gas station and one of the employees there gallantly intervened to save the woman employee, whom he seems to be smitten over. While we don’t see a lot of their story, it’s just another aspect of love demonstrated in the episode.

And while some stories were absolutely tragic, you’ll be happy to know that Athena and Bobby are as strong and adorable as ever, and end the episode with a date night. On the other hand, Chimney and Maddie take notice that something deeper may be going on between them and while they aren’t ready to explore it just yet, it’s established that sooner or later, something may happen.

The way Chimney reassures her about her past and not judging her for it is such a sweet moment and made our hearts gush with love and so many feelings. 9-1-1, we love you for all the sentimental moments you give us.

9-1-1 will return in two weeks on Fox at 9 PM EST!