9-1-1 Season 4, Episode 3: Who is Evan Buckley, really?

9-1-1 Season 4 has taken a wild turn as the Los Angeles/Hollywood area has already endured earthquakes, intense landslides, and of course, a worldwide pandemic. Much like the seasons that have preceded it, 9-1-1 Season 4 is filled with all the thrill and wild adventure we’re used to, but with a bit of a twist.

We’ve gotten to know a lot of the characters over the course of four seasons, but how do much we really know about them? If you step back to think about it, we’ve been privy to some character-centric episodes but there is still so much we simply don’t know.

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I’m noticing that this season of 9-1-1 is trying to take a different approach to its characters and storytelling by combining the usual madness with more emphasis on the stories that truly matter. I’m so here for this and I’m truly enjoying this diversion they’ve taken from what we’re used to.

We’re only five episodes into the current season, but there is a lot to dissect and consider with where the story is going.

In particular, the latest episode, “Future Tense”, alludes to a big Buckley family secret that only Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and her parents know about–and it has to do with Evan, aka “Buck” (Oliver Stark). What could this secret be? We have some ideas.

What is going on with Buck in 9-1-1 Season 4?

Buck has had quite a journey the last few years between losing Abby (Connie Britton), numerous failed relationships, and of course, all the dangerous situations he finds himself in because of work. But since the pandemic started, Buck has been spending time with a special someone, aka his therapist.

As he mentions during this week’s episode, he’s trying to get to the root of why he feels sad and lonely, and how to solve this issue that has seemingly taken over his life. I love that 9-1-1 is tackling mental health in this manner and placing a male character at the epicenter of it. There is so much taboo involved with the two topics together but I commend the series for giving Buck that storyline.

It’s curious that Buck has been feeling a certain way, however, because as we see in this episode, there is a big Buckley family secret that he is not privy to. The audience is also in the dark, for the time being, about it, but given Maddie’s conversation with their mother, it doesn’t sound great.

This week’s episode places emphasis on Maddie’s pregnancy and her and Buck’s strained relationship with their parents. Given that she is about to be a parent, she’s stressed out about the kind of parent she’ll be. This all leads us to the moment that she calls up their mother to discuss what is going on with Buck (she’s concerned since he is going to therapy).

The conversation takes an interesting turn when Maddie gets angry with her mother and asks her how she is supposed to talk to Buck about something he’s been lied to about his entire life.

Say what?!

I don’t have a lot of theories on what this could be but I do think we’re going to learn during 9-1-1 Season 4 that Buck is adopted. Given all the emphasis on family, it seems like the most logical thing and would explain why there has always been something missing for him.

It would be the kind of secret that could make or break someone, and based on what we heard Maddie say, I think it makes a lot of sense that Buck might be adopted. And if that is the case, then this season is going to get very interesting because essentially we won’t have gotten to know the real Evan Buckley, at least not all of him anyway.

Stay tuned to see where this story goes–and if my theory ends up being right.

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Do you think the Buckley family secret is about Buck being adopted? Tell us in the comments below!

9-1-1 Season 4 airs every Monday night on Fox at 8/7c.

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