We haven’t forgotten Tommy’s problematic behavior back in Season 2.
Many characters on 9-1-1 have a past that significantly impacts their relationships and their work as first responders. Bobby’s history of alcoholism informs his empathy for others’ struggles, and Maddie’s experience as a survivor of domestic violence helps her relate to others involved in similar situations. The 9-1-1 writers have always placed importance on the viewers having a better understanding of how their characters’ previous experiences have impacted the people they’ve become. In fact, there have been multiple flashback episodes that dug into these characters’ prior lives (including three episodes in Season 2 that followed Hen, Chimney, and Bobby before they joined the 118 and episodes in later seasons for Athena, Buck, and Eddie’s backstories). These episodes provided the drama’s fans with opportunities to dig deeper into the backgrounds of the crew.
But it seems 9-1-1 has dropped the ball this season with one important character. Tommy Kinard (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) first popped up as a firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department in Season 2 in two flashback episodes. His character was pretty problematic and displayed some racist and chauvinistic behaviors. He treated both Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi) extremely poorly, and only sort of redeemed himself after he felt Hen and Chimney had proven themselves. Tommy appeared again this season as a helicopter pilot who helped rescue Athena (Angela Bassett) and Bobby (Peter Krause) from their capsized cruise ship. He’s also begun an important relationship with Buck (Oliver Stark). However, there has been no real exploration of Tommy’s past behavior, and fans of the ABC show are left wondering if the series is ever going to address his controversial past.
Tommy Had a Complicated Past on ‘9-1-1’
When Tommy appeared in a few episodes in Season 2, it seemed as though he was being portrayed as a stereotypical male firefighter: tough, icy, and reluctant to accept outsiders. In Episode 9, titled “Hen Begins,” Tommy was cold and unfriendly to Hen when she was first starting out. Much like the other firefighters of the 118 back then — with the exception of Chimney — Tommy stood aside and watched as Captain Gerrard (Brian Thompson) endlessly berated Hen and made misogynist and sexually inappropriate comments at her. It was not until Hen made an impressive save during a call that he began treating her with more respect.
Viewers spotted Tommy again in Episode 12, with the flashback episode dedicated to Chimney’s backstory. The first thing Tommy did when Chimney arrived at the 118 Firehouse was to comment that someone had forgotten to tip the delivery guy. It was a racially tinged remark that seemed to illustrate what kind of man Tommy was and how he would treat the other characters. Tommy also did nothing to discourage racist, unfair behavior towards Chimney by the captain and the other firefighters. In a heartbreaking scene, Chimney tries to connect with Tommy, and then, after failing to do so, asks, “You just really don’t like me, do you?” Tommy responds, “If I thought about you at all, honestly, I probably wouldn’t.” Tommy only changed his tune once Chimney risked his life to save Tommy’s during a gas leak explosion.
Now that Tommy has resurfaced in Season 7, it seems as though the 9-1-1 writers are trying to rewrite who Tommy is as a person. He swooped in to save the day with Athena and Bobby and quickly became a good friend of Eddie’s (Ryan Guzman). Through this friendship, Buck realized that he was interested romantically in Tommy. This was an exciting moment for fans, who have been rooting for Buck to have a same-sex love interest. Tommy seemed like an interesting choice for Buck’s first foray into his newfound bisexuality, and it did appear as though Tommy was more sensitive than in prior seasons. He respected Buck’s process in coming to terms with his sexuality in Episode 5 and was understanding and kind throughout those interactions. He even rushed from an emergency call to go to the hospital when Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney were getting ready to tie the knot. However, despite signs that Tommy is a changed person, the show has set it up so that his complicated past has seemingly been swept under the rug.
‘9-1-1’ Should Provide More Background on Tommy
The main thing preventing fans from accepting Tommy as Buck’s new love interest is the fact that the show hasn’t addressed what viewers have already learned about Tommy’s past. Many are wondering what led to Tommy’s disrespect in the first place, and this could be a truly fascinating storyline to explore. Was Tommy rude to Chimney and Hen because of his complicated feelings towards his own masculinity and sexuality? Or perhaps he was just someone who was too enmeshed within a toxic group to notice how problematic his behavior was towards others (especially to people of color). It’s possible that Tommy is now a more mature person, who was able to grow and now regrets his past conduct, but 9-1-1 hasn’t accounted for that at all.
By avoiding the discussion of Tommy’s previous mistakes and harmful behavior, 9-1-1 runs the risk of creating one more love interest for Buck that just doesn’t make sense. It could be that Tommy is a much more accepting and loving person now, but without that ability to delve into his psyche, it seems as though the show is just pretending that there isn’t already a history there. At this point, Tommy could be a one-note character without any true depth, or he could be a muddled figure where the sum of his parts don’t really add up. While some procedurals don’t spend time trying to really further the development of their characters, 9-1-1 has always achieved the goal of creating three-dimensional characters that jump off the screen with their realism and heroics. Even though Tommy isn’t a main character, adding depth to his persona is crucial to the potential success of the Tommy/Buck romance.
While some fans might have a hard time forgiving Tommy’s bigoted behavior, there is plenty of room to explore Tommy’s personality and his motivations. By addressing how Tommy behaved towards other members of the 118, there’s an opportunity for the show to create a relationship for Buck that, although complicated, is a much healthier one. The show has been respectful in showing the path that the main characters followed to become the heroes the audience knows today. It’s important to better understand who Tommy is as a person, so that they can see how he can fit into the 118 crew and how that dynamic has changed since the days of Captain Gerrard. Although Tommy’s past makes him a controversial choice for Buck, it could be a perfect match if the series can demonstrate that Tommy is a changed man.
