‘9-1-1’ & ‘Nashville’ Crossover: Oliver Stark & Hunter McVey React to That Buck & Dixie Ending

It’s the 118 vs. the 113, and some firefighters are much more competitive than others in the Thursday, March 5, 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville crossover.

Buck (Oliver Stark) and Eddie (Ryan Guzman) head to Music City for the firefighting games, having been submitted by their beloved, late captain Bobby, and there, they meet the Nashville crew — and some are ready to throw punches, while others get pretty close. TV Insider spoke with Stark and Hunter McVey (Blue on Nashville) about the crossover and that surprise ending involving Dixie (LeAnn Rimes). Warning: Spoilers for the 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Nashville crossover ahead!

While Eddie’s ready to enjoy being in Nashville, especially after his recent months, Buck is very much focused on the competition, and he’s not the only one. Don (Chris O’Donnell) and Ryan (Michael Provost) go all in on the games, but when the former is hurt (by another firefighter), Blue (McVey) steps in to partner with his brother. And things get heated between the 118 and 113 pairs, with the former throwing around “nepo” and with some amusing reactions when they learn that Cammie (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), who’s MCing the games, is Ryan’s aunt.

But the firefighters do come together, first to save someone when the games are interrupted by a man walking in covered in blood, then to help one of Kenosha’s team members when he falls during the last leg — the city has never won a single event. And so in the event, L.A. and Nashville tie. In their excitement, Blythe (Jessica Capshaw) and Dixie (LeAnn Rimes), sitting a few seats apart, hug then decide never to speak of it again. (Everything with them in this episode? So good.)

While everyone’s out celebrating, Don reveals, during his speech, that he met Bobby once: “Some of you may know that firefighters Evan Buckley and Eddie Diaz lost their captain last year in the line of duty. Captain Bobby Nash, the 118. I only got to meet Captain Nash one time, it was a conference back when he was in St. Paul, he was teaching a course on ice rescue. I didn’t get to know him well, but I can tell you that he was kind, he was incredibly professional, and that he would be very proud. Never in my life have I seen a better example of what firefighting is all about than what you all showed out there today. I think sometimes we forget there are things that are more important than winning.”

And before Buck and Eddie leave Nashville, Dixie asks who’s buying her a drink — and Buck takes her up on that offer.

Below, in separate interviews, Oliver Stark and Hunter McVey break down that surprising ending with Buck and Dixie and more from the crossover.

That ending, Buck and Dixie, it is fun. And I feel like it’s especially fun for Buck because there’s zero fallout for him with this. It’s like things are so messy in Nashville, but he can just have fun and then leave.

Oliver Stark: Yeah, it’s just a fun little throwaway thing at the end of the episode that it made me chuckle when I read it.

So, is that just him leaning into having fun in Nashville and with the games over because he was so focused on them, so now it’s like now he can have fun in Nashville? Is that part of him figuring out what he wants in terms of his personal life?

Stark: I think it’s like Buck is always going to be Buck, and he has come into Nashville and the games with a certain heaviness that he is channeling into his competitiveness. And we see in this scene with Buck and Eddie at the end that Buck realizes he just needs a release from the tension that he’s built up and the stress that he’s built up and that Nashville has been a good source of that, even if he wasn’t realizing it. And then that little moment with Dixie is just kind of the cherry on top.

What is Buck learning about what he wants in a relationship this season with what we’re seeing thus far? Because there was this stuff that happened with a couple earlier. There’s now Dixie. There was during his auction introduction about wanting to settle down. So where is he in terms of what he wants in terms of his love life?

Stark: I think towards the end of the season, his life is going to be pushed in a direction that he never saw coming that I think is going to disrupt any plans of a love life that he may have been thinking about.

So there’s something professionally coming up, or is it something off the clock?

Stark: It’s a little bit of both.

How is Blue going to feel about his mom and Buck after that ending?

Hunter McVey: I don’t think Blue feels too good about it, to be honest. I think Blue built up some great relations there towards the end of the crossover episode, and that ending may rip down all of those relations built. I don’t think he’s too fond of it.

Are we going to see him find out onscreen in an upcoming episode?

McVey: I don’t know that for certain. I would hope so. It’s a big deal. And it was a big deal for me to read that as Hunter, and it was an even bigger deal for Blue to read that. So I’m hoping the reaction can be caught in the future episodes.

At least in the beginning, it felt like Blue was just happy about the competition and having firefighters in Nashville from all over. Why was that? Is that just who Blue is?

McVey: That’s stereotypical Blue. I think it totally went above his head on how big of a competition this really was and how much it meant to Don and Ryan. And I think he’s just in it for some relationship building, some friendly competition, expanding his firefighter network and growing relations. And so he’s not the most cutthroat type of guy I think most people have found out from the first 11 episodes.

But then when he had to take Don’s place, things got tense between Buck and Eddie and Ryan and Blue. But for Blue, was that more about family than the competition itself, even to the end? Because it didn’t feel like he cared about winning in the same way that Don and Ryan did, but he cared about what his family thinks, what his family wants.

McVey: His reason for wanting to win that competition and his reason for stepping in and eventually becoming competitive was 100% because of the family dynamic. I think once they stepped in and made some jabs towards Ryan and made some jabs towards Don and then made some jabs towards Blue himself, there’s no other option, but to show him on the field how it’s done.

Don gives that speech about Bobby and Buck thanks him for it. What did that speech mean to Buck? Because it’s not just about who Bobby was, but there’s also the line about how he’d be proud of them, which was just sweet.

Stark: Yeah, I think Buck is someone that always looked for validation from Bobby. He always wanted to do him proud, even before the games, before the death, anything. His whole career has been built around, I think, doing Bobby proud. So to have that recognized and to know that he came here and represented what Bobby would’ve wanted him to represent, I think, is a huge moment for Buck and one that he’ll really take to heart.

Firefighting is still new to Blue. And with Don’s remembrance of Bobby, it feels like Blue is hearing what can go wrong on the job and also seeing it firsthand in Buck and Eddie feeling that loss. Is that something that’s really registering with Blue and going to stay with him?

McVey: 100%. And Don’s speech in the crossover episode, the initial speech at the bar, I think, was when those tables turned and when he realized how serious this was and how much it’s affected not only Don, but the firefighters from the 118 as well. So, I think it’s definitely a pivotal moment for how he thinks about the occupation and how grateful he is to be there around his family and supporting such a good cause as well.

How’s Blue feeling about that tie? Because it feels like if you’d asked everyone participating at the beginning of the competition, Blue would’ve been the one OK with it from the start.

McVey: From the start, if you hadn’t told Blue the events that transpired, I think he’d be completely fine. He may have said that was the best way that things could have worked out. But as things ended with the Kenosha Carls and just seeing the rivalry turn into two squads helping each other and that bond that was formed between us and the accidents, I think he would agree with his initial review where that was probably the best ending that could have possibly happened for them.

How does Buck feel about that tie? He feels better about it at the end than he ever would’ve coming in, right? If they had said to him, “You’re going to be in a tie at the end,” he would’ve not accepted it.

Stark: The real question is, how does Oliver feel about the tie? [Laughs]

How does Oliver feel about the tie?

Stark: Oliver is aware that you can’t take actors to 9-1-1: Nashville and have the 9-1-1 L.A. actors win. [Laughs] So, Oliver has accepted it and I think Buck is the same. I think Buck realizes that at the end of the day, they’re all part of the same family — no matter what firehouse, state, city you’re in, we are one team.

So, are you ready for the rematch in LA where LA can win?

Stark: [Nodding] You know the answer to that. I’m always ready. Absolutely. No, I had such a blast filming the crossover. And when I originally heard what the story was going to be, I think my first text back to Rashad was, “Do you know what events I’m competing in so that I can train specifically for them?” So yeah, no, I’m always up for a little bit of competition.

How much of those games did you do yourself?

Stark: I like to do everything as much as I can. They wouldn’t let me battle the big flame when it comes out of the container. That was the first thing we shot, so they wouldn’t let me put that fire out, but everything else is — me and Michael, he did everything as well. So yeah, no, we were out there competing for real. In fact, the hardest part, to be honest with you, of the whole games was letting myself lose the events that I was meant to lose. And we had to go over a few times again on the ladder wall where we have to climb up and hop in because I’m not meant to win that one and I’m really eager, and I couldn’t not give it my all. So yeah, no, everybody embraced the spirit of competitiveness.

And what about that bull riding competition at the end? How was that filming that?

Stark: Again, speaking to my competitiveness, I may have Googled a couple of videos the night before on the technique. I’ve never done it before in real life, but I’ve come to realize that that whole thing is the discretion of the guy on the controls. When he wants to throw you off, he can throw you off no matter what. So, you can look up all the technique videos that you want and he decides your ride is up, your ride is up. But it was a good fun time. That was our first day of filming together, so it was a nice way to break the ice.

Do you think Blue would’ve volunteered if he had the chance to? Because it was simply that there was no one else after Don was injured.

McVey: I think if they would’ve asked Blue, then it would 100% be a yes because Blue’s down to do anything and be anywhere for his family and the ones he’s loyal to. But I don’t know if he would’ve initially just came up and volunteered as he’s got a lot going on in his personal life with mom and with Taylor and with doing what he can at the fire department. So I don’t think he would’ve wanted to step on anybody’s toes if it was a big Don and Ryan thing initially.

I loved Roxie (Juani Feliz) and Taylor’s (Hailey Kilgore) reactions to it.

McVey: Me too. Yeah, it was a great scene.

During the rescue that interrupted the games, Eddie steps in and corrects Blue when he’s trying to break the windshield and that bothers Ryan and Blue. Would it have if not for the competition? Because Blue is still new to this, so it’s understandable he doesn’t know all the tricks just yet.

McVey: I think it really just bothered Blue because of the heat of the moment and where the competition was at that point of that emergency and where they had kind of escalated things between the 118 and the 113. And so Blue was kind of heated at that moment where he may so have just been thinking more so with pride and wanting to do it himself as not his traditional character traits of, yes, I would love to learn. Yes, I would love to take any advice that I can get. But I think that heat of the moment kind of instilled that fury in him.

What are the takeaways for Blue from this competition? Not just from the games themselves, but from seeing these other firefighters and having them come to Nashville.

McVey: I think Blue took away that there is a lot left to learn that’s outside of the manual and outside of training to be a firefighter, which comes from in-the-field experience as well as just years of wisdom from the 118 guys.

Talk about filming the crossover and the games in general and you and Ryan working with the Nashville cast.

Stark: Yeah, they’re all so great. They’ve really built a universe and a show of their own that I think stands alone. So, it was really nice for us to be able to come into this already fleshed-out world and find our place within it. They were super accommodating to us, and it was just honestly a really lovely experience. And I know I speak for myself and Ryan when we say we had a really, really incredible time out there, and that’s in part due to the story, but mostly due to the way that their cast and crew welcomed us.

Talk about filming this episode, the games in general and the crossover and having Oliver and Ryan on.

McVey: It was phenomenal. It was incredibly busy. A lot of those days that we filmed the games, they were 12 to 15-hour days, and they were obviously very, very difficult on a physical level. So, we had to stay hydrated. We had to stay prepared, and there was a lot going on. And I just felt very grateful to have those guys in town where I could get to know them a little bit better. And then from Hunter’s side of things, ask the questions to become better at this business and become the best Blue that I can be because it’s obviously very different from my first show and first season in the 9-1-1 universe to veterans like Oliver and Ryan who have been doing it for nine years. It was an incredible experience to be able to learn, to ask questions. And they were just so forthcoming with their knowledge, their wisdom, and their support. They’re just phenomenal guys.

Are there any other crossovers coming up? Are we going to hear any mentions of just staying in touch?

Stark: We haven’t yet. We’re only on Episode 15, 16 at the moment. So yeah, we haven’t yet, but I think it went really well the crossover. So I have no doubt that there will be nods to it as we move forward, and hopefully, things line up, and we get to cross over again in the future.

McVey: I hope that the 118 will be back. I hope that the 113 can go cross over into L.A. and I hope we can just continue merging the 9-1-1 universe because it’s so great to see those worlds collide. And I get to learn a lot from those guys and everybody from the crew and production as well that works on the original show, and they’re all just incredible people. So it would be beneficial to, I think, the characters as well as Hunter for that to happen. But I can’t confirm if we got any more in the loop or not.

9-1-1, Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC

9-1-1: Nashville, Thursdays, 9/8c, ABC