Taylor Kelly is a news reporter working for Skywitness News Eight and one of Buck's ex-girlfriends.
History[]
When Taylor was young, her father was arrested for killing her mother. Although the death was ruled as a suicide from overdose, it was later found out in court that her father had been planning to murder her. Taylor was torn, having a hard time believing her father was capable of murder, while also finding it hard to believe her mother would kill herself. Her extended family were also all conflicted with the case, which only made Taylor's perspective even more messy and conflicted. Overall, Taylor knew only her parents were the ones who really knew what happened. After her father's arrest, Taylor lived with her aunt. As many people of her hometown knew about her parents, this gave her unwanted attention, and many looks from stranger she passed by. Eventually, it became too much for her, and she moved far away from the town.
Taylor is introduced to the 118 when the helicopter she uses daily for traffic reporting crashes in a mechanical failure. After the crew rescue her and the pilot, she decides to do her future reports at the station. She says she's "not quite ready to go back in the sky," when someone comments on how she's a traffic reporter. Although with permission from the Chief, Taylor and her film crew hang around the station doing interviews as well as coming along on calls, much to Bobby's annoyance. During the calls, she and Bobby continue to fight over her filming in relation to calls. It specifically gets in the way when a patient doesn't want to admit that they're on steroids in front of the camera.
After the team eats LSD-laced brownies, Bobby starts revealing information to Taylor and the camera about his late daughter. She has to call the police when he gets to the roof and seems to be about to jump but keeps recording as its happening. The footage she got of the incident doesn't make it in her report about the station though. The report gets labeled as a "puff piece" by Buck. When Buck goes to thank her for not including the footage, she admits they were cut in fear of lawsuits from the fire department. She goes on to tell Buck say that her job is telling people stories even the ones they don't want told. When he comments on this just being a job for her, she tells him she's wanted to be a reporter since she was 14 and that she put herself through school to get there.
She returns in Season 4, Taylor and Buck make a coffee date after her report and tells her about his recent family discoveries. Relating to his situation, Taylor gives him advice and they part ways. Later, Buck calls her and invites her on a date. Taylor doesn't realize this because Buck told ex-date Veronica along with his roommate Albert Han that he would attend a double-date with a date of his own. Upon arrival Taylor is annoyed to realize she and Buck wouldn't be alone and she leaves, calling Buck out on his neediness and poor friend habits as she does.
While at her job, Taylor starts to have an emotional breakdown as she describes the losses that the hospitals were facing when it came to rising Covid cases and the lack of beds and resources available for patients. Taylor chokes up and has to finish the report with her back to the camera. After she finished the report as her camera man walks up to check on her, during which, she sees a harried discussion going on in front of her and sends her camera man to check it out. She discovers a huge batch of vaccines will in a matter of hours become unviable due to the hospitals refrigeration system having gone down in the night. Meanwhile, Buck is distraught for her when he sees her breakdown being shown on the news and looks to see her calling him back asking for a miracle. Buck and the 118 head down to the hospital to help with vaccine administration. Taylor thanks him and kisses his cheek fondly, Buck blushes.
Taylor returns in "First Responders", where she has a lunch date with Buck who needs her help. They decide to work together to look into the hit and run of Sue Blevins that occurred the night before and their efforts lead the police to form a connection to a kidnapping. Afterwards, Taylor reports this to let the public know of who to search for, leading to the perp's arrest. At the end, she shows up at Buck's house with an alcoholic beverage as they celebrate justice together, which has been served for Sue and Tracy Weber.
During "Treasure Hunt", she and Buck to uncover a supposed treasure, that has been causing the city to go crazy. She is disappointed by the assistant of the treasure's owner to take it and escape with millions worth of loot.
In "Survivors", Taylor got word of a firefighter being shot. She waits for Buck at the hospital and goes up to him when he didn't respond to her calls, as she assumed it was Buck when she notices blood on Buck's pants but is told it was Eddie's who was standing right in front of Buck, to her surprise. She and Buck decide to go inform Eddie's son Christopher after Taylor insists to drive Buck to since she saw how shaken he was and he accepts. Just as they're about to leave, an ambulance pulls up into the hospital with another firefighter has been shot, leaving Buck and Taylor both concerned to know what's going on. Later at Buck's house, Taylor who is already there visiting him has a drink with him and learns Buck put himself in jeopardy to save a construction worker without getting hurt, which overwhelms Taylor but is relieved that he's alright. She impulsively kisses Buck but leaves afterwards, though later comes back to Buck's place and is relieved that he's ok and kisses him again, while revealing she wants to be with him. Their relationship effectively starts here and they share a happy embrace.
In season 5, they get closer and closer to each other, saying "I love you" to each other for the first time in "Past is Prologue" after Buck comes to Oklahoma to support her in a tough experience with her father. Their relationship, however, begins to crumble after Buck kisses Lucy and impulsively asks Taylor to move in with him instead of admitting what happened. After having a conversation with Maddie, Buck decides to come clean with Taylor about kissing Lucy, and Taylor gets angry with Buck and storms out of the apartment, realizing that's why he asked her to move in with him. When Taylor returns, they have an honest conversation and make up, promising not to keep any more secrets from each other.
In "Starting Over", Buck feels betrayed after Taylor runs the story about Jonah despite promising him that she wouldn't run the story. After spending some time avoiding each other, Buck and Taylor eventually break up. Before they part, the two share one final happy moment and wish the other luck.
Personality[]
Taylor has shown to be very work-driven, with a big passion for her career, and at times would use unethical means to meet the ends, even if it means provoking people like Buck. While she does come off as brash and nosy in many occasions, she also has a softer side to her internally, and has a hard time expressing her feelings. She felt lonely during quarantine, and was deeply hurt when she believed Buck was using her, telling him she really needed a friend. Unsolved mysteries never sat right with her. As her traumatizing past left her deeply scarred, she delves herself into mysteries and often times digs into places beyond her specialties, in order to find the truth.
Relationships[]
Evan Buckley[]
When Taylor gets rescues by the 118, Buck stops to talk to her because he recognizes her voice from her traffic show on the radio. The encounter seems rather flirty. They continue to be close and somewhat flirty as they continue to interact.
Taylor comes back two episodes later. She sees a newly single Buck when he's at a bar with Maddie and Chimney and orders him a drink. They talk for a while and eventually end up hooking up in the bathroom. Buck tells Bobby about the hook up and how he doesn't want to go back to just sleeping around with random people. This prompts Buck to go and apologize to Taylor. She appreciates it but reminds him that she's a grown woman and she sent him the first drink. With the tension broken, they return to the flirting nature. Buck mentions that he can check bar bathroom off his bucket list and Taylor asks him if a news van is on his list. They start to hook up in the van, but when Taylor gets notified of a 5 Alarm fire, she leaves Buck in the parking lot to go report it.
They don't interact again until Taylor makes a return in Season 4. Taylor and Buck make conversation during a negotiation situation. Buck brings her coffee after her report and tells her about his recent family discoveries. Taylor gives him advice and they part ways. Later, Buck calls her and invites her on a date. Taylor doesn't realize this because Buck told ex-date Veronica along with his roommate Albert that he would attend a double-date with a date of his own. Upon arrival Taylor realizes she and Buck wouldn't be alone and she leaves, calling Buck out on his neediness and poor friend habits as she does.
Buck is attempting to call Taylor to apologize at the station when he sees her reporting live on TV. On camera, Taylor begins to cry as she describes the losses that the hospitals were facing when it came to rising Covid cases and the lack of beds and resources available for patients. Taylor chokes up and has to finish the report with her back to the camera. After she finished the report as her camera man walks up to check on her, during which, she sees a harried discussion going on in front of her and sends her camera man to check it out. She discovers a huge batch of vaccines will in a matter of hours become unviable due to the hospitals refrigeration system having gone down in the night. Meanwhile, Buck is distraught for her when he sees her breakdown being shown on the news, and looks to see her calling him back asking for a miracle. Buck and the 118 head down to the hospital to help with vaccine administration. Taylor apologizes for her earlier rant at him before thanking him and kisses his cheek fondly, Buck blushes.
Taylor returns in "First Responders", where she has a lunch date with Buck. They decide to work together to look into the hit and run of 9-1-1 dispatcher Sue Blevins that occurred the night before. The two are prevented from personally gathering evidence by Athena Grant-Nash but this leads the police to connect the incident with a kidnapping. Taylor and Buck were brought to the station, before being told of the situation and Taylor is allowed to report this to all of LA, leading to the discovery at the containment yard. Afterwards, Taylor shows up at Buck's house with an alcoholic beverage as they celebrate justice together, which has been served for Sue and Tracy Weber.
In "Survivors", Taylor hears that a firefighter has been shot, causing her to call Buck out of concern but gets no answer. Taylor catches Buck at the hospital, as he thought she wanted a story but she tells him she assumed that he was shot before she notices blood on Buck's pants but is told it was Eddie's and Buck has to go inform Eddie's son Christopher Diaz which Taylor insists to drive Buck to since she saw how shaken he was. As they're about to leave, an ambulance pulls up into the hospital with another firefighter has been shot leaving Buck and Taylor both concerned to know what's going on. Days later at Buck's house, Taylor who is already there visiting him has a drink with him as she learns Buck put himself in jeopardy to save a construction worker without getting hurt, which overwhelms Taylor but she is relieved that he's alright. She then impulsively kisses Buck but leave afterwards though later comes back to Buck's place and is relieved that he's ok and she moves towards him and kisses him again as she voices she wants to be with him.
In season 5, Taylor is officially Buck's girlfriend with them getting closer as seen in "Wrapped in Red" when Buck gives her a rescue beacon for Christmas. Taylor is touched but states her gift for him is a sweater, though he appreciates it anyway.
However in "Past is Prologue", Taylor starts to get distant, and Buck confronts her with her telling him of her past and how she plans to meet her father. She is unable to support her father, who is upset with her reason and calls her a traitor. Taylor is later surprised when Buck comes to Oklahoma and starts to rant on how this trip brought back terrible memories, stating Buck came for nothing. However, she is touched when he tells her that he came to emotionally support her in this tough experience, with the two sharing a hug. They later say "I love you" to each other for the first time.
Their relationship, however, begins to crumble after Buck kisses Lucy and impulsively asks Taylor to move in with him instead of admitting what happened. After having a conversation with Maddie, Buck decides to come clean with Taylor about kissing Lucy, and Taylor gets angry with Buck and storms out of the apartment, realizing that's why he asked her to move in with him. When Taylor returns, they have an honest conversation and make up, promising not to keep any more secrets from each other.
In "Starting Over", Buck feels betrayed after Taylor runs the story about Jonah despite promising him that she wouldn't run the story. After spending some time avoiding each other, Buck and Taylor eventually break up. Before they part, the two share one final happy moment and wish the other luck.
Trivia[]
- In "Past is Prologue" Taylor revealed to Buck that Kelly is her middle name.
- With the article Taylor was reading in "Ghost Stories" had the names of her parents, including their last name being Martin, this means that Taylor's full name is Taylor Kelly Martin.
- Taylor only appears in a TV Interview in "Love Is in the Air".
Appearances[]
| Season Two | |||||
| "Under Pressure" | "7.1" | "Help Is Not Coming" | "Stuck" | "Awful People" | "Dosed" |
| "Haunted" | "Buck, Actually" | "Hen Begins" | "Merry Ex-Mas" | "New Beginnings" | "Chimney Begins" |
| "Fight or Flight" | "Broken" | "Ocean's 9-1-1" | "Bobby Begins Again" | "Careful What You Wish For" | "This Life We Choose" |
| Season Four | |||||
| "The New Abnormal" | "Alone Together" | "Future Tense" | "9-1-1, What's Your Grievance?" | "Buck Begins" | |
| "Jinx" | "There Goes the Neighborhood" | "Breaking Point" | "Blindsided" | "Parenthood" | |
| "First Responders" | "Treasure Hunt" | "Suspicion" | "Survivors" |
| Season Five | |||||
| "Panic" | "Desperate Times" | "Desperate Measures" | "Home and Away" | "Peer Pressure" | "Brawl in Cell Block 9-1-1" |
| "Ghost Stories" | "Defend in Place" | "Past is Prologue" | "Wrapped in Red" | "Outside Looking In" | "Boston" |
| "Fear-O-Phobia" | "Dumb Luck" | "FOMO" | "May Day" | "Hero Complex" | "Starting Over" |
| Season Six | |||||
| "Let the Games Begin" | "Crash & Learn" | "The Devil You Know" | "Animal Instincts" | "Home Invasion" | "Tomorrow" |
| "Cursed" | "What's Your Fantasy?" | "Red Flag" | "In a Flash" | "In Another Life" | "Recovery" |
| "Mixed Feelings" | "Performance Anxiety" | "Death and Taxes" | "Lost & Found" | "Love Is in the Air*" | "Pay It Forward" |