Buck Meltsner · The Soda Fountain

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Characters / Buck Meltsner

Buck Meltsner is a highly intelligent, smooth-talking teenager who spends his early years being raised in scams by the con man Jebidiah Skint, and first comes to Odyssey as a spy for Skint's counterfeiting ring. The genuine kindness he finds at Whit's End turns him around, and he is taken in by Eugene and Katrina Meltsner, the first real family the orphaned boy has ever known. Deceptive by training but longing to be liked and to belong, Buck works constantly to prove he has changed, and his insider's knowledge of con games often helps expose swindles around town - though old tricks still tempt him. His closest bond outside the Meltsners is with Jules Kendall, Connie's half-sister, a friendship that grows into something more.

Appearances

67 episodes Art Text No.

1029 This Is My Story When a downtown bookstore burns and a reporter suggests Whit's own words may have inspired the arsonist, Whit responds not by defending himself but by gathering the stories of Odyssey's newest believers.

2 of 2 1025 Value of a Buck After his con-artist mentor's death, Buck Meltsner must untangle a cryptic dying message, a charity scam, and a painful secret - all while wrestling with who he really is.

1 of 2 1024 Value of a Buck When a charity that seems too good to be true crosses his path, former con artist Buck Meltsner must confront the man who taught him everything about deception - and everything he's tried to leave behind.

3 of 3 1004 Better Buck Next Time Suspended for a crime he didn't commit, Buck must choose between clearing his name and protecting the troubled kid he mentors.

2 of 3 1003 Better Buck Next Time A teen football star's fresh start unravels when his sealed criminal past goes public and someone in town seems determined to use it against him.

1 of 3 1002 Better Buck Next Time A fresh start in a new town gives an injured teen a shot at football, faith, and friendship - but every open door seems to come at someone else's expense.

0993 Facing the Music A surprise week-long visit from her boyfriend should be the highlight of Jules Kendall's big performance week, but the secrets piling up around her band threaten to unravel everything she cares about.

2 of 2 0981 Making an Honest Buck A boy working undercover for a federal investigation must weigh loyalty to his best friend against exposing the truth hidden inside that friend's family.

1 of 2 0980 Making an Honest Buck Newly transplanted to a big school and sidelined by an embarrassing injury, Buck Meltsner is recruited for a secret mission that means befriending a classmate under false pretenses.

0979 Right Notes, Wrong Key A lonely former pop star gets a second chance in the spotlight - if she's willing to keep bending the truth to stay there.

4 of 4 0969 The Best Is Yet to Come As the Meltsners' farewell party fills Whit's End, a heartbroken Jules races against weather, distance, and her own hurt feelings to reach Buck before his family leaves Odyssey for good.

3 of 4 0968 The Best Is Yet to Come With the Meltsners' move to Baltimore looming, Buck fights to hold onto Jules while Connie refuses to accept that goodbye is the only option.

2 of 4 0967 The Best Is Yet to Come Eugene's dream job in another city forces the Meltsner family to weigh a world-changing opportunity against the life their son has finally built in Odyssey.

1 of 4 0966 The Best Is Yet to Come A world-changing memory breakthrough and a secret teenage romance both hinge on how much the people of Odyssey are willing to risk - and reveal.

0962 The Fast and the Ridiculous When a teenager buys a fifty-dollar car rigged with pranks by a high school shop class, her scheme to hide its problems from her older sister puts more than the car to the test.

0957 King of My Heart When Buck finally works up the nerve to ask his best friend Jules to homecoming, the school's golden boy beats him to it - and Buck must figure out what it really means to want the best for someone.

0944 A Friend in Need When a rare baseball card gets handed to a pizza driver as a tip, Jay drags Zoe on a frantic three-hour scavenger hunt across town to get it back before his parents find out.

0942 The 18-Yard Line When a heated rivalry pushes a star quarterback to make one tackle personal, he must face what his anger cost - and what it will take to make things right.

3 of 3 0933 As Buck Would Have It A treasure hunt turns deadly serious when Buck discovers that the map to his late father's secret may cost him the only family willing to claim him.

2 of 3 0932 As Buck Would Have It While digging into his late father's mysterious past in his old hometown, a foster teen uncovers secrets that could upend both the family he lost and the one he's being offered.

1 of 3 0931 As Buck Would Have It When the Meltsners finally get the chance to adopt their foster son Buck, a mysterious text and an unexpected stranger threaten to unravel everything.

0921 Make Snow Mistake Snowed in overnight at their empty high school during a blizzard, two teens discover their unsupervised adventure can turn dangerous in a heartbeat.

0909 Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off When three students land in detention for phones that aren't theirs, they realize someone framed them to get the school's best detectives out of the way - and the plot is unfolding right now.

0905 Auto Response When Connie's car vanishes from sleepy, trusting Odyssey, a detective's investigation stirs up old suspicions - and secrets no one wants to confess.