9-1-1 Season 8 Is Setting Up A Storyline That Would Be Worse Than Buck & Eddie Not Getting Together

Warning: SPOILERS for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 10.9-1-1 may finally be developing Buck and Eddie’s relationship, but I’m worried about the direction they might be heading in. Ryan Guzman joined the 9-1-1 cast as Eddie Diaz in season 2, quickly bonding with Oliver Stark’s Evan “Buck” Buckley. While Buck and Eddie have been best friends ever since, there’s always been the distinct feeling that something more might happen between the two of them, bolstered by the confirmation of Buck’s bisexuality in 9-1-1 season 7. That same season, however, sowed the seeds for Eddie’s current storyline of moving to Texas.

While the basic premise of 9-1-1 follows intense disasters tended to by emergency services, the heart of the series lies in its ensemble cast and the constantly evolving dynamics between the members of the 118 firehouse. Even Buck and Eddie, though they’re generally inseparable, have had conflicts and rough patches throughout 9-1-1. Nevertheless, Buck and Eddie’s relationship has prevailed over every obstacle— at least up until now. Rather than becoming 9-1-1’s office romance or the best slow-burn on TV, Eddie is moving to Texas to reconcile with his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), inadvertently leaving Buck behind in the process.

9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 10’s Goodbye Scene Implies Buck’s Feelings Are Deeper Than Eddie’s

Eddie Literally Left Buck In The Rear-View

Buck’s complicated feelings about Eddie leaving come to a head in 9-1-1 season 8, episode 10. Though the majority of scenes center on Buck’s sister, Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the episode ends with Buck helping Eddie load the last of his boxes onto a truck and saying goodbye. The way the camera follows Buck’s expressions places an emphasis on his emotions during the scene, despite Eddie being the one leaving. In fact, Eddie’s entire demeanor seems leagues calmer and detached, juxtaposing Buck’s visible devastation. While Eddie’s exit in 9-1-1 season 8 would be upsetting for any friend, context is everything.

9-1-1 season 8 has already positioned Eddie’s departure to awaken something in Buck. The trouble Buck had coping with where Eddie really belongs in 9-1-1 boils down to the simple fact that, even if he hasn’t put a name to it yet, Buck loves Eddie. In fact, Buck’s feelings are so central to Eddie’s moving plot that the goodbye scene reads more like a breakup than a bittersweet parting of two best friends. Even the little details, like Buck baking Eddie cookies (a habit he picked up after being dumped), indicate Buck having deeper feelings for Eddie than he lets on.

Buck’s Unrequited Feelings For Eddie Would Explain The Abby Parallels In 9-1-1 Season 8

Buck Losing Eddie Is Like Losing A Love Interest

Over 9-1-1 season 8’s two-part return, there were many parallels, both narrative and visual, to Buck’s experience losing his girlfriend, Abby (Connie Britton). Buck and Abby began dating in 9-1-1 season 1, with Abby leaving to visit Ireland in the season finale and becoming the first main character to leave 9-1-1. Buck stayed behind at her place and waited for her to return, but his first arc in 9-1-1 season 2 included the 118 trying to make Buck understand that Abby left (both LA and him) for good. Now, Buck is experiencing déjà vu with Eddie’s departure.

The most obvious parallel in “Voices” is the shot of Buck in the road after Eddie drives off, eerily similar to how Buck stood outside the airport in season 1 after Abby walked away. Earlier in the episode, the framing of Buck and Eddie in the car searching for Maddie perfectly lines up with a shot of Buck and Abby driving in season 1. Even the facial expressions Oliver Stark uses during the goodbye scene are reminiscent of Buck at the airport losing his first love in 9-1-1, proving Buck views Eddie as more than a friend (at least subconsciously).

How An Unrequited Love Could Ruin Buck's Immediate Future In 9-1-1

Living In Eddie's House Will Be Even More Challenging

If Buck is heading toward a feelings realization, he won’t be able to hide from it in 9-1-1 season 8. Even with his best friend in Texas, Buck is renting Eddie’s house in 9-1-1 and consequently won’t be able to ignore his complex emotions. Although it’s possible that 9-1-1 introduced this plot to eventually have Eddie return and reciprocate Buck’s feelings, it seems more likely that 9-1-1 is attempting to have its cake and eat it too, by finally addressing “Buddie” without making them a canon couple. Unfortunately, letting Buck break his own heart would be a huge mistake.

Even if 9-1-1 season 8 has an Eddie replacement, there’s no imitating the synergy Buck and Eddie have together on the job. Eddie is almost certainly coming back to LA eventually, and unless he returns Buck’s affection, their friendship will be ruined. Unless they handle it flawlessly, 9-1-1 could be dooming its best pairing to an eternity of awkwardness and missed chances. 9-1-1 could simply transition Buck and Eddie into romance organically, but utilizing unrequited love to squash the hopes of Buddie would be needlessly cruel and do more harm than good to the characters in the long run.

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