9-1-1 Season 9 Could Return To A Long-Forgotten Original Plan For Eddie

9-1-1 has created iconic romantic and platonic bonds alike over the years, but one duo’s dynamic has untapped potential that season 9 needs to capitalize on. The first-responder drama premiered in 2018 on Fox, but the hit procedural moved to ABC in 2024. 9-1-1’s intense disasters remained, with stressful and absurd storylines both running throughout seasons 7 and 8. Yet, for all the drama, 9-1-1 has heartwarming moments that balance it all out, whether it’s Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Howard “Chimney” Han (Kenneth Choi) welcoming in their second child, or Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark) embracing his bisexuality.

The near-death experiences in 9-1-1 arguably remain the most memorable moments in the series (like Ryan Guzman’s Eddie Diaz being shot by a sniper), but the connection between the cast grounds the series. The rest of LAFD station 118— including Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds) and Ravi Panikkar (Anirudh Pisharody)— form bonds outside the workplace, with police sergeant Athena Grant (Angela Bassett) often offering more than professional advice. Prior to his tragic death in 9-1-1 season 8, fire captain Bobby Nash (Peter Krause) was irrefutably the glue holding everyone together. Shockingly, one pairing rarely— if ever— interacts in 9-1-1.

Maddie & Eddie Were Originally Going To Be Love Interests In 9-1-1

Both Were Introduced In 9-1-1 Season 2

While Bobby, Athena, Buck, Hen, and Chimney formed the original LAFD station 118 A-team in season 1, Maddie and Eddie were both introduced in an iconic 9-1-1 episode: the season 2 premiere. There was an intriguing contrast between the two, as Buck loved his sister and seemed incredibly protective, while Buck initially disliked Eddie and assumed he was jeopardizing his role in the team. By the end of 9-1-1 season 2, episode 1, Buck comes to his senses and vows to have Eddie’s back, just as he vows to protect Maddie while she’s in LA.

Though the plot quickly disappears, it’s an open secret that Maddie was originally meant to be Eddie’s love interest in 9-1-1. Aside from being alluded to over the years, Ryan Guzman directly mentions it in a 2025 episode of Spilling the E-Tea on Entertainment Tonight’s official YouTube channel. Ironically, Guzman jokes that he was convinced to join the show after learning he’d have a love story with Jennifer Love Hewitt. While it would have been fascinating to see if Buck’s tentative friendship with Eddie imploded due to the new guy’s growing feelings for his sister, the storyline was swiftly scrapped.

Why Maddie & Eddie Didn’t End Up Together In 9-1-1

Jennifer Love Hewitt Had A Different Vision For Her Character

Thankfully, there was no upsetting or controversial reason for Maddie and Eddie’s romance being cut. Rather, Jennifer Love Hewitt had an epiphany about Maddie’s character after meeting Kenneth Choi on the set of 9-1-1. As she recounts to Entertainment Weekly, "I just felt like they were two people who were sort of meant to be together." Prior to Maddie’s arrival, Chimney was practically unrecognizable compared to the beloved character he’s grown into over the years. As a result of being paired with Maddie, Chimney was able to grow as a person and show off his sweeter side.

Nevertheless, Maddie and Chimney have had some bumps along the way. In 9-1-1 season 5, Maddie left LA due to her post-partum depression, leading to her and Chimney breaking up. Thankfully, the pair quickly reconcile in season 6 and eventually marry in season 7. Simply put, Maddie and Chimney bring out the best in each other and are dedicated enough to work through the worst. Understandably, Maddie and Chimney are widely regarded as one of the best couples in 9-1-1, and they would never have existed if Jennifer Love Hewitt hadn’t spoken out against the Maddie-Eddie plot.

Maddie & Eddie's Scrapped Romance Can Be Turned Into 9-1-1 Season 9's Best Friendship

Their Similar Life Experiences Would Give Them Plenty To Bond Over

It may have been for the better that Maddie and Eddie didn’t date, but that doesn’t mean the characters should never interact. In fact, it goes against the heart of 9-1-1’s found family to have two characters exist on seemingly polar opposite sides of the show. Even when Eddie takes a leave of absence from the 118 and works at dispatch, it perfectly overlaps with Maddie’s East Coast arc (and naturally, Eddie is gone by the time she returns). The disconnect is so extreme, it feels purposeful— but 9-1-1 is ignoring Maddie and Eddie’s obvious similarities.

Of course, Eddie and Maddie each have unique backgrounds, but there are clear parallels between the two that prove 9-1-1 is underutilizing their platonic potential. Both were the eldest children who had to raise their siblings— Eddie with his two baby sisters, Maddie with her two baby brothers (though Daniel died young, leaving her to solely care for Buck). Both doubted their fitness to care for their firstborn children— Christopher (Gavin McHugh) and Jee-Yun (Bailey and Hailey Leung), respectively. Amazingly, both of the lowest points in their mental health storylines even occurred in 9-1-1 season 5.

How 9-1-1 Season 9 Can Bring Maddie & Eddie Together

They Have An Easy Connecting Point

There are many strategies 9-1-1 season 9 could use to finally bridge the gap between Maddie and Eddie. If the long-running procedural wants to act as if they’ve been friends all along, 9-1-1 could simply implant Eddie into Maddie’s life, or vice versa. Since Maddie and Chimney have had multiple scenes bonding with Hen and her wife, Karen (Tracie Thoms), it would be easy to include Eddie and bring Christopher into the fold at the children’s playdates. In past seasons, Christopher and Denny (Declan Pratt) were even implied to be close friends, so it wouldn’t be an abrupt addition.

More broadly, the two could connect during one of 9-1-1’s over-the-top emergencies, since Maddie is the voice of the titular 9-1-1 dispatch center. If Eddie is cut off from the rest of the 118 during a high-octane emergency, Maddie could heroically step up and guide him out of danger. Additionally, if Chimney is truly going to take up the captaincy in 9-1-1 season 9, it would only make it more vital for Maddie to have close relationships with all the 118, but especially Eddie. After Bobby’s untimely death, having a united front is more important than ever.Whether 9-1-1 wants to pretend that Maddie and Eddie have been best friends off-screen or include a plotline about why they never hang out alone, the easiest way to connect the two characters is their shared loved one: Buck. Since season 2, Buck and Eddie’s partnership in 9-1-1 has been a fixture in the 118. Similarly, Maddie and Buck’s sibling dynamic is crucial to the show’s identity. Buck could be in peril or simply in a personal crisis, which would force Maddie and Eddie to work together. Perhaps uniting for a common goal is all 9-1-1 needs, full stop.Enjoy ScreenRant's primetime coverage? Click below to sign up for our weekly Network TV newsletter (make sure to check "Network TV" in your preferences) and get the inside scoop from actors and showrunners on your favorite series.