9-1-1 star Ryan Guzman has addressed Eddie's new Texas life in season 8, episode 12, explaining his thoughts on the new situation and what it means. Eddie (Guzman) has moved to Texas in order to repair his relationship with his son, Christopher (Gavin McHugh), who moved there at the end of 9-1-1 season 7 to live with his grandparents. The newest episode saw many changes to his life as he tried to make amends with his son, including the former firefighter getting a job as a rideshare driver.
Speaking with TVLine, Guzman explained what Eddie's mission to repair his relationship with Christopher has meant for his storyline, explaining his thoughts on all the events throughout the episode. This included the pain of Eddie having to trade in his truck for an eco-friendly car for his new job. He's also trying to make progress with Chris despite not knowing the best way to move forward:
[On Eddie trading in his truck] I felt so bad for him when I did that scene. I was like, I know how much this truck costs. I know why he’s doing it, I know it’s for a good cause, but I don’t even have to act. This just sucks.
[Eddie and Chris] making some progress. There are still plenty of things that need to be done before Eddie feels like the father he needs to be.
In addition, Guzman spoke about Eddie and Buck's relationship, including the support of his long-time friend in repairing his family. He acknowledges the possibility that Buck is in love with him, something Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), his own sister, even accused him of. But he also highlighted the "growth" and "setbacks" Eddie is going to face, including some exploration that feels like his early days on the show. Check out what Guzman had to say below:
I think Buck got the message. Nothing has ever gotten between Eddie and his son, other than his dead ex-wife — which is so weird to say out loud. Being who he is, Buck just wants to see Eddie happy. He knows how much [being Christopher’s father] means to Eddie, so there’s no going back to LA if Eddie can’t establish himself in Christopher’s life again.
[Buck's feelings for Eddie are] his own obstacle. I guess I can pull from real life. I’ve had certain individuals in my life that are friends of mine, and it never crossed my mind whether they liked me or not, but I’ve come to find out that they did. And it did kind of cause awkwardness, more for them than for me. That’s an internal struggle that I don’t wish on anybody.
[Eddie has] a lot of growth [and] some setbacks that have him revisiting a version of himself that we saw early on when we first introduced Eddie.
What Eddie's New Role Means For His 9-1-1 Season 8 Storyline
Family Has To Come First
9-1-1 season 8 has been building to Eddie's move to Texas for quite some time, the firefighter is unable to overcome his guilt after his affair with Kim (Devin Kelley). Buck has been there to support him the whole time, even FaceTiming him during season 8, episode 12, after Christopher discovered his dad had quit his job. He's even making progress with his son, who told him he wants them to reconnect.
Our Take On Eddie's Texas Storyline In 9-1-1 Season 8
More Challenges Are On The Horizon
While he's finally making progress with his son, Guzman's statements make it seem like there are going to be plenty of unexpected challenges as their healing process continues. Given Eddie's constant contact with Buck, building a new life out in Texas might not be sustainable for him, something that could lead to unwanted friction. For now, though, he seems most concerned about ensuring he can bring his family back together during 9-1-1 season 8, doing whatever is necessary for Christopher's sake in the process.
