“The Slow Burn is Dead: Let Buddie Happen Already, ‘9-1-1′”

When a long-running show is planning to take that next step for a slow burn pairing, there are usually signs in the seasons building up to it, and 9-1-1 has certainly given all those signs for Buddie. There was Buck’s (Oliver Stark) realization that he is bisexual, Tommy’s (Lou Ferrigno Jr.) jealousy over Buck and Eddie’s (Ryan Guzman) connection, and Buck’s accidental Freudian slip where he inadvertently admitted to his feelings for Eddie while denying them. If 9-1-1 were following the structure of a typical procedural, this would have been building up to a feelings realization for each party in the Season 8 finale, then they would officially get together by the end of Season 9. This is just another storyline that has been derailed by Bobby’s (Peter Krause) death.

Here we are now after the conclusion of 9-1-1’s eighth season, and a massive emergency took up the season finale, meaning any next steps for Buddie had to, once again, get pushed back a season. I have no doubt that 9-1-1 is still on the path to Buddie, but I do worry about whether the payoff for this pairing will feel satisfying. I love a good slow burn, and I think it’s important for shows to take their time with these pairings. At a certain point, though, dragging out the slow burn can take away its momentum, until the actual moment where they get together is overshadowed by the frustration of waiting.

Let’s get one thing straight: I adore a slow burn romance. The lingering glances. The tension. The will-they-won’t-they rollercoaster. But when it comes to ‘9-1-1’ and the endless tease of Buddie—Buck and Eddie’s electric, undeniable bond—I’ve reached my limit. For years, fans have clung to every glance, every shared trauma, every “You’re family” moment. But here we are, seasons later, still circling the same emotional drain. So I’m just gonna say it: It’s time to commit to Buddie—or stop teasing it entirely.