‘9-1-1’s Biggest Missed Opportunity With Buck and Eddie Can Still Be Fixed
With 9-1-1 being the show that it is, it is no surprise that the procedural has chosen to drop a massive twist at the end of the midseason finale of Season 8. The show really knows how to take advantage of its network TV structure in order to leave viewers on the edges of their seats, waiting for cliffhangers to be resolved. This time, though, nobody has been shot or struck by lightning. Towards the end of the episode, Eddie (Ryan Guzman) is looking at something secret on his tablet when Buck (Oliver Stark) waltzes right through the front door of his house with a basket of baked goods. It turns out that Eddie is readying himself to move to Texas, and Buck seems to be feeling a certain way about it.
Although the idea of Eddie leaving the 118 again is a terrifying thought, it is not even remotely a possibility. Instead, this arc is the perfect opportunity for 9-1-1 to do two things. First, it is time for Christopher (Gavin McHugh) to come home. This storyline has been going on for way too long, and half a season should have been enough time to resolve it. Beyond this, though, there is another interesting chance for 9-1-1 to fix its biggest missed opportunity: the potential relationship between Buck and Eddie. With the threat of being separated looming, it is the perfect time for these two to work out their feelings.
“Buddie” Is 9-1-1’s Biggest Missed Opportunity
9-1-1 may be a show about first responders, but its heart and soul are its characters. At the center of the many emergencies are the relationships between these characters. A lot of this has to do with the 118 found family, as well as the close friendships. However, 9-1-1 has shown itself to be a great show for romance, and a show that likes to tell long-running, nuanced, and beautiful love stories. Buck and Eddie have all of the makings as a pairing to be 9-1-1’s next big romance, right up there with Bobby (Peter Krause) and Athena (Angela Bassett), Hen (Aisha Hinds) and Karen (Tracie Thoms), Maddie (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and Chimney (Kenneth Choi).
Buck and Eddie share many characteristics with 9-1-1’s other central couples. They are both first responders who met through work but support each other even outside of work. They’ve also acted like co-parents, as Buck stepped in almost immediately to play a key role in Eddie and Christopher’s lives. In the Season 4 finale, after Eddie was shot, he told Buck that he had changed his will after his previous near-death experience. Even though Eddie has many family members who would have stepped in, he made it clear that Buck was the one he wanted to take care of Christopher if he died.
Buck and Eddie are the greatest missed opportunity of 9-1-1 because the series has planted the seeds for this pairing from the start of Eddie’s time on the show. Buck initially disliked Eddie before he got to know him because he felt threatened by Eddie’s presence and expertise. As soon as Eddie first complimented Buck, Buck immediately changed his mind about him. They became best friends right away, although they have never acted like just friends. They have always put their romantic relationships second to each other, and the rest of the world goes away for them when the other has a near-death experience.
‘9-1-1’ Season 8 Is the Perfect Time to Move Buck and Eddie’s Relationship Forward
The first half of 9-1-1 Season 8 has felt like the show is finally getting ready to move Buck and Eddie’s relationship forward. After Buck came out as bisexual in Season 7, he immediately entered into a relationship with Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.). The relationship was not meant to last, but it is still surprising how perfectly that breakup set up Buck and Eddie. When Tommy ends things with Buck, it is because he believes that he will not be Buck’s “last.” In a parallel story arc, Eddie puts in the effort to stop punishing himself for Chris leaving and depriving himself of joy.
That had seemed like the perfect setup for Buck and Eddie, until this week, when Eddie tells Buck that he’s planning to move to Texas. Although it looks bad, it is actually the perfect chance for 9-1-1 to bring these two closer. Buck enters Eddie’s house with a bunch of baked goods, hoping to be distracted from his loneliness. Even though he’s struggling, Buck doesn’t miss a single thing about Eddie. As soon as Buck sees Eddie turn over the tablet, he’s determined to figure out what secret Eddie is keeping from him. It is interesting that this is the first one-on-one scene onscreen between the two of them since Buck came over after his breakup and these big steps in their relationship feel far more significant.
