Yahoo Lifestyle 9-1-1 Just Aired Its Buddiest Episode Yet: ‘That’s the Way I’ve Written Them From the Beginning,’ EP Says
Fans of Buck and Eddie’s ever-evolving relationship on 9-1-1 have long been accused of reading too closely between the lines, choosing to view the characters’ platonic connection as something romantic. But as far I’m concerned, fellow Buddies, there’s only one way to interpret the dynamic we witnessed between them in Thursday’s midseason premiere.
Following the events of November’s fall finale, Buck already knew that Eddie was moving back to Texas to be closer to his son, but when he heard that Eddie actually put a down payment on a house, you could see Buck’s heart sink into his stomach. Buck put on a brave face, offering to help Eddie convince someone to sublet his apartment (“like the Property Brothers!”), but his devastation was obvious. I don’t think I’ve seen him this torn up since his breakup with Tommy.
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“It is a breakup in a sense,” 9-1-1 showrunner Tim Minear tells TVLine of Buck losing Eddie to Texas. “Eddie is the yin to his yang. They’re tightly intertwined characters. However you want to view that — you know, your your mileage may vary — he’s losing someone who’s very important to him, and that’s going to be rough on him.”
Buck made good on his promise to help Eddie find a renter, a process that found them bickering over whether the apartment looked too “flowery.” (Come. On.) But Buck ultimately proved less than helpful, sabotaging every showing with off-handed comments about the apartment’s squishy floor and small kitchen. He denied doing anything intentionally, but Eddie had enough, making Buck leave before the final showing of the day. Not just leave, he made the poor guy sneak out the back door like some kind of dirty little secret.
If this was someone’s first time watching 9-1-1, they’d probably (and understandably so) assume that Buck and Eddie had some sort of romantic past — exes, perhaps. But Minear insists that he doesn’t purposely write them to sound like an old married couple. It’s just who they are.
“That’s just the way I’ve written them from the beginning,” he says. “I just kind of stopped trying to fight it. Buck was petulant and jealous the very first time he saw Eddie, and then by the end of the first episode that he’s in with him, they’re like best friends. That’s why I say ‘your mileage may vary.’ The story that you’re seeing on the screen is the story, but those characters have evolved.”
Then came more heartbreak: Buck snuck back into Eddie’s place to grab something he forgot (oopsie!), just in time to overhear Eddie telling the prospective renters that he only moved to Los Angeles for work. “No ties here,” Eddie said. “Everything I care about is in Texas.” For the second time in a single episode, you could see Buck’s heart break into a million little pieces.
Buck could have confronted Eddie directly about what he overheard, but as is the case in so many 100% platonic relationships, he opted for a more passive aggressive route. He started by bringing a rescued puppy into the firehouse, loudly telling the pup that he wouldn’t want him to think he was an “abandoner,” making sure Eddie could hear. And when Eddie asked whether Buck would move to a dog-friendly apartment just to keep the little guy, he replied, “Yes, Eddie, I’ll move. You’re not the only one who can do that, you know.”
At this point, everyone at the 118 (and probably the damn 126, for that matter) could hear what was going on. Eddie was forced to confirm that he’s moving to Texas, breaking the news slightly earlier than he planned. Buck dropped by Eddie’s apartment to apologize later that night, but Eddie said it wasn’t a good time. Buck still insisted on being heard, prompting Eddie to say one of my favorite lines of the night: “Wow, it really is all about you, isn’t it?”
Actually, I spoke too soon. My favorite line of the night came in the form of Buck’s apology: “I didn’t mean to out you in front of Cap and everyone else.” Friends, that is some specific language right there. “You absolutely did,” Eddie replied. “You got mad, so you acted out like you always do. If you need to be pissed off at me to make it easier for you, be pissed off.”
In regards to the phrasing of Buck “outing” Eddie, Minear tells me it wasn’t intentional: “You’re not going to believe me, but it really wasn’t,” he says. I did notice it when I was editing the episode. It’s like, Magoo, you’ve done it again.”
Buck admitted that he’s just having a harder time dealing with Eddie’s departure than he’d like to admit. “I don’t like it any more than you do,” Eddie replied. “But if you’re going to make this about me having to choose between you and my son, you’re going to lose every time.” At this point, we’ve moved on from them just being in a relationship to them being co-parents in the midst of a bitter divorce. This is my Marriage Story.
Then came the final surprise of the night: Buck revealed that he is going to sublet Eddie’s apartment while he’s in Texas. As for how long that will be, Minear isn’t talking: “The question is will he come back? I’m not promising that he will.”
OK, let’s talk about this: Am I losing what’s left of my TV-rotted mind, or was the #Buddie energy completely off the charts this week? Tell it to me straight (so to speak) in the comments below. And before you accuse me of overlooking the actual focus of this episode, you can also click here for my interview with Jennifer Love Hewitt about Maddie’s latest harrowing ordeal.
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