9-1-1: The Time is Now for Buck and Eddie to Become Canon

There’s such a thing as a time for every ship. Some shows get it exactly right. Others miss the moment in such a way that it becomes almost impossible to capture the vibe. And others—looking at you, Ted Lasso—are guilty of letting the time pass them by completely in an attempt to be edgy. For 9-1-1’s Buck and Eddie, who we’d argue already had their time pass by, we find ourselves at a very peculiar place: at the right moment, once again.

Not just that, it could even be said that though there was another time, a few seasons ago, that could have worked for Buddie this is actually the right time. That character progression and their shared storyline have taken them to a point where not only do they make sense, but nothing else makes sense.

Buck and Eddie have both had their share of love interests—from Eddie’s ex-wife, and her doppelganger Kim, without forgetting Ana, to Buck’s Abby, Taylor, and of course, Tommy. All of those characters have played a part in who the two of them are today, and they’ve all left the characters right where we need them to be to finally take that last step.

From Abby, Buck learned what a serious relationship was. In Taylor, he found a friend he could have fun with and also be with. Then there was Tommy, who helped Buck become comfortable with the idea of dating a man.

All important milestones, none of them meant to actually be Buck’s forever.

Eddie, meanwhile, has been trapped in the idea of Shannon to the point that he’s been unable to really move on—case in point, Kim. But he’s also felt trapped into an idea of what the perfect relationship needs to look like and has rebelled against it, even without understanding what’s missing.

Throughout it all, their friendship has stayed a constant. When Buck was trying to date Taylor and Abby. When Ali left Buck, but Eddie didn’t. And even outside of romantic relationships, when Buck was hurt over and over again and Eddie made sure Buck knew he wasn’t alone. Buck has done the same for Eddie—and Christopher—showing up from the beginning and being the type of constant Eddie hasn’t had in his life and has desperately needed.

Season 8B now finds them at a crossroads. Buck has just gotten out of a relationship where his ex literally dumped him by saying “I’m not your last, I’m your first.” Eddie, meanwhile, has been single for a bit—Kim notwithstanding—and seems to be focused on who he is and how to find joy for himself, outside of his relationship with his son.

But the answer to both of those questions, for Buck and Eddie, is and has always been each other.

Eddie is Buck’s constant and has been for over 7 years. The person who loves him without asking questions, but also the person who doesn’t let him wallow or succumb to his worst impulses. And Buck has been the same for Eddie, the one making him laugh, the one who helps him shoulder burdens Eddie has never really felt he could share with anyone else. And, sure, you can think that’s not romantic… but also, have you seen their chemistry?

I hate to pull the “if one of them were a woman this would have already happened” card, but we’re all clear on that, right? The Buddie setup is a clear romantic setup, and it could have been paid off long ago—after Eddie was shot. For reasons we shall not discuss, that didn’t happen. The moment passed. And for a while there, it felt like that would be it. I challenge anyone to watch Season 6 and think there was even a possibility of Buddie becoming canon.

But now in Season 8, it’s a different world. Buck has come out as bisexual. Eddie felt the need to explicitly tell us he was straight (while sporting a Freddie Mercury mustache), for some reason, and seems on the brink of finally unpacking all his issues with his parents, Catholic guilt, and particularly the repression that has led him to deny himself of “juice” for so long. There are, of course, other places this could be going. If I squint, I can see a road ahead that isn’t Buddie. But we’re at a point where I really have to twist myself into knots to see this going anywhere else.

And we’ve yet to see anything of 8B. We don’t know how Buck will react to Eddie possibly leaving for Texas. We don’t know how Eddie will react to Eddie possibly leaving for Texas.

All we know is that if Buck sits down to think of who could be his “last” and who has been his constant for the last few years, and Eddie sits down to think of what his happiness really looks like and who has made him happy in the last few years, they will both arrive at the same answer.

Even if they get there, there’s still a lot to unpack. Eddie’s storyline requires a real deconstruction of who he is, why he is that way, and who he wants to be going forward. For Buck, it might be healthy to get to a point where he understands that he doesn’t need Eddie. He just wants Eddie. But with a very important upcoming arc for the two set up to be about their relationship—Tim Minear referred to a Buck-Eddie storyline—the question becomes, where else can the show be going?

And, why would they need to go anywhere else? The setup is there. The chemistry is certainly there. The characters are once again at a point where Buck and Eddie not only make sense, but they feel inevitable. No reason to waste a second chance, right 9-1-1? Right?

Are you in for Buddie? Share with us in the comments below! Check out our Tales From the 118 podcast if you want to listen to our 8B preview. On Apple Podcasts and Spotify! Plus, if you want to leave your own rating/comment about the show, you can do so in our 9-1-1 hub!

9-1-1 airs on Thursdays on ABC.

Our last five 9-1-1 reviews:

• 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 4
• 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 5
• 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 6
• 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 7
• 9-1-1 Season 8, Episode 8