Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Season 9 finale of 9-1-1, streaming now with a Hulu subscription.
9-1-1 just wrapped up its ninth season on the 2026 TV schedule, meaning fans will be without the 118 for a while. This, of course, means we won't get to hang out with fan-favorites Buck and Eddie, played by Oliver Stark and Ryan Guzman, respectively. Since Season 2, when Guzman joined the show, fans have been loving the duo’s friendship, so much so that they started shipping them, and “Buddie” was born. The two have been through a lot, both together and separately, in these last eight seasons, and Guzman shared what that "secret sauce" to their relationship is, and I definitely agree.
While Buck and Eddie’s relationship hasn’t always been steady, as they had a real fallout earlier this season following Buck’s abduction after the 9-1-1 crossover event, they always manage to come back together as friends. At this point, it’s hard to imagine the show without them. But what really makes the relationship work? Guzman told The Hollywood Reporter what the secret is, and it’s actually pretty simple:
I feel like we found the secret sauce with that relationship — the back and forth [between] Buck and Eddie — and the fans spoke for themselves for that episode. I believe it did really, really good [ratings-wise]. So I like the fact that we dive into more of the humorous parts between those two characters, because there’s a lot of humor to play off of.
Some of the best scenes on 9-1-1 involve Buck and Eddie’s playful dynamic with each other, whether they’re both acting like kids or trying to get some gossip at work. Sometimes they’re the comedic relief, and sometimes they’re the complete opposite. Even their heartfelt conversations with one another really make an episode. They’re also known for really giving support to each other when needed, which is often, and that might be my favorite part of it all:
God, when you really look at it, they do oppose each other a lot in different attributes. It’s a perfect balance of positive/negative, negative/positive. One’s super hopeful about a drive home; the other one’s trying to be realistic/pessimistic about everything. That relationship continues to evolve, and what it’s evolved to already is more than Oliver and I even had intended for, let alone understood, in the beginning.
Considering boss Tim Minear previously shared his honest take on Buck and Eddie’s relationship, alluding to the fact that friends will be the furthest they’ll get, it can be assumed that Buddie won’t happen. At least not any time soon. But even if there is no Buddie, just seeing their relationship and friendship and knowing that they really care for one another is good.
Plus, there may be an addition to that secret sauce that Guzman was talking about. The end of Thursday’s season finale saw Buck officially fostering Theo, his biological son. He had donated sperm a few seasons ago to some friends, who ended up getting killed in the penultimate episode of Season 9. So there will likely be some more heartfelt conversations and playful dynamics come Season 10, and I cannot wait to see what happens.
It’s unknown when 9-1-1 Season 10 will premiere, but that announcement is expected to come in the near future. Between Buck and Eddie’s relationship, Athena’s new position, May’s new career path, and much more, there is going to be a lot to look forward to in Season 10. And I sure hope that Buddie's secret sauce continues.
