Spoilers for 9-1-1‘s Season 8 finale – “Seismic Shifts” – are ahead! To catch up, you can stream the ABC drama with a Hulu subscription.
9-1-1’s eighth season has come to an end on the 2025 TV schedule and, unsurprisingly, it left fans feeling frustrated. Not only are many still reeling from the death of Peter Krause’s Captain Bobby Nash, but they're still holding on to hope that Buck and Eddie’s bromance will turn into something more. Now, with yet another season done and still no "Buddie," despite Eddie being back from Texas, will such a relationship ever come to fruition? Series co-stars Oliver Stark and Ryan Guzman are now weighing in.
Since the introduction of Guzman’s Eddie Diaz in the second season, fans have been shipping the character and Stark’s Evan “Buck” Buckley. The series has even dropped occasional hints to a romance, with the duo even being mistaken for parents as they raise Eddie’s son, Christopher together. Since Buck’s coming out in Season 7, it seemed like it was only just a matter of time, especially since Season 8 has more or less addressed Buck’s potential feelings for his best friend. Alas, that has yet to happen, but Stark told Deadline that if it does, it'll be earned:
What I will say is that if the story ever goes in that direction, I don’t think the way to do it is purely to give in to fans. I hope, if it goes there, it’s done because that’s the right story to tell and that’s the right progression for the characters.
Stark does make a solid point. I've been waiting for Buddie as much as the next fan, but it makes sense to continue to lay some groundwork, especially since Eddie is not out. Additionally, Stark said he doesn’t “want to do it purely as fan service,” likely meaning that a romance must feel organic to the narrative. It was widely assumed that, something would happen between Buck and Eddie in the Season 8 finale, but nothing that didn't come to pass.
As for Ryan Guzman, he spoke about the chemistry between Buck and Eddie and how special it is. However, the actor didn't so much on a romantic scale but more so in a platonic sense. That being said, he also knows what the fans want, and he loves it all:
I think we have something so genuine with what we’ve already established. And I think Oliver’s character has said it multiple times. It’s like, why can’t we just be friends, brothers. I think right now it stands as it is. I completely understand where fans are gaining that from, and they’ve created their own lore. I see so many different things. I see renditions of the show where it’s all of us like friends, characters, and stuff. I love it. They’re so adamant on their version of 9-1-1.
It’s been clear since Season 2 that Buck and Eddie’s relationship is special, in whichever way you want to interpret it. It’s also clear to the characters themselves that their friendship is unique. Whether or not the show's writers and producers will actually allow "Buddie" to happen remains to be seen. Still, the good news is that both Stark and Guzman seem open to the possibilities. It’s just a matter of how, if, and when something happens.
With 9-1-1 Season 9 heading to ABC this fall, there's still time for Buddie becomes a reality. A “will they, won’t they” relationship can only go so long, and I hope the writers land on a definitive decision sooner rather than later. In the meantime, fans can stream the show using a Hulu subscription.
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