9-1-1 Season 5 Theories - Buck and Eddie

 Buck and Eddie

The Tea:

 Some shows I have many theories, some I only have oddly specific ones. This is the latter. 9-1-1 is one of my favorite currently airing shows. I love majority of the characters and the storylines are interesting, if sometimes over the top. One of my favorite things about the show as time went on, however, is the whole dynamic between characters Buck and Eddie. Yes, I’m 100% one of the people who ship them, or for those not familiar with the term, want them to date. There’re many reasons why and if the blog about Buddie is not up yet it will be soon. But they have more chemistry than most of the canon couples, the writers and directors use many common romantic tropes with them, and many other things. So, my hope is that their characters are slowly being built up to being a couple.

Now that leads us right into my theories for Buck and Eddie. This season has only had two episodes so far and I see this season going one fo two ways for these characters.

One:

I’ll start with the one that would disappoint me most but would surprise me less. Eddie is currently having panic attacks over feeling too much like a family with Ana. He isn’t ready for that in general or isn’t ready for that specifically with her. Which, I’m not sure. But I could very easily see the writers taking Eddie’s character through this panic with Ana and having to work through his feelings he never really dealt with when Shannon died. He needs to become ok with moving on. I think Eddie feels like he’s not allowed to move on in general. Not only that but he’s currently both trying to give Chris what he thinks Chris wants while also trying to protect him.

Eddie has had Carla and Buck tell him he needs to think about what he wants. Carla said he needs to be sure he’s doing what his heart wants and not what he thinks Chris wants. Buck told him if he’s not 100% in this with Ana that he needs to tell her. It hurts more to be continually led on when one of them is more invested than the other. Buck had been there with Abby.  

So what does this all mean? Or where would this be going? In this particular theory Eddie will have to work through his guilt and grief from Shannon and work things out with Ana. They’d likely take a break so Eddie can take a breath and figure out what he really wants, to be ok with wanting to move on, and all that fun stuff. This would likely take the whole season and maybe into the beginning of season 6. Now why do I think this is more likely? Because it’s more like the typical stories we see on tv. Stories that show runners and writers think will go over well with the most people. The essentially, “least offensive” option.  

And a similar situation might happen for Buck. Though in this first option I’m not as sure where they will go with Buck and Taylor. I think in either scenario Taylor is going to end up staying career focused. I think she thought she could split her focus and be in a more settled down relationship but I just don’t see it lasting. I think she will get an offer/promotion and she and Buck will part amicably. It seems like Buck already sees she’s still more invested in her career than relationships so I doubt it will be a surprise to him. So, he’d essentially end up single again. But they’d remain friends and grab drink every once in awhile throughout the season. I think Buck and Taylor are perfect for a great male/female friendship and I honestly wish they never went for that second chance.  

Two:

Next, my preferred outcome of the two. They are setting up Buck and Eddie to be a couple.  

Both are in relationships that don’t feel like they are going to work out. Taylor has already expressed more interest in working than spending time with Buck. Eddie can’t even imagine himself in a family with Ana without having a panic attack. It feels like the writers are giving them relationships that seem like they should work but don’t and they don’t because their feelings are elsewhere.

Ana seems too perfect of a character. She has basically no flaws. It’s one of my biggest issues with her. But if she’s there as a plot device that makes more sense, though that is kind of unfair to the actress. Ana is what Eddie essentially thinks he should want in a relationship. And the panic attacks, to me, are his body’s way of telling him no it’s not. He still would have to work through his guilt and grief from Shannon but also come to terms with having feelings for Buck. There’s a lot the show can do with that. He grew up in Texas, Catholic, and joined the military. He already is the definition of repressed feelings why not a few more. Being bisexual wouldn’t be something he’d come to terms with overnight and probably take the whole season.

Now bear with me, I’m going to get a little specific in this theory.  

In this scenario he does take Buck’s advice and tells Ana that his heart isn’t in this relationship. She, being perfect as she is, takes it well, would wish to maybe stay friends, and would even offer to watch Chris if he ever needed it. She’d also hope he finds the person who makes him truly happy. Again, she’s basically a character written with no flaws. They would tell Chris together that they aren’t dating anymore. I think Chris would take it hard not really understanding that it wasn’t making Eddie happy, going so far as not talking to Eddie for a few days before Buck turns up at Eddie’s house and after hearing the situation would offer to talk to Chris. Eddie would see how well Buck fits into their family, how much he has been co-parenting with him, and maybe start to see what everyone has been telling him about what his heart wants. Which is what the rest of the season would likely follow for Eddie. I don’t think he and Buck would get together this season but I think it’s a good set up for it leading into season six.

Buck and Taylor, I think will go much the same as in option one. I think Taylor will be offered a promotion that involves a lot of travel or even a move and she will take it, ending the relationship as Buck won’t leave his job and family. The difference here is Taylor might see how Buck and Eddie dance around each other. She is a journalist after all. And as they talk about their breakup, she would casually throw in he should go for Eddie as he would already be single at this point. Resulting in a shocked Buck but he can hardly deny the points she would make, and at least promise to think about it and Buck would then spend the rest of the season evaluating his feelings for Eddie. And like in option one they would remain friends and occasionally grab drinks when Taylor is in the area. He might even talk to her about his feelings with Eddie as she would have been the one to call him out on them and already be aware of the situation.

Taylor as a character I am a little more ok with. She isn’t perfect, she even has a rough history with the fire fam. Had her boss not wanted to make firefighters look bad, she would have back in dosed. Im honestly surprised Buck gave her a second chance after that as he sees Bobby as a father figure and her story would have really hurt Bobby the most. But regardless, I do think their relationship is temporary as Taylor’s career I think will continue to come first.

Final Thoughts

Like I said above, with all the subtext in the writing of Buck and Eddie, the tropes used, even cinematic choices, I prefer option two even if I think option one is more the choice network television would make. I can hope they choose the direction they themselves are taking the characters but I’ve learned that often TV writers disappoint. But these are the two directions I think the show could go with these two Evan Buckley and Eddie Diaz.

And That’s The Tea