9-1-1: Nashville Introduces Its Ironic Buddie Replacement
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SPOILERS AHEAD for 9-1-1: Nashville season 2, episode 2.While the real Buck and Eddie continue to be the unofficial face of the franchise, 9-1-1: Nashville just found its own unlikely twosome with a similar dynamic. Since Ryan Guzman joined the flagship series’ cast in late 2018, him and Oliver Stark have become a fan-favorite duo as Eddie Diaz and Evan “Buck” Buckley, respectively. Their pairing is so popular, in fact, early viewers of 9-1-1: Lone Star assumed Carlos (Rafael L. Silva) and TK (Ronen Rubinstein) were modeled after the “Buddie” ship. Sadly, eight seasons later, Buck and Eddie’s romance in 9-1-1 is still nothing more than optimistic theorizing.
Nevertheless, Buddie’s impact on the 9-1-1 franchise— and modern fan culture itself— cannot be overstated. When the second spinoff was first teased with a few brief character descriptions, fans assumed Nashville would follow in Lone Star‘s footsteps by having a queer couple in the main cast that bore striking similarities to Buck and Eddie: Blue (Hunter McVey) and Ryan (Michael Provost). Of course, that conjecture was thrown out the window following the shocking reveal that the two firefighters were secretly half-brothers. Regardless, 9-1-1: Nashville season 2 has cemented its own Buddie— just without the undeniable romantic tension and ship potential.
Don & Rogue’s Storyline Parallels Eddie & Buck’s First Meeting In 9-1-1
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Before Buck and Eddie took the world by storm with unprecedented amounts of fan content, they were simply two firefighters who got off on the wrong foot. Buck was an established member of the 118 who felt threatened by the sudden arrival of Eddie. After working a high-stakes emergency together, however, the two warm up to one another, paving the way for a lasting friendship (and potentially more). While not an exact retelling, 9-1-1: Nashville season 2 is exploring an extremely similar plot between Fire Captain Don Hart (Chris O’Donnell) and newcomer Rogue Kelly (Ryan Phillippe).
Like Buck, Don’s insecurity immediately arose when Rogue appeared at the scene of his latest rescue in the 9-1-1: Nashville season 2 premiere. Whereas others in the community— including Don’s own son and wife— welcomed the detective with open arms, Don remained skeptical, and episode 2 further intensified the one-sided feud. Like Eddie, Rogue is seemingly focused on finding his footing in a new city, going so far as to involve Don in his investigation without responding to his petty side comments.
Yet, with 9-1-1: Nashville‘s serial killer storyline ramping up, the two will need to resolve their differences as soon as possible. In 9-1-1 season 2, Buck and Eddie only needed a live grenade to bond them together for life, but the so-called Pharaoh unleashing biblical plagues upon Nashville will offer Rogue and Don a much more high-octane road to reconciliation. By the time the case wraps up, the detective and fire captain will undoubtedly be newfound allies, and if Rogue sticks around for season 3 and beyond, him and Don may grow to be best friends in their own right.
9-1-1: Nashville Likely Won’t Have A Will-They/Won’t They Like The Flagship
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In terms of internet-breaking slow-burn ships, however, Buddie is still in a torturous league of its own. Beyond starting with a handful of established relationships, 9-1-1: Nashville paired off almost all of its main characters in season 1. Ryan reconnected with his estranged wife, Don found himself caught in a love triangle with old flame Dixie (LeAnn Rimes) and wife Blythe (Jessica Capshaw), and romance bloomed in the firehouse between Blue and Taylor (Hailey Kilgore). Even Cammie (Kimberly Williams-Paisley), 9-1-1: Nashville‘s main dispatcher, had a promising love interest briefly set up prior to season 2.
Yet, the interactions thus far between Cammie and Rogue have irrefutably bordered on flirtatious, and dating a dispatcher would be a more permanent way to bring the New York detective into the Tennessee fold. If 9-1-1: Nashville truly wants its own Buddie, however, its best bet is easily Roxie (Juani Feliz). The paramedic had a brief fling in season 1 with a woman she met on a call, but her long-term development is still wide open. As such, the spinoff could introduce a professional rival for Roxie, capturing Buddie’s tension while allowing the iconic lesbian character her own plot.
Despite the audience’s best wishes, Buck and Eddie may never go canon, but the stage is set for a Southern slow-burn. Whether it would morph into a secret workplace relationship or a sweet fixture of the show, Roxie is, without question, the person most deserving of a major romantic arc. Of course, a ship like Buddie is a double-edged sword, and it may be better for 9-1-1: Nashville to avoid it altogether. Still, the spinoff should mark a new era for the franchise, and a great love story could be precisely what draws in longtime fans of the original series.
New episodes of 9-1-1: Nashville air each Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
9-1-1: Nashville
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