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9-1-1 season 9 needs to let Eddie out of the closet

BBG News

***SPOILERS FOR 9-1-1 SEASON 8***

9-1-1 has an Eddie problem.

To put it simply, Eddie Diaz (Ryan Guzman) isn’t the issue itself, but instead, it lies in the way the ABC procedural drama presents his narrative.

Eddie, who transitioned from an army medic to a firefighter and is cherished as a single father, started appearing on the L.A.-based first responder series (renewed in April for Season 9) during its second run, and he has been a regular cast member since then – although it didn’t seem that way in the most recent season.

In Season 8, Eddie was absent from three full episodes, a longer absence than any other main character, as his storyline took him to El Paso, Texas to reconnect with his son Christopher. However, the show’s narrative didn’t provide a strong explanation for his extended absence. During this time, Eddie was not involved in the significant two-part “Contagion” event that occurred mid-season and resulted in the controversial death of Captain Bobby Nash. The storyline did include brief visits to Texas during the rest of the season, but it’s worth noting that these episodes were interspersed with scenes of other firehouse crew members in Los Angeles.

A broad consensus among both enthusiasts and reporters found fault with the TV series 9-1-1, as they collectively criticized its sudden death of the patriarchal character. Their criticism encompassed the minimal role given to Eddie during the entire event, which raised questions about his absence from the storyline. Additionally, it was noted that Eddie missed two episodes of “Contagion” (Episodes 14 and 15), and when he returned for Bobby’s funeral in Episode 16, his screen time was only one minute and six seconds – a detail that fans calculated diligently. Given the substantial impact of Bobby’s death on the show, especially considering it had never before killed off a main character, it seemed peculiar that Eddie was not present at this significant event.

In Season 8, not just Bobby’s demise was a significant plot point that Eddie seemingly didn’t witness; he also largely overlooked the development of his own character. The script had rich and intriguing content for him, but unfortunately, much of this wasn’t portrayed in the episodes we saw.

Eddie informing Chris of his decision to follow him to Texas? Offscreen.

Eddie reuniting with Chris after being separated for several months? Offscreen.

They pondered the motive behind Chris’ initial decision to depart from Los Angeles (as portrayed in Season 7, Episode 10-a detailed discussion that would be lengthy here). In simpler terms, they were trying to understand why Chris left L.A. in the first place (offscreen conversation).

Eddie discovers, off-screen initially (though it wasn’t until two subsequent episodes that the series seemed to recognize this significant flaw and inserted a brief scene of Eddie receiving a fateful phone call).

After the demise of Bobby, a significant moment occurred offscreen as Eddie reconnected with his close buddy, Evan “Buck” Buckley (portrayed by Oliver Stark) – who also played a crucial role in co-parenting alongside Chris.

Eddie and Chris choosing to permanently move back to L.A.? Offscreen.

It appears that Buck, who had been graciously subletting a house from Eddie while in Texas, was asked to leave by Eddie off-camera?

9-1-1 seems to be uncertain about how to handle Eddie.

And I think I know why.

Since Eddie Diaz’s debut in Season 2, particularly during the later part of Season 4 and the beginning of Season 5, many viewers have wondered if Eddie might be more than just heterosexual. Although he has a son and his romantic relationships have been with women up until now, some fans think Eddie exhibits strong signs of being queer-coded, and I am among those who share this perspective.

People often point out Eddie’s strict Catholic upbringing, military background, unexpected teenage parenthood with his first girlfriend, and discomfort in relationships with women – such as panic attacks or viewing dating as a “performance” – as compelling indicators of a deeply suppressed personality, particularly regarding his sexuality.

Eddie’s suppressed feelings, combined with his deeply intertwined and at times emotionally intimate bond with his friend Buck (who is openly bisexual from Season 7 onwards), have sparked speculation that Eddie may identify as queer, potentially within the gay community, although he may not yet be aware of it himself.

In a compelling video essay before the Season 8 premiere, popular YouTube personality Jane Mulcahy argues for the portrayal of a gay Eddie in the series 9-1-1. She notes that Eddie appears to suppress his true emotions, ignore issues in his life, and carries a deep burden of Catholic guilt, which might be intensified by his strained relationship with his father who reportedly expected him to take on adult responsibilities at an early age. Towards the end of her video, Mulcahy expresses her belief that exploring Eddie’s sexuality could offer a coherent explanation for his behavior and quirks throughout the show.

I agree with Mulcahy, and I think Eddie’s sexuality has become a barrier in the development of his character on 9-1-1. In Season 8, Eddie’s sexuality was brought up multiple times without a clear purpose, leaving me to wonder if the show is either prolonging or, unfortunately, steering clear of the likely event when Eddie acknowledges and embraces his true self by coming out. The writers seem to be tiptoeing around the topic, which in turn is negatively impacting Eddie’s story arc.

Despite the fact that we may never fully understand the inner workings of the creative team behind 9-1-1, it’s clear that they’ve written Eddie into a challenging situation, and the best solution seems to be to allow him to openly express himself, rather than trying to create engaging storylines for him once again. As the show enters its new season, 9-1-1 faces two main choices: either persist in disregarding Eddie’s hints of being queer and subject him to more unsuccessful and unsatisfying plotlines and relationships, or embrace this part of his character and let his story develop naturally.

I’m urging 9-1-1 not to squander any screen time in Season 9 on Eddie-focused stories that don’t touch upon his realization of his queerness. Eddie’s journey out of his decades-long self-suppression is such a natural progression in his character development that the longer this aspect is ignored, the more apparent it will be that they’re deliberately avoiding it, which would be quite disheartening, not just from a perspective of LGBTQ+ representation but also for storytelling purposes.

Simply put, Eddie can’t move forward until he realizes he’s queer.

While Eddie certainly possesses qualities beyond his sexual orientation, it’s important to remember that we’re dealing with television here – specifically network TV. Network TV tends to cater to a wide audience and often tells straightforward stories. Shows like 9-1-1, for instance, are not renowned for their subtlety. Moreover, this is a procedural drama, which thrives on individual episodes rather than complex, ongoing narratives (with the occasional exception).

If we imagine that the storyline involving Eddie’s suspected homosexuality could be addressed by the creators of Season 9, it’s important to think about how they might handle such a significant topic within just one or two episodes. It might seem quick for such a substantial issue, but there are examples in the past: Buck’s realization of his bisexuality unfolded over a single episode in Season 7, and he was less overtly hinting at being queer than Eddie prior to this revelation.

As a passionate film aficionado, I can’t hide my eagerness for Eddie’s coming out storyline in the upcoming season. I firmly believe that the creative team behind 9-1-1 has the potential to seamlessly weave this arc into the series. In my opinion, all they need to do is follow six straightforward steps to craft a compelling “gay Eddie” episode that leaves no doubt in the minds of viewers about his new chapter in life.

In the beginning of the episode, portray Eddie sharing a peaceful domestic moment with Chris and Buck, a scene reminiscent of previous episodes on 9-1-1. Later, during a call, the firehouse encounters an old male friend from Eddie’s childhood. This encounter leads to drinks where Eddie’s friend, who is openly queer, acknowledges that his friendship with Eddie played a significant role in helping him accept his sexuality. In a moment of misunderstanding, this man assumes Buck and Eddie are romantically involved due to their close bond. Towards the end of the episode, depict another domestic scene with Eddie, Chris, and Buck, but focus on Eddie’s growing awareness of how others might perceive their relationship. The episode concludes with a realization dawning on Eddie following this new perspective.

In certain TV series, like 9-1-1, the conclusion might leave room for interpretation regarding what Eddie has understood. However, due to its nature as a procedural drama, it’s essential to eliminate any uncertainty or room for doubt for skeptics. This leads us to the decisive, critical point.

In the sixth step, have Eddie openly express his sexual orientation to another character on screen. Potential choices for this scene involve his son Chris, his Aunt Pepa, his Grandmother, fellow paramedic Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds), or even Buck himself in a surprising turn of events, given their past history where Buck claimed not to have romantic feelings for Eddie (“Despite everyone’s assumptions that I am hopelessly infatuated with my straight best friend, it simply isn’t the case,” Buck assertively states in Season 8 Episode 11).

It’s crucial to include this final step, even though it might seem repetitive, due to the inherent heteronormativity in network television. This means that viewers often assume the characters are straight unless otherwise stated or shown. To clearly indicate a character is queer, most shows opt to have the character express their sexuality openly, or depict them in an undeniably romantic situation (like a kiss, or suggestive intimacy) with someone of the same gender.

9-1-1 opted for the “reveal” strategy in Buck’s coming out storyline: towards the end of the episode, Buck openly kisses firefighter/helicopter pilot Tommy Kinard (Lou Ferrigno Jr.), making his sexual orientation clear. To ensure clarity and avoid confusion, 9-1-1 might consider using the “explicitly state” approach for Eddie’s coming out storyline. Some viewers have expressed concerns that Buck “suddenly became gay,” possibly due to 9-1-1 not explicitly addressing Eddie’s sexuality onscreen earlier. A fitting conclusion to Eddie’s coming out episode would be for him to openly declare his sexual orientation, eliminating any room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.

My detailed strategy might seem overly optimistic, but I truly feel it would be mutually beneficial. With 9-1-1 ready to debut its ninth season this autumn, I kindly ask ABC and showrunner Tim Minear for a favor: could you, for heaven’s sake, let the character Eddie come out of the closet?

Oh, and make sure it actually happens onscreen.

9-1-1’s new episodes will resume on Thursdays this autumn, starting at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on ABC. You can catch up on the previous eight seasons on Hulu or Disney+ right now.

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2025-06-30 17:15

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