9-1-1 Boss Tackles Maddie’s Million-Dollar Question: Is Buck in Love With Eddie? Plus, Inside [Spoiler]’s Return

After seven seasons, someone finally asked the question that’s been on almost every 9-1-1 fan’s mind: Is Buck in love with Eddie?

The topic is first raised in Thursday’s episode by Tommy, who bumps into Buck at a bar and admits that he’s been resisting the urge to call him for weeks. Buck brings Tommy back to his new apartment, which Tommy immediately recognizes as Eddie’s old place, but he’s way too horny to make a big deal out of it.

“The thing I like about Tommy as an ex for Buck is that he’s not just an ex for Buck,” showrunner Tim Minear tells TVLine. “He exists in the universe. He even pre-existed Buck in the old 118, so there are reasons to bring Tommy back into the story that might not have anything to do with Buck. But in this instance, it just felt like this is what would happen.”

nfortunately, Buck and Tommy’s reunion doesn’t last much longer. The next morning, Tommy makes an offhanded remark about Eddie being “the competition,” and Buck does not take it well. “Come on, Evan, don’t make me say it — you’re living in the guy’s house,” Tommy says. When Buck raises the counterpoint that Eddie is straight, Tommy responds with a laugh and an “OK,” implying that he doesn’t agree. Or is that what he’s implying?

“That’s possible,” Minear says of my interpretation. “You can also interpret Tommy’s reaction there as being, ‘Yeah, OK, fine, he’s straight. That’s not what I’m saying.’ You could take it that way.”

After putting his foot in his mouth with Tommy, Buck hashes the situation out with Maddie, who’s clearly a #Buddie fan. “Are you?” she asks. “In love with Eddie?” Buck replies, to which Maddie says, “It wouldn’t be so crazy.” Still, Buck remains adamant that he’s never even considered whether he might be in love with Eddie.

“I don’t think he has, not consciously,” Minear says. “He wasn’t even thinking about kissing a boy until quite recently. But if I were Tommy, that would be a question I would have. He was the perfect character, I think, to at least raise the topic.”

Exasperated, Buck tells Maddie, “Everybody wants me to be hopelessly pining for my straight best friend!” But is the “everybody” there referring to the show’s fans or the people in Buck’s life? That’s one answer Minear won’t reveal. “I entertain, you decide,” he says.

If Minear could change anything about Buck’s conversation with Maddie, it would be adding back a deleted moment that he’s “pissed off that I cut.” As he explains, “In the original version of that scene, Maddie tells him, ‘Well, you did live in Abby’s house for six months after she walked out on you.’ And Buck’s point was like, ‘Yeah, well, I thought she was coming back. The reason I don’t want to unpack here is because, if I do, that means they’re really not coming back.’ It was sort of a dichotomy, but I got some notes on that scene. People were like, ‘No one’s going to understand this,’ and I should have just listened to my gut. The audience would understand.”

Buck tells Maddie that he knows he should call Tommy, but we never actually see the call. The reason? “He did not end up calling him,” Minear confirms. “He just thought he should. But then I think he got busy with other things.”

Buck eventually unpacks his furniture in his new apartment, suggesting that he’s accepted the permanence of Eddie’s move. And if he keeps his promise to Maddie about learning how to live alone, it doesn’t sound like Buck will be having Tommy over again anytime soon.

“I don’t know that Buck has ever declared that he’s in love with Tommy,” Minear says. “I think he could see a future there. He did say that. But I also think that, in this moment, he realizes that he wasn’t with Tommy for the sake of Tommy, he was doing it to distract himself from a pain he was having. So he was essentially using him. By the way, Tommy was kind of using him too, and they’re two consenting adults.”

OK, let’s talk: Do you feel a little vindicated that the show’s characters are finally asking what 9-1-1 fans have been wondering for years? Were you at all surprised by Buck’s reaction to the question? And what are your hopes for Buck’s future with Tommy, or with anyone else for that matter?