Buck got the thing he wanted, it's just not what he imagined.

This week, Han, Cil, and Rachel enter the haunted house of Season 3 Episode 6 of 9-1-1, “Monsters,” where Buck is back working at the 118 feeling the icy reception, Maddie is on her vigilante shit again, and Bobby is back on his helicopter parent bullshit. Also, Chimney makes skeptical friends with a crow.

We explore how Maddie’s latest, but certainly not last, questionable antics walk the fine line between heroism and obsession. Is she a savior or a stalker? Spoiler alert: it’s a bit of both. Maddie's attempts to help others often reflect her own unresolved trauma, showcasing the dangers of overstepping boundaries in relationships.

Then we pivot to our detailed notes on Bobby's parenting style, which is like a classic overprotective dad trying to navigate the emotional waters of parenting without actually connecting with his kids. It's like he’s got a GPS that leads to the wrong address, and let’s just say, it’s not the destination we’d hoped for. We examine how Bobby's overprotective nature stems from his past, revealing how parental experiences shape current behaviors and relationships with loved ones.

Meanwhile, Eddie is asking Buck, “What about us? What about everything we’ve been through? What about trust?” in the epic conclusion to the first Buddie divorce. We dissect every super normal totally platonic bro moment of Buck and Eddie’s reconciliation, from “I don’t know what you want from me Buck” to “Of course I forgive you.” We applaud the cinematography in this scene and discuss how it enhances the emotional depth but also visually represents the characters' internal conflicts and connections.

Eddie and Maddie are pushing away the people who know them the best as they pull the sheets over their heads and make their own beds.

📔 Articles Mentioned

📰 Buddie Reconciliation Cinematography tweet, courtesy of minix3PLL on Twitter

Episode Title inspired by “making the bed” by Olivia Rodrigo

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Watch The Buddie System podcast episodes and our live reactions to the most recent 9-1-1 episodes on YouTube!

Support us on Patreon or Ko-Fi for perks and extra content like access to our exclusive Discord, Fire Fam Chats, New 9-1-1 Episode Livestreams, and more!

The Buddie System is a Nerdvergent Media production.

Music by DIV!NITY

Chapters

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:00:52) Welcome to Dispatch

(00:02:58) General Thoughts

(00:06:10) Jaws of Life - Deep Dive

(00:07:07) Needledrop

(00:09:41) Red String Corner

(00:16:48) Flashover - Themes

(00:20:34) Who’s Cookin’? - Character Arcs

(00:20:43) Maddie

(00:31:27) Chimney

(00:32:20) Bobby

(00:40:46)...

Oh, the misery. Everybody wants to be Buck’s enemy.

This week Han, Cil, and Rachel discuss Season 3 Episode 5 of 9-1-1, “Rage.” We run the emotional gamut from systemic high-stakes racial profiling to less dire grocery store domestic disputes.

The bad traffic stop with Michael, May, and Harry is one of the heavier, more nuanced things that the show has covered and we take a look at the heart of the storyline: how they have to operate differently in the world in order to stay safe, even from those who are supposed to serve and protect them.

We discuss the raw and heart wrenching conversations Michael has with both Bobby and Harry, delving into the meaning for our characters, but also how important the portrayal of this storyline is to show audience members who are not black Americans.

Meanwhile, Buck’s not just fighting for his job back, he's trying to regain control in a world that feels like it's slipping through his fingers. We dive into Buck’s psyche and explore how his feelings of isolation are exacerbated at the arbitration hearing when it becomes a family feud, not just for legal matters, but for the fragile dynamics of the 118.

Eddie's no good, very bad week(s) finally boils over into hands thrown in a parking lot, landing him in jail. We dig into the root cause of Eddie’s actions from his fear and worry for Christopher to his frustration and anger at the utter lack of control he’s experiencing lately.

As Buck seeks to apologize and reconnect, Eddie throws verbal darts and the ‘deadbeat dad’ card in the grocery store like it’s an Olympic event for emotional outbursts—like, can we not air our laundry in public?

Eddie’s sparing no sympathy while Buck’s looking out for himself.

📔 Articles Mentioned

📰 9-1-1 Boss on Athena’s ‘Authentic’ Family Crisis, What’s Next for Buck, TV Line

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Showrunner on Michael’s Harrowing Run-In With the Police, Buck’s Future at Station 118, The Wrap

Episode Title inspired by “Enemy” by Imagine Dragons feat. JID

We are @buddiesystempod everywhere:

TikTok

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Watch The Buddie System podcast episodes and our live reactions to the most recent 9-1-1 episodes on YouTube!

Support us on Patreon or Ko-Fi for perks and extra content like access to our exclusive Discord, Fire Fam Chats, New 9-1-1 Episode Livestreams, and more!

The Buddie System is a Nerdvergent Media production.

Music by DIV!NITY

Chapters

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:50:21) Welcome to Dispatch

(00:02:10) General Thoughts

(00:05:17) Jaws of Life - Deep Dive

(00:09:13) Red String

They aren’t angry at you, love, Bobby’s the greatest thing they’ve lost.

This week Han, Cil, and Rachel discuss Season 8 of 9-1-1 — from beenado to baby Bobby. In this season wrap-up, we take a stroll down memory lane, reflecting on the transformation of our fire fam throughout Season 8. Each character’s arc felt like a journey through a maze — sometimes getting lost (off screen), sometimes finding the exit (bye Tommy), and sometimes just hitting dead ends (RIP Bobby Nash).

We explore the thematic elements of sacrifice and growth, emphasizing the emotional stakes that made this season one to remember. We also touch on the ever-present narrative of family (both nuclear and found), love, and loss, as Bobby’s death casts a long shadow over the series, prompting big changes for the characters and the show as a whole. Our discussion highlights the importance of community and support, especially in the face of tragedy. We also touch on the lighter moments that made us feel like we were watching fanfiction on screen (in the best way), cheer like we were at the superbowl, and even cringe at some of the choices our faves (Buck) made.

Looking ahead to Season 9, we share our educated wishes for how the storylines might unfold, hoping for more depth in character arcs and a return to the heart of what makes this show so compelling. There’s lots of laughter (we cope with humor), bittersweet ruminations, and a whole lot of speculation about what next season has in store for us. Will our favorite duo finally confront their feelings? What new challenges await them? With so many unanswered questions lingering from Season 8, we can’t wait to see how the creators continue with these storylines into the next season.

As we unravel the threads of Season 8, we can't help but feel a mix of hope and cautious optimism for what lies ahead. In the wise words of Noah Kahan, “We’ll all be here forever.”

📔 Articles Mentioned

📰9-1-1’s Ryan Guzman Worried Eddie Might Be Killed Off — But Now He’s Hoping for a Season 9 Romance (Exclusive), Us Weekly

📰 Oliver Stark discusses the Season 8 finale of '9-1-1,' Buck's significant moments, and more in exclusive Interview, YardBarker

📔 Fanworks Mentioned:

📚 Shelter Us, Harbor Me, by kingcapri on Archive of Our Own

📚 Breathe Into Me, by songbvrd on Archive of Our Own

Episode title inspired by “You’re Gonna Go Far” by Noah Kahan

We are @buddiesystempod everywhere:

TikTok

Twitter

Instagram

Facebook

Watch The Buddie System podcast episodes and our live reactions to the most recent 9-1-1 episodes on YouTube!

Support us on