And then he ran into her knife. He ran into her knife ten times.

Close enough, welcome back Maddie Begins! This week Han, Cil, and Rachel do our best Cell Block Tango into Season 2 Episode 13 of 9-1-1, “Fight or Flight.” Maddie is back in her own personal horror movie: abducted by the abusive spouse she fled, all alone with no one and nothing to support or help her, and losing the hope she rekindled after her marriage snuffed it out.

Meanwhile, Buck and Athena dispatch themselves on the case, which is lucky because the detective in charge seems set on doing less than the bare minimum, assuming this will quickly turn into a murder investigation. We discuss how Buck and Athena wiggle through the loopholes of The System to advocate and facilitate for Maddie’s safe return.

Ultimately, Maddie does not know if help is coming, or if it will make it to her in time, so she devises multiple plans to save herself using the observational skills she’s honed in her time at Dispatch. We delve into her emotional and mental state and ascertain how she cycles through the stages of grief, going from from dissociative and resigned to actively fighting back.

If there’s one thing the Buckleys are good at it’s improvising! The Buddies admire Maddie’s quick-thinking under extreme duress and how she flips Doug’s pathetic attempts at manipulation back on him to buy her more time.

We talk about the potential for a dual Buckley near-death experience (NDE) in the upcoming latter half of Season 8 and how that could lead to a bittersweet Madney and Buddie parallel. Chimney recovers in the hospital and the 118 extended family rallies around him in the waiting room. The team reminisce and bond as Hen drops some new Chimney lore, but we are squinting suspiciously at the exchange between Michael and Eddie when they meet, setting off our impeccable gaydar.

If you’d have been there, if you’d have seen it, we betcha you would have done the same.

📔 Articles Mentioned:

📰 ‘9-1-1’: Jennifer Love Hewitt on That Bloody Snow Battle – and Its ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Joke, The Wrap

📰 ‘9-1-1’: Jennifer Love Hewitt on That Emotional Episode, What’s Next for Maddie & Chimney, TV Insider

📖 The Bravery Game by songbvrd, Archive of Our Own

📖 B L E E D F O R M E by Olympea, Archive of Our Own

Follow us on social media for updates and more from your Buddies!

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Welcome to the Chimney Farewell Tour, where all of his worst memories flash inside his mind!

This week Han, Cil, and Rachel open up the floo and slide right into Season 2 Episode 12 of 9-1-1, “Chimney Begins.” Take a trip with us into Chimney’s brain to relive some of his most defining moments in becoming a firefighter paramedic — from finding his calling at karaoke night to overcoming adversity at Gerrard’s 118 and discovering a passion for being a helper and a healer.

We learn about Chimney’s upbringing, most notably his non-traditional family in the Lees and the brotherly love between him and Kevin. Discover the parallels between Kevin and Buck, their instinct to throw themselves into danger without a second thought and the similarities in how Chimney gives them both the little brother treatment.

Chimney’s father is our latest member inducted into the “Bio-Parents Have No Rights” Club. We discuss Mr. Han’s complete neglect and disinterest in his firstborn son, giving Chimney a lifelong inferiority complex, and its far-reaching effects on how he tries to present himself to friends and family.

We explore our neurodivergent Chimney headcanon which explains his inability to hold down a job, superior pattern recognition, and calm under pressure. Chimney believes he’s finally where he’s meant to be, but finds himself relegated to “man behind” on every shift, keeping him from earning his stripes as a probationary firefighter which exacerbates Chimney’s feeling of not belonging until Eli takes him under his wing.

The emotional crux of this episode centers around the aftermath of Chimney essentially losing his brother, shaping the man we’ve come to know, and how he handles traumatic experiences (like the one he’s currently bleeding out from).

Tune in to see Chimney turn his life into folklore as he fights to survive the Horrors™️for the life he’s built and the future that’s just within reach.

📔 Articles Mentioned:

📰 9-1-1‘s Kenneth Choi Breaks Down Those Emotional Chimney Reveals, Gets Real About His Uncertain Fate, TV Line

📰 ‘9-1-1’: Kenneth Choi on Chimney’s Origin Story – and Why Horrible Things Keep Happening to Him, The Wrap

📰 ‘9-1-1’ and ‘The Resident’ Renewed for Third Seasons at Fox, Variety

📰 ‘9-1-1’ & ‘The Resident’ Renewed For Season 3 By Fox, Deadline

Follow us on social media for updates and more from your Buddies!

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

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What if Eddie rolls the stone away? They’re gonna crucify him anyway.

We stand before our fellow members of The Tortured Buddies Department once again with a summary of our findings:

• Shannon is definitely the loss, not the love of Eddie’s life.
• The sign on Buck’s heart is still reserved for Eddie.
• Abby and #thatman are the smallest people who ever lived.

Waltz into the rekindled flames of our second installment of The Tortured Poets Department where we ring in the New Year with some good old fashioned seasonal depression. Han, Cil, and Rachel break down the lyrics of tracks 9 through 16 and discuss how each song relates to our favorite 9-1-1 characters.

This collection of songs focuses on:

• Buck and Eddie wrestling with their Abandonment Issues™, self worth and self loathing, and unfortunate romantic endeavors while trying to maintain their relationship with each other.
• The challenges of breaking free from familial expectations, neglect, emotional abuse, and generational trauma.
• The performative aspects of Buck and Eddie’s lives, the ways they mask their true selves, and repress their feelings and identities, creating a chasm of yearning they can’t seem to fill.

We enter into evidence Eddie clinging to his own fake impressionist paintings of heterosexuality and the picture perfect family. We’re second-hand embarrassed, Eddie please just let Shannon stay buried. (This is unnecessary.)

Sincerely,

The Chairmans of The Tortured Buddies Department

🎬 Edits We Love

🎞️ Guilty as Sin? edit by confusedbuckley, Twitter, TikTok

🎞️ Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me? edit by milliiecent, TikTok

🎞️ loml edit by ashes.of.rozes, TikTok

🎞️ I Can Do It With a Broken Heart edit by t3s_edits, TikTok

🎞️ The Alchemy edit by bexism, TikTok

🎞️ The Alchemy edit by weewooshow, TikTok

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Eddie should’ve been sent away, but they forgot to come and get him.

We stand before our fellow members of The Tortured Buddies Department with a summary of our findings:

Eddie loves Buck, it’s ruining his life.

Buck is fresh out the slammer, but Eddie is leaving him safe and stranded.

Eddie’s packing his life away to wait out the shitstorm back in Texas.

Get ready for our first deep dive into the emotional landscape of The Tortured Poets Department, where we bring you great tidings of grief and despair. Han, Cil, and Rachel break down the lyrics of the first eight tracks and discuss how each song relates to our favorite 9-1-1 characters, with a particular emphasis on Eddie and the complexities of his familial and romantic relationships, especially with Buck.

We enter into evidence Eddie Diaz blowing up his life after his best friend told him he wanted to date a man who wasn’t him. It’s not our mental breakdown, it’s his, we’re just speaking on it.

Sincerely,

The Chairmans of The Tortured Buddies Department

🎬 Edits We Love

🎞️ Down Bad edit by weewooshow, Twitter, TikTok

🎞️ Fresh Out the Slammer edit by 118filmss, TikTok

🎞️ Fresh Out the Slammer edit by agstoowell, TikTok

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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

(00:04:13) Commence Meeting of Tortured Buddies Department

(00:04:19) Fortnight

(00:12:05) The Tortured Poets Department

(00:19:44) My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys

(00:28:31) Down Bad

(00:29:38) The Down Bad Edit Canon Event

(00:37:49) So Long, London

(00:48:19) But Daddy I Love Him

(00:59:49) Fresh Out the Slammer

(01:06:34) Florida!!!

(01:17:25) Outro

(01:18:06) Merry Christmas!

When it comes to being lucky, she’s cursed! When it comes to loving her, Doug’s the worst.

This week Han, Cil, and Rachel wade into the shark infested waters of 9-1-1’s Season 2 Episode 11, “New Beginnings.” Athena and Maddie are following their instincts in critical situations, proving they can trust their gut feelings, unlike Chimney who now has a lot of them—the stabby stabby variety.

We discuss how Maddie's storyline illustrates the journey to reclaim her narrative in order to overcome past trauma and embrace new beginnings. In other words, she’s thirty, flirty, and thriving!

Digging deep into Athena and her mom Beatrice’s relationship and their big confrontation where they ultimately cannot see eye-to-eye, we broach what will become the perpetual “9-1-1 Bio-Parents Have No Rights” conversation in which none of them deserve redemption. Meanwhile Bobby flexes his gentle-parenting muscles with Harry and steps up as ring-master to try and tame Beatrice’s tiger mom ways.

We bemoan Chimney’s inability to see through the smoke-screen of his misguided friendship to Doug’s flashing neon red flags. His trusting nature and desire to see everyone as friend-shaped really puts a hamper in his survival instincts.

Last, but not least, we have Buckaroo hypocritically throwing punches (advice) he won’t take himself. We’re still waiting for the “at least when I date someone I date them” to be in the room with us. Find out how we create the “Have Your Back-O-Meter” and why it’s always used in a romantic context.

Follow your gut and join us as we explore the eye of Hurricane Doug before the storm hits the shore of Maddie and Chimney’s new beginning.

📔 Articles Mentioned:

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Chief on Why That Gutting Maddie-Chimney-Doug Cliffhanger Won’t Be Resolved Right Away, The Wrap

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Showrunner Tim Minear Teases Spring Return, Origin Stories & More Season 2 Details, TV Line

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Welcome to Dispatch (Intro)

(00:02:15) Comparing Seasons 2 & 8 Mid-Season Finale & Premiere

(00:06:25) Overall Episode Thoughts

(00:12:13) Jaws of Life (Deep Dive)

(00:15:37) Red String Corner

(00:19:15) Season 2 “Grew the Beard”

(00:20:49) 9-1-1 “Jumped the Shark” from Day 1

(00:25:27) Flashover (Themes)

(00:29:43) Who’s Cookin’ (Character Arcs)

(00:30:39) Athena

(00:38:37) Where’s the Fire (Scene Dissection: Athena & Mom Confrontations)

(00:51:09) Athena & the Kidnapping

(00:53:48) Maddie

(01:00:06) Madney Pre-Date Disaster

(01:02:14) Chimney

(01:13:20) Slow Burn (Bi-Buck and Buddie Watch)

(01:18:36) Having Their Backs: Analyzing Romantic Partnerships

(01:21:51) What’s Coming Up Next (Outro)

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

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Have yourself a merry little Christmas… Eddie’s troubles are zero miles away.

You can count on us as we take a shiny red-nosed dive into the type of emotional roller coaster that only seems to happen around the holidays in Season 2, Episode 10 of 9-1-1, "Merry Ex-mas!" Han, Cil, and Rachel discuss how this episode intertwines heartwarming but complicated reunions with overcoming the fear of opening yourself up to new beginnings.

We explore what it means to come home for Christmas, not just in a physical sense but emotionally as well — like how Eddie grapples with the return of his ex-wife Shannon while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for his son, Christopher. The warmth of Christmas and Bobby’s anxious, but hopeful future with Athena creates a striking contrast with the turmoil of Eddie debating whether his trust in Shannon can be rebuilt. Meanwhile, Maddie struggles to reclaim the joy in her Christmas Present from the ghost of her Christmas Past.

We celebrate the moments where Eddie's vulnerability shines through his stoic demeanor, unspoken fears, and insecurities that linger beneath the surface, especially in his interactions with Buck. Poignant heart-to-hearts between Buck and Eddie reveal how their profound bond deepens the more they allow their true selves to be seen by each other. Join us as we unwrap the gifts of vulnerability, trust, and the feeling of belonging that comes with chosen family, all wrapped up by our favorite elf!

📔 Articles Mentioned:

📰 Here’s the Formula ‘9-1-1’ Uses to Plot Each Episode’s Emergencies, The Wrap

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Boss on ‘Christmas Angel’-Like Introduction to Maddie’s Abusive Ex – And That Surprise Casting, The Wrap

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Showrunner Tells Us if That Proposal Will Survive Past the Holidays, The Wrap

📰 9-1-1 EP Explains [Spoiler]’s Casting, Breaks Down Those Fall Finale Twists, TV Line

📰 9-1-1 Boss Reveals Hidden Secrets for Fans ‘Shipping Buck and Eddie, TV Line

(00:00:00) Welcome to Dispatch

(00:01:39) General Thoughts on Ex-mas

(00:10:54) Jaws of Life (Deep Dive)

(00:25:26) Red String Corner

(00:35:07) Flashover (Themes)

(00:40:51) Who’s Cookin’? (Character Arcs)

(00:41:00) Bobby & Athena

(00:49:44) The Evolution of Bathena's Relationship

(00:53:50) Bathena Uses Patients as Therapists

(00:59:43) Bobby Goes All In & Bathena Proposal

(01:06:54) Maddie & Chimney

(01:08:44) Chimney’s Just a Little Stitious

(01:13:53) Trusting vs Sus-ing

(01:25:35) Maddie Not-So Merry (Fight with Buck)

(01:27:14) The RomCom-ification of Madney

(01:31:48) Maddie’s Flashback to Last Christmas

(01:34:31) Eddie (and Mourning the Mustache)

(01:35:39) Ranking Eddie's Facial Hair (Hot Takes)

(01:40:28) Horny Hours for Eddie

(01:47:02) Christopher’s Christmas Wish

(01:53:21) Eddie Putting Christopher First

(01:59:47) Where’s the Fire (Scene Dissection: Eddie & Shannon at 118)

(02:05:20) Eddie & Shannon’s Communication Breakdown

(02:15:26) How Eddie Talks to Buck vs Shannon

(02:18:41) Eddie Doesn’t Know What He Wants

(02:22:01) Slow Burn...

Chris has been stayin’ at Eddie’s parent’s house, and the Texan real estate looks real good now?

Welcome back to December, where there’s not a lot going on right now, but somehow our faves are still going thru it™!

This week, Han, Cil, and Rachel dive deep into the layered complexities of Buck and Eddie’s friendship, exploring the weight of abandonment issues, running in the opposite direction of self-acceptance, and the echo of unrealized feelings in the Diaz Kitchen. We sift through a plethora of parallels, analyze the significance of baking, the familial symbolism of chess, and how a simple knock on the door can mean so much more.

The Buddies talk Hotshots meta narrative, how we wish it had been taken further, and theories for a possible Buck abduction (a-Bucktion if you will) and dual near-death experiences.

There isn’t a lot of movement in character arcs, but the future implications of Buck unknowingly pulling the pin of the El Paso grenade are explosively far-reaching. We critique Eddie’s umpteenth unilateral decision and how it leaves Buck feeling like the rug just got pulled out from under The Couch and Christopher most-likely blindsided, yet again.

Eddie receives advice from “Hotshots” tv actor Brad Torrence regarding their identities as fathers and presence in their children’s lives, and as usual puts his keen and penetrating mind to the task and comes to the WRONG conclusion. He can run, but only so far.

Buck’s brave-faced and unwavering support seemingly buoys Eddie from his anxiety, but Buck’s stomach (and potentially his heart) drop as soon as his ass hits The Couch. We consider the lifelong abandonment issues that will send Buck into his deepest spiral yet, as he grapples with the complex feelings of having to watch the one person he thought would always be there leave him too.

Eddie won’t ask Buck to wait if Buck won’t ask him to stay.

Grab your emotional support snickerdoodles as we discuss Season 8 Episode 8, “Wannabes!” (and Episode 7 “Hotshots” is also there.)

📔 Articles Mentioned:

📰 9-1-1 EP Breaks Down Fall Finale Surprises: Is [Spoiler] Really Leaving the 118?, TV Line

📰 Eddie Jumping into Relationships, @ ircnshield, Twitter

📰 Buddie Paralleling Bathena, Canon Couples, @ ircnshield, Twitter

📰 Visual Parallels Buck & Eddie at The Couch/Coffee Table, @ ergoquerncia, Twitter

📰 Warm vs Cool Tones at Diaz House Color Theory, @ eddiedivaz, Twitter

📰 Is [Spoiler] Leaving ‘9-1-1’? Tim Minear Reveals What’s Next for Eddie, Buck & More, TV Insider

📰 Is Eddie leaving 9-1-1? Buck will spiral 'like a top' and 'chaos' is coming, showrunner teases, Entertainment Weekly

📰 Is Eddie Leaving 9-1-1? Showrunner Addresses Season 8's Fall Finale Cliffhanger, Screen Rant

📰 ‘9-1-1’ Boss Tim Minear Unpacks The Midseason Finale And Shares His Season 8 Goal: “To Blow It All The Hell Apart”,

Dear Reader (Listener), ‘tis the damn season for our first-ever holiday special!

We bet you think about how Taylor Swift's discography perfectly aligns with the emotional tapestry of your favorite 9-1-1 characters. If you’re a cowboy like us, you’ve surely made the Swiftification connection between Taylor and Tim Minear’s masterminds. In this episode, Han Cil, and Rachel embark on a whimsical journey to assign 11 iconic Taylor albums to our favorite first responders based on vibes, character stories, and a sprinkle of pure chaos. From Buck’s emotional turmoil to Maddie’s endless resilience, we see right through to the essence of each character and how their experiences mirror the themes Taylor's music so brilliantly captures.

From the youthful innocence of 'Debut' to the esoteric crashout of 'The Tortured Poets Department,' we relish in this intersection of fandom where the worlds of Taylor Swift and 9-1-1 collide in a celebration of storytelling through music.

We even throw in some podcast lore and our own Taylor/9-1-1 theories, because who doesn’t love a good Swiftie conspiracy?

There’s no bad blood this Thanksgiving in the Buddie System’s Lover House, so whether you’re a die-hard Swiftie or a 9-1-1 aficionado (but probably both — the Venn Diagram is a circle), there’s room for everyone at this table! So, hop in our getaway car and enjoy the many musings, debates, and personal anecdotes on our road trip to the next chapters of 9-1-1 and Taylor’s musical journey.

This episode is dedicated to anyone who relates to “I Hate It Here” a little too much and anyone who has ever found solace in music and felt a deep connection to fictional characters (they’re real to us.)

P.S. Thank you for listening to our passionate yapping, we do it for fun, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as much without you!

Love,

The Buddies

Chapters:

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:00:43) Welcome

(00:07:01) What album are the Buddies

(00:13:34) Character albums start

(00:14:00) Debut

(00:20:12) Fearless

(00:27:47) Speak Now

(00:33:54) Red

(00:44:48) Big Picture and Little Picture (How We'll Talk About Whole Albums vs Individual Songs)

(00:45:32) Does Taylor watch 9-1-1

(00:46:32) 1989

(00:52:25) Reputation

(00:57:29) Lover

(01:06:18) Folklore

(01:16:00) Evermore

(01:25:50) Midnights

(01:31:12) Podcast Inception via TTPD

(01:32:35) The Tortured Poets Department

(01:40:29) Upcoming Swift Specials and Take a Buddie With You (Outro)

Follow us on social media for updates and more from your Buddies!

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...