9-1-1 Boss Breaks Down Buddie's Big Roadtrip ('I'm Done Apologizing'), Teases 'Real Fallout' Still To Come

Yeah, Buddie! After a hiccup at the airport, the March 12 episode of "9-1-1" found Buck and Eddie driving back to Los Angeles from their crossover adventure in Nashville — and Buck's terrible navigational ability was the least of their problems.

Their troubles started at a roadside diner, where they bickered (hilariously, mind you) like an old married couple, attracting unwanted attention from some unfriendly locals. "We just don't see a lot of your kind around here is all," one thug said, clearly implying that he thought Buck and Eddie were a couple. When Eddie asked for clarification, the guy replied, "You tell me, princess." (Wherever he is, that Christmas elf from Season 2 is smiling, and he doesn't even know why.)

Buck and Eddie left the diner unscathed, but their trip took another horrific turn when a truck violently drove them off the road. And when Eddie woke up in the hospital the next morning, the authorities told him there was no one else in the car! Even without meeting Buck, the sheriff picked up on them being a couple, putting a lot of weight on the word "friends." And when Eddie told the sheriff that he could call him "Buck" instead of "Buckley," the sheriff replied, "That's cute. My wife calls me Woody." (Apparently everyone in New Mexico knows what's up!)

The truth ended up being crazier than Eddie could have imagined: Buck was kidnapped by Bonnie, the waitress from the diner, who saw a striking resemblance between Buck and her late son. She still hasn't gotten over losing him to a motorcycle accident, so she occasionally traps men and treats them like her son — with plenty of gates, tasers, and shotguns on hand in case they try to escape.

With an assist from Maddie and Athena over the phone, Eddie made his way to Bonnie's house, where Buck fought tooth and nail to stay alive, even after Bonnie instructed her husband to kill him. The rest of the episode was a hellish blur, with Eddie holding Bonnie at gunpoint to ensure Buck's release, only for Buck to end up saving Eddie from the end of her husband's shotgun.

Below, showrunner Tim Minear — who wrote this week's tour de Buddie — answers TVLine's burning questions about the episode, from the multiple misunderstandings to a potential "Supernatural" nod. And how will this ordeal affect Buck and Eddie moving forward? Read on to find out.

TVLINE | I have to say, I've kind of given up on you guys ever giving us Buck and Eddie as a couple, but when I saw the promo for this episode, my first thought was, "Oh, it's finally happening."
That's funny. I did see that some of the fans were like, 'OK, they're shooting at this location. Now here's some photos of the location. There's a motel here, but it's only got single beds. It must be!" And then they don't even stop at the motel in the episode.

TVLINE | OK, so you're aware of how deep this goes online.
I'm aware. I mean, I don't look at social media anymore, and I haven't for over a year, so I don't look at any of that stuff. It's not good for me. However, there is one podcast that I do watch occasionally, which is called "The Buddie System." It's these three women, and they're so great. I like them because they're clearly fans of the show, so I don't go on there and hear my name cursed. That's one of my lifelines, and someone will send me something every once in a while, but I don't seek it out.

TVLINE | You're smart to step away.
All the [brain] rot has probably already happened after so many years of looking at it.

TVLINE | Between the locals and the police both mistaking Buck and Eddie for a couple, I can tell you had a lot of fun writing this episode.
Oh, I loved writing this one. And as you know, I hate writing. I hate it. But this was really fun.

TVLINE | Are Buck and Eddie aware of how they come across to people at this point, like an old married couple?
You know, I really don't know if they're aware.

TVLINE | Eddie seems especially unaware. People grilled Buck last season about whether he was in love with Eddie, but does Eddie really never ask himself if Buck might be into him?
I think it's something he doesn't consider. I'm just going off of when Buck sort of came out to him as bi. Eddie was a little surprised, but then immediately it was like, well, whatever. I just don't think it's maybe a big deal yet.

TVLINE | Well, their coupley banter was especially appreciated after seeing them on "9-1-1: Nashville" last week. That was probably the straightest I've ever seen them portrayed. Not a single person mistook them for a couple.
Well, clearly I didn't write that episode. I'm just saying, it shows up when I do it. It does. You know what, I'm done apologizing for it.

TVLINE | Don't apologize for it, we want more!
Good.

TVLINE | I also loved the use of "Carry on My Wayward Son." What made you choose that particular song?
You know, I was just trying different songs and Brad Buecker pitched that song, and I thought, "Well, this is great!" So we cleared it, spent a ton of money on it, and then spent a ton of money on the reprise at the end. I'm like, "I don't care how much it costs. I'll pay for it twice. I need it at the end of the episode." So we did it, we cleared it, we shot it, we recorded it... and then [executive producer Kristen Reidel] tells me, "You know, this is a big 'Supernatural' thing." And I'm just like, "What?" I haven't seen "Supernatural," so I was unaware of the storied history that song has with that particular show. Don't you think it was perfect?

TVLINE | Well, I thought it was perfect for two reasons. One, I immediately thought of "Supernatural," with two guys on a road trip listening to Kansas. But I also thought it was a dark nod to the son storyline you just told.
Yes, it felt thematically on point.

TVLINE | And maybe a little tongue in cheek.
Yes, yes.

TVLINE | Did you have a personal favorite moment from the episode to see play out on screen?
There are a few, actually. I work really hard to make every scene something I would love. One of my favorite things is the setup. I loved the first act, even though the story doesn't start until that car crash. I loved them in the car. I loved the jump cutting around to him driving and Buck being asleep. I loved the bickering. I loved the scene in the diner. I loved all of that. But I think my favorite moment is at the end when Eddie says, "You should see the other guy," and Buck goes, "I am the other guy," and Eddie's like, "I know."

TVLINE | In addition to being great Buddie fodder, it was just an intense episode overall.
The thing I really liked about it was that it wasn't just Buck's story, it was also Eddie's. It felt pretty evenly split, which is what I think makes it work for me. They get separated, but then it's Eddie doing everything he can and Buck trying to save himself, and they end up saving each other. I really love that.

TVLINE | Danger is par for the course with these two, but there's no way they're just going to move on from this, right?
Not at all. There's a real fallout.

TVLINE | Like a real traumatic fallout from the experience?
Absolutely, yeah.

Did you enjoy the Buddie-centric detour on this week's "9-1-1"? And what fallout do you predict will come of the experience? Drop a comment with your thoughts on the episode below.