Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for 9-1-1 Season 7 Episode 5.

The Big Picture

Buck navigates his new identity and reveals the truth to Eddie, who embraces him, taking their relationship to a new level with trust, safety, and love.
Eddie’s relationship with Marisol hits a snag after learning she was a novice nun, making him reevaluate his choices and faith.
Ryan Guzman discusses Eddie’s character arc and potential romances, teasing upcoming episodes with lighthearted humor and chaotic moments.

It’s been a wild couple of episodes since 9-1-1’s return for Season 7, and it doesn’t show signs of stopping. Episode 5, “You Don’t Know Me,” picks up after the revelation last week that Buck (Oliver Stark) is not straight. While Buck tries to navigate his new identity by going on a date with Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.), they run into Eddie (Ryan Guzman) who is out on a date with Marisol (Edy Ganem). In a panic, Buck seems to reiterate how the date is strictly a platonic dinner between the guys as Eddie reveals that he asked Marisol to move in with him. The episode then centers around Eddie and the revelation he has when he realizes that Marisol used to be a novice nun. This makes him question not only his decision to move in with Marisol, but also his relationship with his faith. Buck suggests he talk to Bobby (Peter Krause), another devout Catholic, and Bobby helps Eddie come to a realization about his relationship.

Later, when visiting Buck at his apartment, Buck comes out to Eddie and reveals the truth about his date with Tommy. Eddie embraces Buck with open arms and the two are both encouraged to move forward in their own relationships. Eddie realizes he’s moving too quickly with Marisol, she decides not to move in, and the two of them take it slow. It’s a whirlwind of an episode, one that jumps forward at the end to Chimney (Kenneth Choi) and Maddie’s (Jennifer Love Hewitt) wedding day, where we see Buck and Eddie turn up at the ceremony late, without Chimney, looking like they just survived a night from The Hangover.

Ahead of the episode’s premiere, Collider spoke with Ryan Guzman about Eddie’s journey and discussed his character’s arc for the season. Over the course of the interview below, Guzman elaborates on Eddie’s love life with Marisol and what exactly is holding him back in these romantic relationships. He also talks about Eddie’s relationship with Buck, whether there is a romantic possibility there, and how Guzman and Oliver Stark played out that coming out scene. Finally, Guzman reveals which characters he wants Eddie to have more scenes with and how Christopher (Gavin McHugh) might react to all of these changes in Eddie’s life.

9-1-1 Explores the high-pressure experiences of the first responders who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking, and heart-stopping situations.Release Date January 3, 2018 Main Genre Drama Seasons 7 Network ABC

Ryan Guzman Reflects on Eddie’s Romantic Arc in ‘9-1-1’ Season 7
COLLIDER: Each character has an arc that progresses through the season. What do you think of Eddie’s arc this season? And do you have one word to describe it?

RYAN GUZMAN: Great question. I love the arc, it’s very different from the past arcs that he said because it’s not as dark as it was. There’s a lot of dark issues that happened in past seasons. This one is not so much finding out who he is and identity, but it’s more self-discovery in a new light. I don’t know if I could sum it up in one word, though. I would just say new.

Eddie doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to romance. In tonight’s episode, he was pretty shocked when it came to Marisol’s past as a nun. What do you think is ultimately holding him back when it comes to engaging in these relationships? Is it an outside factor, or is it something more internal for him?

GUZMAN: I think this idealization of replacing Shannon has really stagnated his relationships. So, him giving himself the opportunity to kind of step back and understand that a little bit more before he moves in with another individual and starts the whole process all over again, is a sense of growth for Eddie, and I’m here for it. Because he needs it. But yeah, as far as these relationships, I think it was just kind of a filler. It’s, you know, that girl’s pretty. She seems to have good values. Oh, my son kind of likes her. Three checks off the boxes. Okay, let’s move in, and let’s get married.

Eddie, no!

GUZMAN: [Laughs] Yeah no, it literally takes God to kind of come up and slap him in the face and be like, “No, you need to change your lifestyle.”

Ryan Guzman Describes Buck and Eddie’s Connection as Being “Strengthened”

Eddie also got a pretty big revelation in this episode when it comes to finding out about Buck’s sexuality. How was it filming that scene, especially with Oliver [Stark] and getting to play out that moment?

GUZMAN: Yeah, so me and Oliver are very aware of the audience and their connection to Buck and Eddie, and we always want to handle that with a sense of care. And this specific scene was so crucial to their relationship, allowing them to be vulnerable and share with each other yet again. But this is a new evolution of who Buck is and the exploration of who Buck is crucial to where we feel like Buck should get some sense of stability in his life, not always making everything about himself but to allow life to happen to him rather than trying to control it so much.

Through this scene, it was this beautiful opportunity to show that the connection hadn’t weakened but strengthened. Buck had allowed Eddie to come into this new experience in his life, and Eddie kind of caught him and showed him that there’s trust, there’s safety, there’s love here, and no matter where he decides to go in his life, that won’t change. And through that, now, Buck needs to throw it back to Eddie and say, “Well, Marisol, maybe you should pump the brakes a little bit and not worry so much about this situation.” So, again, it’s this deepening of the relationship.

Did you have a personal reaction when you found out about the reveal of this moment and the change in Buck’s character? Was it something you saw coming, or was it a surprise?

GUZMAN: Since there’s so much talk about our characters, it wasn’t a shock to me. For Buck’s character, I feel like it kind of tracks. And I think that we trust Tim [Minear], to be honest. He’s such a great, incredible writer, and he’s very inclusive in his writing. And it shows beyond the sexuality, beyond representation. It shows humanity, and that’s what I love about these characters. You can do whatever you want in the bedroom, but at the end of the day, that love remains, brother-sister, intimate relationship, whatever that kind of connection is. We allow the audience to get a sense of the human side. And I think we explore that in new ways every single season. So, this season, getting that opportunity to see Buck evolve into who he is has been just a beautiful storyline.

Ryan Guzman Talks About the Potential of a Buck/Eddie Romance

You’ve mentioned it a little bit already, but I can’t not talk about the potential of romance between these two characters. It’s such a huge aspect of the fandom around this show and around the commentary of this show. Did the reveal make you consider a romance between these two characters? Have you considered it seriously before? Or was it always, “We’ll see where it goes, we’ll see where it takes us”?

GUZMAN: It’s always kind of been a “we’ll see where it goes, we’ll see where it takes us.” Because, at the end of the day, it’s a fine line between giving the fans what they want and also staying true to the characters themselves. As an actor, your one job is to give your character truth. And what I love about this whole world that we play in 9-1-1 is that truth changes at a moment’s notice. So, we allow ourselves to stay open to all possibilities. At this moment, Eddie’s got so much going on in his life as far as his relationship with himself, and Marisol, and God, that he’s got his plate full. And to take on anything else at this moment, I don’t know, he might crack again! [Laughs] So, who knows what happens with him, and we’re here for Buck and his relationship. And, again, I think that strengthening of that bond is crucial.

I don’t think either of these characters are ready for this yet. They need to settle their own lives first before anything happens in that direction!

GUZMAN: Yeah.

Who Does Guzman Want To Share a Scene With That He Hasn’t Yet on ‘9-1-1’?
Image via ABC

After 100 episodes, there are a lot of characters who have interacted in this show, but are there any characters that Eddie hasn’t had a chance to interact with that you want to have a scene with?

GUZMAN: Yeah, Karen. I think Eddie and Karen should have a scene together. Whether it’s being trapped in a well or something. Something crazy…

Or they could just be taking care of their kids together!

GUZMAN: [Laughs] Yeah, whether it’s one of those. I’m just going to extremes. But yeah, Karen. Tracie [Thomas] is such an incredible actress that I haven’t been given the opportunity to really go opposite of her. And I would love to explore that a little bit more.

Maybe she could give him some love advice, too, because she’s had a stable relationship as well.

GUZMAN: Yeah. And Angela [Bassett]. I love me some Athena.

Related Why ‘9-1-1’ Recast Athena’s Son Harry in Season 7 Elijah M. Cooper takes over the role from Marcanthonee Jon Reis.

Ryan Guzman Teases His Favorite Season 7 Episode and Eddie’s Relationship With Christopher
Image via ABC

Do you have a favorite episode for this season? Is there anything that you can tease about that we haven’t seen yet? You don’t have to go into detail, but is there something that you’re really looking forward to?

GUZMAN: Well, this episode that’s coming out is probably one of my favorites. Aside from this episode, the episode following it is probably either first or second in line of that. Just because of the lightheartedness, and the humor that we’re allowing the characters to show. I love that, I think that’s when the show really thrives. Aside from the drama, or the massive action, the three-part series. But the comedy, the humor, the back-and-forth thing that we have between the 118, that’s where I feel like the heart of the show is. So, this episode and next episode, which, next episode, in the trailer, there’s chaotic moments that happen because of the bachelor party. Those kinds of fun beats are something that I just really enjoy as an actor to play.

I’m curious if there’s been any discussion or if there are going to be any scenes in the future between you and Gavin, especially with Christopher and his reaction to Eddie’s relationship with Marisol. Is this going to change anything? Obviously, we know he had that big scene earlier in the season with the letter from his mom.

GUZMAN: The beautiful part about Christopher is he’s relatively easy to please. I think Eddie wracks his brain over so much more than what actually happens in Christopher’s head. He’s worried for Christopher more times than not. But there’s always been this unspoken issue of like, “Am I just trying to find a replacement for Shannon?” and I can’t replace Shannon, because that is not just a wife to Eddie. It’s Christopher’s mother, and I can’t replace that. So, there has been a sense of care, and I can’t speak for how Gavin plays Christopher, but he goes with the flow and does what Eddie does. He bottles up his feelings. And then, every now and then, he’ll kind of explode on Eddie. I don’t know if Christopher is bottling it up now and then Eddie will get the wrath later on. Or if Christopher has had this true bend around the corner moment where it’s like, “Okay, I want my dad to find happiness as well.”

Well, we’ll see. That’s certainly not a healthy way of approaching life. But I’m not his dad!

GUZMAN: No, no! [Laughs]

New episodes of 9-1-1 air on ABC on Thursday nights and are available to stream next-day on Hulu.

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