Have you been doom scrolling 9-1-1 Twitter wondering why Buddie isn't canon yet? Put the phone down. We did the homework so you don't have to.
Han, Cil, and Rachel are joined by Alexa Donne — YA thriller author, TV industry distribution professional, and 9-1-1 obsessed Buddie Truther — to break down exactly how broadcast network television works and why understanding it will make you a much calmer, happier Buddie fan. You're welcome!
We dissect the fundamentals: the big four networks, how advertising actually drives creative decisions, and why the live+7 streaming numbers and key demographic data are what actually keep this show on the air — not your IMDB rating. We explore the very important difference between what the suits care about and what fandom THINKS the suits care about — and spoiler, they are not the same.
We get into the “Will They Won't They” math from Bones to Castle, including episode counts and timelines. We break it all down and by the end of it you will understand exactly where Buddie sits on the spectrum of iconic procedural slow burns — a reason to trust the process rather than abandon ship.
We also explore what it actually means that 9-1-1 is laying the groundwork for Gay Eddie and canon Buddie — not just for the show, but for queer representation on network television at large. This isn't just a ship, this is potentially groundbreaking television, and the people making it are crafting these stories with intention and care.
Which brings us to the moral of the story: the man who has been making network television since 1995, got his show saved and moved to a new network where he immediately got a bisexual storyline ON SCREEN, called himself a Buddie fan in the Washington Post, and described us as one of his lifelines — that man knows exactly what he wants the endgame to be. Tim Minear’s taking the scenic route, waiting to make it happen when the time and narrative is right, and as any good showrunner knows, that's the smartest play on network TV. Sit back, enjoy the ride through the country, and take a Buddie with you.
Special thanks again to Alexa for being our guide into the world of network TV! You can follow her on Instagram, @ AlexaDonne and YouTube, @ AlexaDonne!
📔 Articles & References From This Episode 📔
🫂 Check out this week’s Patreon-exclusive Best Buddies Mini-Segment here!
📰 9-1-1' Committed to a Gay Character. Will Other Shows Follow Suit?, Rolling Stone
📰 Tim Minear takes over as '9-1-1' season 7 showrunner, teases returns, Entertainment Weekly
📰 9-1-1 Midseason Finale: Lou Ferrigno Jr. on Tommy Return and Buck Kiss, Hollywood Reporter
📰 9-1-1' Boss Teases How Buck & Eddie Will Move Forward After Traumatic Road Trip, TV Insider
📰 9-1-1 Boss Breaks Down Buddie's Big Roadtrip ('I'm Done Apologizing'), Teases 'Real Fallout' Still To Come, TVLine
📰 ‘9-1-1’ is TV’s most unhinged procedural — and that’s why it works, The Washington Post
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Music by DIV!NITY
Chapters
(00:00:00) Intro
(00:01:17) Alexa Donne Introduction
(00:06:27) Episode Structure
(00:08:45) Some Things You Need to Know
(00:15:18) What is a Showrunner?
(00:18:54) Seasons Used to Be Longer
(00:24:56) Rapid Shifts in TV Industry
(00:31:19) What Network Branding Means
(00:34:08) Fox History and Core Branding
(00:40:47) Fox Origins
(00:44:15) ABC History and Branding
(00:54:52) 9-1-1 Spinoff Styles by Network
(01:00:37) The 9-1-1 Move from Fox to ABC
(01:08:15) In Defense of Kristen Reidel
(01:11:29) ABC Picks Up 9-1-1
(01:16:36) Gay Eddie Was Already Greenlit
(01:19:05) Ratings Increasing
(01:27:38) The Queer Omen of the Fox to ABC Move
(01:34:21) ABC’s Groundbreaking Queer Representation
(01:41:23) Long-Running Shows and Story Arc Timing
(01:45:57) Bobby’s Death
(01:50:52) The “Main Characters” of 9-1-1
(01:54:33) Season 3 of 9-1-1 on ABC
(02:01:06) The Art of the Will They Won’t They
(02:14:42) Fandom Expectations vs Network Reality
(02:16:43) Washington Post Asks About Buddie
(02:27:44) Networks Don’t Care About Fandom
(02:37:31) Slow Roll the Queerness for the GA
(02:40:36) What Network TV Does Well
(02:46:10) Future Possibilities for Gay Eddie
(02:57:08) The Record-Breaking Potential of Buddie
(03:08:24) In Conclusion: Buddie Canon
