Let’s talk about 9-1-1 Season 8 Episode 6, titled “Confessions.” Spoiler alert! The mustache is no more, and a new-and-improved Eddie, played by the charming Ryan Guzman, has taken center stage!
In a remarkable turn of events, Eddie starts off the episode in a confessional, seeking some good old-fashioned advice that could rival the self-help sections of your favorite bookstore. He runs into Father Gavin (played by the returning Gavin Stenhouse) who, bless him, has just the words of wisdom Eddie desperately needs. After a mini-crisis of confidence, Eddie unsheathes the razor and sends his mustache packing faster than you can say “guilty pleasure.” And just when you think he’ll hit rock bottom, he brings us a joyous homage to Risky Business with an enthusiastic dance in his living room! Someone pass the popcorn, please!
In an interview with TV Insider, Guzman expressed how liberating it was to dance again. He practically bounced with joy, explaining, “It was just so much fun. I honestly don’t know if I’ve danced like that on screen in almost a decade.” You hear that, people? If you don’t bust a move once a decade, are you even living? I mean, at this point, we should all take a hint from Eddie.
But let’s get serious for a moment—why did Eddie need a priest instead of his trusty pals like Bobby or Buck? Guzman posits that sometimes it takes an outsider to deliver the message that the heart needs. It’s a bit like going to a therapist who has zero emotional involvement, so when they say, “You need to love yourself,” it hits a little different than your buddy telling you after the eighth pint of ice cream.
Meanwhile, the episode is just the tip of the iceberg concerning Eddie’s emotional evolution. Sure, he’s dancing around like he just won a dance-off at a wedding, but we all know the road to happiness is paved with more awkward moments than the last social gathering you attended—in which you forgot the host’s name midway through a conversation.
Guzman teases that while Eddie is making progress, it’s going to involve a lot of stumbling around and relying on his “118 family”—that is, the motley crew of firefighters who are more supportive than your Instagram followers after you post a workout selfie. Like all good arcs in a TV show, expect more melodrama, heaps of awkwardness, and moments that will make you say, “Oh no, not again!”
Plus, let’s talk about those awkward video calls. If you thought FaceTime was awkward with family, wait until you see Eddie go through his emotional calls with Christopher. It’s all fun and games until someone drops a “So, Dad, how about that survivor’s guilt you never addressed?”
And don’t get me started on Eddie and Buck! Their dynamic is as electric as a power line in a thunderstorm. Their quiet moment at the end of the episode could very well lead to a heart-to-heart that leaves fans grabbing tissues. Remember, sometimes the best conversations happen without words. It’s all in the shared silence—much like when you realize you forgot to turn off the oven.
As for future episodes, Eddie and Maddie’s chemistry is still at a simmer, and we can only hope for some heartwarming (dare I say romantic?) moments ahead. But hold your horses—Eddie is channeling all his energies into being a “good man” before even considering romance. Clearly, he’s mastering the art of self-awareness faster than most of us can master baking a cake without it collapsing.
As we sweep toward potential cliffhangers and developments, remember folks, as Guzman highlights, we are witnessing Eddie evolve from a mustache-wearing melancholy into someone who can maybe, just maybe, find a sliver of happiness. It’s almost like watching a caterpillar turn into a butterfly, although in this case, the butterfly might just be doing the moonwalk instead of fluttering around aimlessly.
So make sure not to miss 9-1-1, Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC, where emotional growth meets dance moves that even this cantankerous critic can appreciate!
This engaging commentary captures the essence of the article while adding humor and personality inspired by the comedic styles of Jimmy Carr, Rowan Atkinson, Ricky Gervais, and Lee Evans. Enjoy the show, and don’t forget to keep those tissues handy!
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Eddie Diaz, portrayed by Ryan Guzman, undergoes a significant transformation in the latest episode of 9-1-1. The episode kicks off with him in a candid moment in a confessional, but what he truly needs is an honest conversation with a priest, played by the returning Gavin Stenhouse, outside the church.
After their exchange, where the priest encourages Eddie to stop inflicting self-punishment and embrace joy, Eddie takes a bold step. He shaves off his mustache, a sort of emotional mask he had been hiding behind, and pays tribute to the iconic film Risky Business by dancing exuberantly in his living room.
TV Insider conversed with Guzman about the exhilarating dance scene, Eddie’s journey toward self-improvement, and many more intriguing topics. The episode is packed with dramatic developments, including the breakup between Eddie’s friend Buck, portrayed by Oliver Stark, and Tommy, played by Lou Ferrigno Jr.. Additionally, it celebrated the joyous news of Maddie, brought to life by Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Chimney, played by Kenneth Choi, getting together.
We have to start with that Risky Business dance because it was great to see you dancing again. Talk about filming that.
Ryan Guzman: It was just so much fun. I honestly don’t know if I’ve danced like that on screen in almost a decade. So it was fun to step back into that little version of myself. It was Eddie meets Ryan kind of a little bit, but I wanted to show the difference. It wasn’t going to be Step Up, it wasn’t going to be a perfectly choreographed dance. I wanted to show Eddie just in his utmost childlike behavior and really falling into himself and having a great time with it. So it was fun, really fun.
It was great to see him smile because my heart has been breaking for him all season.
I think sometimes when you’re too close to the person, the message doesn’t really hold. So it does take a third party to come in and give you some outside influence. What better than a—I mean, we’ve all known that Eddie has Catholic—[[Laughs]He likes to be a Catholic, but then he doesn’t, and he kind of goes back and forth. So who better than a priest to come and save the day?
And it feels like he needed to be out of the church, though, for that.
Yes, yes, yes. It’s unconventional for a Catholic to get any kind of advice outside of the church, which I think we all know Eddie’s unconventional. So it did take the priest coming out and meeting him on his own ground and really just making it a grounded message. It wasn’t like a priest talking to one of his subordinates; it was just a man talking to another man and giving him great advice.
When I spoke with Tim yesterday, he said that Eddie has to figure himself out. What do you think Eddie has to figure out now that he is moving forward?
I think anything that you do in the beginning, you do it really, really bad. So I think finding love for yourself, if you haven’t done it, you’re probably going to be really bad at it. So although I love the scene of him dancing as that offered him the opportunity to take his first great step, after that, it’s going to be a little difficult for him. “Now, where do I go? I did the Risky Business. I did my dream, but how do I implement that in my day-to-day life?” So it will be fascinating to see how Eddie is trying to attain this new version of himself.
Are we going to see something in between the heartbreak and the joy going forward?
I think it’ll be more awkwardness, more like him trying to reach outside his comfort zone and not being great at it, so relying on his teammates, his 118 family, and just kind of bouncing ideas and personalities. Trying to figure himself out will be awkward and funny, adding layers to his character. I had fun playing with Eddie.
When you say outside his comfort zone, what do you mean specifically?
Nothing too extreme. More just maybe him being a little happier when he used to be a little sadder or more somber or quiet and reserved, him being a little bit more outspoken.
What about when it comes to getting Christopher back?
I think in this season of change, it’s impossible for him to take on such a big task. So right now he’s just kind of biding his time and abiding by the priest’s advice and really just trying to sink into the fact of who he is and what he’s trying to do before he makes any kind of big moves toward Christopher.
What do you think it’ll take for him to get past that survivor’s guilt?
Yeah. I don’t know if you get past that. I believe that’s something you live with and make amends with. It’s going to build your character and make him more aware of the relationships that he has. There’s so much opportunity in that obstacle, which will allow him to grow.
Are there any significant Eddie and Bobby scenes coming up?
Yeah, we need more of those. Those are some of my favorite things to shoot. I believe—because we are kind of shooting out of order—there are one or two scenes between Eddie and Bobby that you have to look forward to.
Are there better video calls coming up than the premiere though?
Yeah. There’s a couple video calls that we just shot a couple days ago. There are some funny ones and some very serious ones.
And of course, I have to wonder: anything with Eddie and Maddie coming up?
I want it. Yeah, no, not yet. And I think Jen and I are going to have to start calling in Tim. No, I need that. Maddie and Eddie need to hang out a little bit more.
No more mustaches?
RIP mustache. I miss that mustache already. Yeah. No more mustaches.
Should we worry about him getting into any really dangerous situations or rescues coming up?
I think Eddie likes to thrive in those situations, so you should always worry about Eddie because he likes to throw himself into dangerous positions. But I’ll still be on the show.
9-1-1, Thursdays, 8/7c, ABC
Who is the fourth person Eddie meets in Heaven
Nd shape who you are as a person. Eddie’s journey is not just about overcoming his past, but rather learning to coexist with it. Survivor’s guilt is a heavy burden, and while he can acknowledge it and try to manage it, it’s a matter of finding a way to carry it that allows him to still live fully in the present. Like that classic baking analogy—if you keep adding ingredients without measuring, you’ll end up with a chaotic mix rather than a delightful cake!
Ryan Guzman captures this essence perfectly, portraying Eddie’s complexities and the balancing act of grief, guilt, and joy. It’s a delicate dance—much like attempting to moonwalk after a few too many cups of coffee! Eddie’s character growth won’t happen overnight; it’s a slow build, sprinkled with light-hearted moments along the way.
Ultimately, as we unravel the layers of Eddie’s persona, we see that his journey is relatable—who among us hasn’t wrestled with our demons while trying to find a spark of happiness? It’s reminiscent of those times when you accidentally step on a cat’s tail and then spend the next hour trying to win its forgiveness. You learn to navigate the intricacies of relationships, emotions, and ourselves, one awkward encounter at a time.
So, settle in with your favorite snack and prepare for an emotional rollercoaster—after all, 9-1-1 isn’t just about fights and rescues; it’s about the fights within ourselves, too!
