Warning: this article contains spoilers for 9-1-1 season 8, episode 6.Eddie Diza’s feel-good dance in 9-1-1 season 8 is a reminder of Ryan Guzman’s forgotten talent. It had been a difficult time for Eddie in 9-1-1 season 8. To start, his son is in Texas, his religious guilt is eating him alive, and worst of all, he’s grown a mustache. This treatment is true to form for the firefighter, since every season following his debut seems to be daunting for him. The most painful wounds Eddie has are internal, however, and because they cannot be seen, they are more difficult to treat.

His fears, insecurities, and guilt all come to a head at the end of 9-1-1 season 8, episode 6, “Confessions,” when Eddie shaves the caterpillar on his lip and reenacts the famous dance from Risky Business. As he finishes his victory lap, his best friend Buck (Oliver Stark) appears at his door. As teased by Guzman’s British co-star, this 9-1-1 season 8, episode 6 ending scene between Buck and Eddie is monumentally telling and may sow the seeds for both characters’ development for the second half of season 8.

Eddie’s Risky Business Dance Revives Ryan Guzman’s Dancing Days

Eddie May Dance Around His Issues, But Guzman Can Just Dance

Before he graced millions of television screens as Eddie Diaz in 2018, Ryan Guzman had already built a filmography filled with recognizable roles. None are quite as memorable as Sean Asa, the ringleader of a flash mob dance troupe in Step Up Revolution (2012) who goes rogue and starts a new group in Step Up: All In (2014). Guzman underwent intensive dance training for his first Step Up appearance, joining as an actor meant to blend in seamlessly with professional dancers. His perfect synchronicity during intricate group choreography proved Guzman could hold his own.

Guzman’s co-star Kenneth Choi (Chimney) proposed the idea for Eddie to recreate the
Risky Business
dance.

According to Guzman in an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, showrunner Tim Minear “had always been trying to find something” for Eddie to make his dancing debut. After watching the classic scene from Risky Business, Guzman decided to do an “Eddie version” of the dance, complete with imperfect steps to show that this is catharsis, not just choreography.

What Eddie’s Risky Business Dance Signifies For His Story In 9-1-1 Season 8

Busting A Move Is The First Step To Moving On

While the dancing is entertaining, it symbolizes much more than a fun homage to the 1983 film. “Confessions” aptly involved the fan-favorite man of the cloth, Father Brian (Gavin Stenhouse). While Eddie spends the episode seeking punishment for past mistakes like his emotional affair with Kim or his estrangement from his son, Father Brian is more concerned about how Eddie doesn’t allow himself to be happy. Eddie’s happiness in 9-1-1 season 8 is a core concern for Guzman, and performing the freeing dance indicates that he is ready to let go of his guilt.

Backing this idea up is Guzman touching on how the mustache-shaving and dancing reflect the beginning of Eddie’s self-acceptance and self-love. “Finally, after everything Eddie’s gone through, he can just kind of sit in himself, relax, there’s nobody to impress, there’s nobody to take care of,” Guzman says of episode 6’s final scene. Now that Eddie has permitted himself to experience joy again, there’s no telling what hopeful happenings are in the character’s future. However, it’s hopefully a good sign of things to come for him in 9-1-1.

9-1-1 season 8 continues Thursday at 8 ET on ABC.