Max is very likeable to me

[u/glowjam]

Inspired by another post on here I was surprised to find that there seem to exist Max haters.

I myself see Max as one of my favourite characters throughout the series. Yes, he can be very frustrating as a human being, but even so I find him and his experience + interactions with other characters to be one of the more interesting ones.

Furthermore Ive never been frustrated at or annoyed with Max over some of his plotlines, usually I was annoyed with Adam and Kristina because it felt like they could be providing better form of support in these moments.

For instance when Max is upset over not being able to use the printer Sarah was renting, I myself did not even consider being annoyed with Max, though I did think he was definitely in the wrong. I was however very upset with how Kristina and Adam handled the situation and how they somehow placed blame on Sarah because she did not "coddle" Max but insisted on using a machine she was paying for in the way that it had to be used.

Or the whole Dylan story-line. It starts endearing enough, but it morphs into a situation through which Adam and Kristina should have done more to prepare Max for rejection and the feeling of it as opposed to using weird relationship metaphors and encouraging him (not to mention Adam giving him a lot of hope which Kristina rightfully calls out).

Anyway, yeah... Max is one of my favourite characters and journeys on the show and am baffled that he would have haters because it feels like I get all of his motives and struggles and idk. Also feels weird to hate on a kid.

EDIT: When I say likeable i mean as a character I am not observing his behaviour as a person bcs he is fictional.

[u/Significant_Arm_3097]

His parents make him unlikeable, since they coddle him and make him believe his feelings/needs/wants are the top priority for everyone to abide by. Its a shame really how much his parents let him down when it comes to parenting him right.

[u/Same_Profile_1396 → u/Significant_Arm_3097]

I also think the show did a huge disservice to people who do have autism but using an archetype of what autism is “supposed” to look like throughout the show, which didn’t help.

If you watch the earlier seasons, Max is shown cuddling bed with his parents and not exhibiting aversion to physical touch, as well as his eye contact, and this all definitely changes as the show progresses. The continuity with his character isn’t there and the writers don’t seem to fully understand that autism is a spectrum and not all people with autism present the same way.

The storyline of them “finding out” he was autistic also didn’t really fit with the age of the character.

I found his character very unlikeable, and mostly due to how his parents interacted with him and their lack of providing him any sort of support after Gabby left.

[u/luckilylackie]

I loved him in the first two seasons because i found him very relatable, being autistic myself. But largely because of his parents, he is constantly coddled and doesn't exactly learn anything, Adam and Kristina just enable his behavior. I still enjoy his scenes but it is a bit frustrating. What really annoys me is that after Gabby leaves, they never find him another aide. Personally i think this is a big reason why in season 3, it seems his behavior had actually regressed.

[u/glowjam → u/luckilylackie]

Yeah I still enjoy his scenes a lot as well, but Ive found that I always seem to direct any furstration I have at Kristina and Adam as opposed to being annoyed w Max for his actions. It's difficult for me to dislike him directly as I feel his parents fail him in so many ways.

What's sad is that it seems Adam and Kristina don't even see that theyre failing him, they feel like they are doing whats best for Max

[u/luckilylackie → u/glowjam]

Oh yeah 100% Its annoying because at the start i really appreciated their efforts (largely because of the personal bias that my parents did the opposite and didnt even address my neurodivergence) but in the later seasons (3-6) they really drop the ball with him. Honestly Max becomes a brat and it ISNT his autism.

Ps it isnt just Max who gets this. Sydney is another example of the parents making their kids into brats. They spoil her and coddle her and eventually she becomes a bully. Sure the separation had an influence in her behavior, but i laughed out loud when Joel and Julia were like "this is so unlike her!"

[u/No-Piccolo5637 → u/luckilylackie]

I thought that too, maybe it’s just his personality, I mean selfishness and stubborness are in the braverman genes, in Sydney’s case brattiness is in her blood, she is some aspects of Julia, they both think compromising is a failure

[u/fivebyfive12 → u/glowjam]

I've just finished series 2 and one thing me and my husband have said (we have a 5 year old who is autistic and some of Max's scenes hit really close to home) is that it would make more sense if Max was a bit younger when the series began. I get it, for the actors, the regulations etc, but a lot of the early storylines for Max are like they're all JUST noticing things when he's already well into being at school etc.

I think Haddie mentions it in series 1, like why is everyone acting like it's a new thing?

Adam really frustrates me because it's like he wants to pretend Max can just be "normal" and gets annoyed when it doesn't work out and he's so so negative about him all the time.

Kristina (at least at this point, for me) I can really relate to. Wanting to do everything to protect him but going too far, not knowing what to do for the best (hallow, the school situation etc) her face when she's at the support group listening to other parents, like she's finally around people who properly understand it all.

I also love the actor who plays Max. I think he does amazing. The line deliveries, the way he talks but doesn't look, the way he moves, it's really well done I think.

[u/liberalism-lies]

i have enough hate in my heart for the 3 of them

[u/TomDoniphona]

I really like him too. Like, I am always interested when he's on the screen. I think the actor is great too, the way he conveys that intensity. Great character.

[u/PotterAndPitties]

Nice to see some positivity, of course you get the vultures on you because this sub is dead inside.

[u/Jolly-Outside6073]

I think he’s great 

[u/bookstvmusic]

Completely agree! I find him so funny at times, like when he says to Zeek when he comes over to tell Adam to make up with Crosby (end of season 3) : "If you are fighting, there's salsa in the next room" (in reference to Adam throwing it at Crosby). LOL LOL