Max is an assistant at the Moon 13 research base. He works for Kinga Forrester.
Max introduces himself in Reptilicus as "TV's Son of TV's Frank", but Kinga makes it clear that "Nobody calls him that. His name is Max. Just...just call him Max". During Dr. Erhardt's visit in Season 12 he seemed to confirm that Max is the son of TV's Frank, but he did not mention Max's mother.
Personality
Max is familiar with (and fond of) the original Experiment, thus explaining his desire to establish his familial connection to TV's Frank.
Max has displayed unrequited affection for Kinga, which seems to have subsided in Season 12, in which Max and Kinga have a slightly more cordial relationship.
Max is an eager participant in Kinga's Experiment, and has shown little-to-no affection or sympathy towards Jonah and the Bots. However, Max is apparently not as completely insensitive to the suffering of living things as Kinga is, as he showed some qualms about demonstrating Kinga's Punt Bunnies during the Invention Exchange in Experiment #1111.
Max displayed a certain kinship with Professor Bobo, who was the only visitor to Moon 13 who addressed Max as TV's Son of TV's Frank.
Behind the scenes
- Patton Oswalt has previously been involved with MST3K in hosting the "reunion" panel at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Con.[1]
- When asked to work on the show he requested that he play "TV's Son of TV's Frank".
- Several times during Season 11, Max demonstrates the foible of starting a bold statement, then losing his train of thought and ending the sentence in a rambling, unfocused way. Patton Oswalt had previously explored this idea on his comedy album "Finest Hour", in which he recounted his attempt to apply this trait to the role of a "gay best friend" in a romantic comedy film.[2]
- The idea of the new "button pusher" being named Max may be in reference to the Peter Falk character from the 1965 Blake Edwards film The Great Race, who tended to work as a sidekick and press buttons for Jack Lemmon's villainous character Professor Fate. It may also have been partially inspired by the villainous Doc Hopper's soft-hearted assistant Max in The Muppet Movie (since several of the puppeteers on the show have connections to the Jim Henson company).
- It has been confirmed that Patton Oswalt is planned to resume the role of Max in some capacity when the series resumes production.
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| Principal | Dr. Clayton Forrester • Dr. Laurence Erhardt • TV's Frank • Pearl Forrester • Professor Bobo • Brain Guy • Kinga Forrester • Max | |||||
| Secondary | Gerry and Sylvia • Dr. Peanut • The Observers • Synthia Forrester • Ardy • Skeleton Crew • Dr. Donna St. Phibes • Bonesy • Mega-Synthia • Dr. Kabahl • M. Waverly • Growler | |||||
| Mirror Universe | Mike Nelson • Crow T. Robot • Tom Servo • Gypsy | |||||
| Locations | Gizmonic Institute • Deep 13 • Deep Ape • The Widowmaker • Observer homeworld • Camping Planet • Ancient Rome • Castle Forrester • Moon 13 • Moon 1 • Deep Hurting | |||||