Jasper1975

I don't think they wanted the baby plot at all cost. They developed it, but then sent Tess off. Which made no sense except they wanted to get rid of Tess for the foreseeable future, and yes have the baby be out there, but it was function to be out there as a hanging thread over them, but not much a of a deterrent to their relationship until Tess came back, and they had to figure out what they wanted.

And Tess took herself out of the situation, and Max ultimately put the baby up for adoption. I think it was a easy storyline to use as a backdrop to Max and Liz's reunion, and the angst that kept them from being happy. Along with the consequences of Utah, and how their parents were causing them problems, and things couldn't be as easy as they once were... back in the beginning.

It's been a bit since I saw Departure. So, I am only talking on memory. And yes, I am not saying Max didn't act like a jerk. Both were. Liz did apologize for the accusation, although she was right in the end. He needed to apologize to Isabel. He blackmailed her into staying, and threatened her.

He was an ass to Liz, but he was by far worse with Isabel, and both he and Liz had their issues during that time, and were in their own ways. Liz started it. So, he slept with someone else. He doesn't need to apologize for that, or getting someone else pregnant. Because she told him to leave her alone. I think the way they ended things before the chamber, when he thought he was leaving in the good-bye was a lot of regret, and almost an apology. But they didn't know if they were coming back, so they left the final scene as them together, so at least fans had a hope... Thankfully we got a much happier ending in Season 3.

It was a messy storyline. The baby, and the parental interference was a easy storyline to use as a backdrop for Season 3. Anything else that was consequence of Season 2 was too messy, and complicated, and they were on a new network... so they didn't want a lot of backstory complicating the story. Which is why Future Max was ignored...

But that is me. I was more of a Liz fan back then. Although the years have allowed me to see that Max didn't have it easy. A lot of burden and regret.