[1] Many of Max's storylines focus on his relationships, including his marriages to Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner), Kirsty Branning (Kierston Wareing) and Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks), and relationships with Gemma Clewes (Natalie J. Robb), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Vanessa Gold (Zöe Lucker), Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater), Emma Summerhayes (Anna Acton), Karin Smart (Denise van Outen), Carmel Kazemi (Bonnie Langford), Fi Browning (Lisa Faulkner), Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), many of which are extramarital affairs.

Max has also embarked on feuds with his father Jim Branning (John Bardon), brothers Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman), as well as Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky), Harry Gold (Linal Haft), Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks), Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell), Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick), Carl White (Daniel Coonan), Charlie Cotton (Declan Bennett), Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid/Max Bowden), Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell), Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), Martin Fowler (James Bye), Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) and Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth).

After his release from prison, Max became the show's central antagonist as he sought revenge against Ian and Phil along with everyone else – including his own family – who saw him wrongfully imprisoned, by conspiring with James Willmott-Brown (William Boyde) in his nefarious scheme to redevelop Albert Square.

Throughout the events of his revenge storyline, Max arranged for Jack to lose custody over his stepson Matthew Mitchell-Cotton; framed Phil's rival Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood) for drug dealing, resulting in his arrest; blackmailed and later caused the death of Ian's stepson Steven; and forced Jane to leave Walford under the threat of having Bobby harmed in prison.

A couple of months later in 2018, Max married Tanya's sister Rainie in his bid to help win his custody case over Abi's daughter.

A spokesperson for the show said that "[Max and Vanessa] are both volatile and explosive characters and their meeting will be like putting a lit match next to a barrel [of] gunpowder.

"[10] Wood said that Max is weak when it comes to women, although his desire is to have his wife and children back, adding that "He always makes mistakes, he's easily led and the grass is always greener.

[15] In September 2020, it was announced that Wood would be departing from the cast of EastEnders after fifteen years in the role, with Max being written out as part of an "explosive exit".

With Sean's help, Tanya drugs Max and puts him in a coffin before burying him alive in the woods, knowing that a similar thing happened to him when he was 13 years old.

Max gets into debt and starts conning people with false insurance claims, including Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison), Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra).

Max and Kirsty's relationship comes under pressure due to the meddling of her ex-fiancé, Carl White (Daniel Coonan), and he and Tanya argue because of her refusal to take him back, as well as Lauren's alcoholism.

He ends the relationship with Kirsty and tries to convince Tanya to reunite, but she leaves Walford for Lauren's sake, after telling a heartbroken Max she will always love him.

Max later starts a sexual relationship with his daughter Lauren's best friend, Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater), which they manage to keep a secret for several weeks.

Abi's boyfriend Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) witnesses the confrontation between them and tells Phil, who in turn reveals the truth to a horrified Ian.

Emma ends things when Max's rival, Dot's grandson Charlie Cotton (Declan Bennett) discovers their relationship and threatens to report it.

Max finds Emma's case notes in his kitchen cupboard and rips them up in front of Carol, and then turns to alcohol to deal with his grief.

Max convinces Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) to sell the freehold of The Queen Vic to a company called Grafton Hill.

Max gives him cash as a reward for his assistance and takes his mobile phone, telling him not to contact Jack again, threatening him with violence if he refuses.

Max and Carmel have sex after their second date but he leaves before she wakes up and goes home, where his house appears to show him to be wealthy despite telling people that he lives in a bedsit.

It is revealed that Weyland & Co is owned by James Willmott-Brown (William Boyde), and Josh, Fi and Max's former prison cellmate, Luke Browning (Adam Astill), are his children.

Mick and Linda are asked to pay £60,000 for development funds to The Queen Vic, and Max suggests that Fi reduce it to £50,000 to regain the Carters' trust.

Max, close to a mental breakdown over his recent losses, sees Phil, Mick, Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood), Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) and Aidan Maguire (Patrick Bergin) leaving The Albert bar together and realises they are planning something.

After asking Lauren and Abi to forgive him and see him on Christmas Day, which they both agree to think about, Max tricks Stacey into returning to her house and tries to convince her there is still a spark between them.

Rainie worries that Jack's girlfriend, Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite) suspects their relationship is fake so they put on a convincing romance, including them passionately kissing.

When Rainie decides to leave, Max realises his own feelings for her and stops her at the train station where they agree to enter a real relationship.

A year later when Bobby is released, Max is horrified and began a conflict with his family as he can never forgive him for what he has done including his ruined relationship with Lauren and Abi.

After developing a friendship during lockdown, Max supports Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) when he catches her having a drink, despite battling an alcohol addiction.

The storyline which saw Tanya bury Max alive prompted 167 viewer complaints, citing the inappropriate nature of the scenes, which aired prior to the 9.00 pm watershed.

[31] Wood made the shortlist in the Best Bad Boy category,[32] although lost out to Connor McIntyre, who portrays Pat Phelan in Coronation Street.

[33] In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The Daily Mirror placed Max 16th on their ranked list of the Best EastEnders characters of all time, writing how he "is notorious for family feuds and flings and brushes with the law" and was "Often topping lists of soap bad boys", as well as calling the 2007 Christmas Day reveal of his affair was Stacey as "one of the soap's best doof doofs".