Appearance
S13 E1 – S16 36
Job Title
Consultant
First Words
(enters CRASH eating sandwich, to Sam) Put that somewhere safe for me
Last Words
(Tony has just shown him some drugs a patient was carrying) Let’s have a look. (grins) Drug dealer saved by Dr Drugs, whatever will they make of that? (he then walks out the department)
Background
Max Gallagher is an experienced and dedicated doctor, with huge energy and charisma which brings out his dark good looks and seductive charm. 47 year old Max arrives in S13 E1, replacing Baz, as the new Consultant and Clinical Director of A&E. He has a harder edge than past ‘public school’ consultants and is a real team player, but despite his competence and magnetic attractiveness, he is also vulnerable; Max shows his confidence in his work, but in his private life he is less in control – he is separated from his wife Joan and has a drug addict son, Frank.
In his debut episode he is seen entering CRASH munching a sandwich, passes it to Sam and gets on with saving another life. In S13 E2, close to home, he has to help save nurse [ID 333]Mark[/ID] and Julie, after their car overturns outside the hospital. In S13 E7, we are introduced to his son Frank. when Max is called away to the police station, after Frank is arrested for carrying drugs. Next episode a drug addict throws himself down some steps – Max is shocked to discover it to be Frank. Max also treats a youth who has a medical stake impaled in him, angrily in CRASH he pulls it out and refuses treatment – Max coolly tries to explain he will die unless he is treated. In S13 E11, Max’s son is admitted following an overdose. Frank creates a scene infront of Max’s colleagues, who are all surprised to find out they are related. Max also gives Sean advice on his pending court case. In S13 E13, a man collapses in reception, he goes from being in VF back to normal heart rhythm on his own, baffling the team, until Max discovers he has an internal defibrillator. In S13 E18, Frank is involved in a brawl at a church hostel and is stabbed in the scuffle. He is taken to A&E, where he lays critical. Max becomes upset in that never told his son that he loved him and fears he may never get the chance to. Thankfully he survives. In S13 E21, Max is angered after being informed the department may close due to a merger and form one A&E. In S13 E25, Max manages to tube a man, who is seriously injured in a fight at the hospital, before being sent to theatre. By the end of Series 13, Max is stressed and unable to cope – he turns to drink.
Next series, S14 E4, Max treats a number of patients who are involved in an RTA, he suspects the woman’s poor vision is to blame for the accident in which a man dies. Duffy and Max also become a lot closer – in S14 E10 they end up kissing in his office after they realise their feelings for each other. Charlie sees the kiss, and later reminds Duffy that she’s married and risking a lot. After spending the night together, Max asks Duffy out to a concert in S14 E12. She declines and he guesses that Charlie has spoken to her on the matter. Max confronts Charlie, angry at him for interfering. Duffy later tells Max that their affair is over as she doesn’t want anyone getting hurt. In S14 E13, Tina persuades Max to do a parachute jump. In S14 E15, Max is partnered with Tina in the jump, after Sean injures his hand. Max admits being afraid, but jumps on condition Tina kisses him – which they do when they land, under the parachute sheets. Next episode, Max and Tina are awkward with eachother. At the end of shift, she tells him the way is clear for them after splitting with Sean. The Xmas episode, S14 E17, Max, with [ID 284]Adam[/ID] and Chloe don fancy dress and go to the children’s ward. Later Max gets stuck in a lift with Tina, and they passionately kiss. In S14 E18, we find Max’s son is now a reformed junkie, and is working as a drug counselor – he turns up in A&E with a client, Jackie, who steals drugs. She is later found unconscious at home by Frank. Max tells Tina he’s fallen in love with her. Next episode he gives Tina a lift to work. Max meets Frank for lunch and tells him about his new love, and Duffy is angry when she overhears Tina saying she’s dating Max. Duffy advises Max, in S14 E20, to tell Sean, who has said he’s finally over her. But when he finds out after seeing them kissing in the staffroom, he goes ballistic. He tries to hit Max, but Duffy intervenes. Sean gets revenge by smashing Max’s brand new car. In S14 E21, Max warns Sean that if things don’t improve between them, one of them will have to leave. However, in S14 E22, Tina and Sean get back together, she says she will tell Max that day, but before she gets a chance – Frank is brought in after being severely burnt by two drug dealers, next episode he dies. Tina tells Sean she may have to spend more time with Max, but his ex-wife turns up. Max is suspicious when junkie, Angie, arrives enquiring about Frank – she witnessed his attack. Tina and Sean discuss their guilt. In S14 E24, Max attends Frank’s funeral. Angie tells Max the name of the two men and he is shocked to find out he saved the life of one of them, when he was brought into A&E. Amy performs at a club, and dedicates ‘Stay with me Baby’ to Max, who decides to turn up. In S14 E26, Max is back at work. He tells Tina he regrets all the lost opportunities he has missed, Tina is shocked when he proposes. Max also injects a dog, bitten by a snake, with their only dose of anti-venom – much to Patrick’s disapproval. Later the owner turns up also after being bitten and they struggle to get some more anti-venom. Max and Tina leave together – Sean is upset. In S14 E27, Sean tells Max he is leaving, when Tina finds out, she rushes to the station to find him. Next episode she tells Max she is also leaving for Australia to be with Sean. He kisses her and she walks off into the night. In S14 E30, she phones the hospital to tell them her and Sean are getting married. Max looks somber.
In Series 15, Max persuades Holly to go to dinner with a journalist to discuss the new face of the NHS – which leads to her letting slip about a nurse being HIV. He also treats a patient who has slipped on a banana skin – when he finds him taking drugs in a cubicle he goes mad and tells him to leave immediately – after all drugs killed his son. In S15 E10, he deals with a distraught father whose son has been stabbed by football fans. The father accuses Max of not understanding how he feels, until Max tells him the fate of his own son. Duffy blames Max for being the last one to know about Andrew returning to work in A&E. In S15 E17, Max has to give medical instructions via telephone to Penny, when they are snowbound at a church dealing with a patient. In S15 E18, the festive season is bringing back bad memories for Max – made worse when a 19 year old drug addict, [ID 289]Ben[/ID], comes in looking for his supplier. When Max catches him going through bins for old needles, knowing what a risk Ben is putting himself under, he offers him a fresh supply. Later Ben is brought back into A&E unconscious. He has overdosed and Max has a hard time justifying his actions to Ben’s mother, Amanda. Next episode, his decision to give Ben clean syringes comes back to haunt him when Ben’s mother, Amanda, turns up demanding to discuss her son’s overdose. Dan backs Max, and eventually Amanda comes round and even accepts an invitation to have coffee with him. In S15 E22, Amanda comes into A&E to tell Max that her son is in rehab and asks if he fancies going our for a drink. He accepts. In S15 E29, Max comforts new Student Nurse Anna when she witnesses her first death. In S15 E34, Max offers Charlie his spare room, while he finds somewhere to live. Next episode, Amanda who is staying with Max feels crowded – Max says he will speak to Charlie about the situation.
In S16 E1, Max warns Patrick for getting intimate with [ID 388]Rachel[/ID] at work. However his girlfriend, Amanda, has arranged a surprise meal with candles for him in his office. In S16 E3, Max goes to dinner with Amanda and her son Ben, whose birthday it is. They are trying to get Ben to live with them, but he thinks Max is trying to buy his affection. Max discovers Chloe working as a waitress in the restaurant to gain extra money. In S16 E5, Amanda and her son, Ben move in with Max. Max and Ben pick up their belongings in an old ambulance, and they have bonding time when the vehicle breaks down. In S16 E6, Patrick is in a bad mood after losing out on the Consultancy post – Max tells him he needs to grow up and manage people better before he can be a good Consultant. Max loses £50 from his wallet and accuses Amanda’s son Ben of stealing the money, though at the end of shift, it is returned to him by Colette who says he dropped it the previous day. He also befriends a teenage girl who has suffered a heroin overdose. In S16 E7, Ben, is brought in with a burnt hand, while doing DIY at home. Max first comes to the wrong conclusion, before stitching him up. In S16 E8, Max discovers drugs in Amanda’s son Ben’s coat pocket. At first he denies it, but later comes in to A&E asking for his help, and hopes he will provide him with morphine. Max refuses. In S16 E10, it’s Amanda’s birthday and she proposes to Max. Her son, Ben, pleads with him again to give him morphine and tries to blackmail him. Max at first refuses, but then gives him methadone, which he orders from Pharmacy, instead but Ben angrily walks off. Later, the woman from Pharmacy queries the methadone order with Patrick, who then confronts Max – who abruptly tells him he is the Consultant and makes the decisions. Max accepts Amanda’s marriage proposal and as they head off for dinner – Ben has stolen her birthday present ear-rings to pay for drugs. In S16 E11, Amanda’s son Ben is brought in after overdosing on heroin. Patrick confronts Max about giving him methadone and says he shouldn’t get too involved, but Max tells him to mind his own business. However, Patrick tells Charlie, who quietly cancels Max’s order with pharmacy, saying they were conducting a trial, keeping methadone in the department, but they’ve realised it’s better not to. Patrick is annoyed that Charlie has done nothing else and says he will take the matter higher, Charlie says it will be without his backing and suggests he’s just bitter at Max because he didn’t get his Consultancy post. Ben asks Max for more drugs or he’ll tell Amanda – Max refuses. Devastated Amanda comes in to see Ben, and Charlie lets his slip that Ben had previously been in the department. Amanda confronts Max, who admits he gave him methadone – upset and disappointed in him lying, she hands back his engagement ring. Patrick then goes to see Jan to report Max’s behavior. In S16 E12, as Ben goes into a centre to be treated for his addiction, Amanda leaves Max’s home, despite his pleading for her to stay. Jan catches up with Max, and suspends him, for giving Ben drugs. Next episode, a disheartened Max comes in to see Charlie and collect some things from his office. In S16 E17, Patrick is brought in unconscious after being attacked. Max passes by A&E, and rushes in wanting to help but Locum Consultant Philippa demands him to leave and Jan gives Max a warning to stay away. In S16 E19 , Max faces his disciplinary hearing – Jan lets him off with a warning and is reinstated, but he is unsure if he wants to come back. Outside, Patrick sees Max, and lets him know that he regrets his decision to shop him. In S16 E21, an authorative Max arrives for his first shift back since he was suspended and takes no prisoners – telling off staff for being unprofessional. Jan tries to build bridges between them but receives a frosty reception. In S16 E22, Jack asks Max’s advice in his cancer fears. In S16 E27, Max celebrates his birthday. And in S16 E28, Max treats Patrick, who is brought in after an RTA – the team are shocked when he dies. Next episode he makes a speech at his funeral. In S16 E32, Holby Hospital reaches crisis point as the Norwalk virus hits; two wards are closed and Jan is fighting to keep A&E open against Charlie and Max’s wishes, with bad waiting queues and low staff numbers. With the hospital full to the brim, Max makes the decision to close the department, leaving the paramedics to wait and treat incoming patients outside. Next episode, Jan persuades Max to allow in some more patients by setting up ‘mobile beds’ in the corridors. MP Justine Walker’s son, Danny, who has cerebral palsy is brought into A&E, suffering from pneumonia. Max is unable to get him a bed and is forced to treat him in the corridor. But his condition worsens and he dies. Justine arrives and, without being warned, finds him dead. Max apologises for the way in which she has found out about the death of her son, but Justine blasts Jan, and says she is to blame for the poor state of the hospital. Jan is worried she will be made a scapegoat for the incident, so in S16 E35, she decides to ring a journalist and invites him up to her office. She leaves Max’s personal file on her desk and hints that he should read it, while she leaves the room. In S16 E36, Max storms into Charlie’s office, furious with the front page headlines ‘Dr Drugs’ accusing him of choosing to let the cerebral palsy teenager die. He is convinced the journalists had inside information and is sure Jan has more to hide. Max speaks to Jan and asks her if she will publicly back him. She uncomfortably agrees, but says she must speak to the board first. At the board meeting, Jan plays the situation carefully and offers them her resignation. They close ranks and say they need her – and that Max should be the one to go. The board then call on Max to hear the outcome of their deliberations. Jan offers her hollow sympathy for the way he has been treated and asks him to be put on gardening leave for a month till the situation calms down. Max is furious and resigns. He tells Charlie that the board have shafted him and warns that Jan is only out for herself. Charlie offers his disbelief and sympathy. As he leaves, Tony comes to him with a drugs package that he has found under a patient’s pillow – Max gives a wry smile, thinking what the papers would have made of ‘Dr Drugs’ saving the life of a drug harbourer.
Memorable Moments
