No matter how you slice it, any relationship can be hard. But when said relationship is constantly surrounded by bloodshed and violence? That's when things can start to get really rocky — which is part of what makes Mike Weston and Max Hardy's relationship on The Following so difficult to predict. Can two people who have lived through such horrific events make it work or are they better off keeping things strictly professional? That's a subject matter The Following's third season will look to explore (you know, when it's not too busy giving us nightmares), which will find these two working in close quarters once again.
Here's what we know: after Mark Gray was able to escape the FBI's clutches, Mike made it his personal mission to put all his time and energy into tracking him down — a task that has proved to be unsuccessful thus far. So now that he's returned one year later, he and Max will have the chance to take on new cases together. And while that doesn't necessarily mean love is in the air (murder and death doesn't exactly spell out "romance," ya know?), it definitely will force these characters to reconnect, whether they want to or not.
Shawn Ashmore, who plays Mike on the show, recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the whole Mike and Max dynamic and assured fans that even though Max currently has a new beau, Mike's return will prove to complicate matters since their feelings for each other are still very much there.
He's still in love with Max. And Max still has feelings for Mike, but it's still that thing of, 'Can they really make it work?' Last season when they kissed, everyone was like, 'Oh now they're going to be together,' and in the back of my head, I was like, 'It's not that kind of show. It's not that easy. It's not like, cut to season three and I'm taking her out for Valentine's Day dinner.' But that's what makes it interesting: We're all professionals [and] we're all handling the case, but there are definitely things that get in the way, and that's where the drama is.
Is that a resounding yes that they'll eventually get together for real this time? No. But it does offer up hope that there's still some life in this relationship, which is more than can be said about most of the people on this show. (Seriously, the survival rate is pretty slim, you guys.) When you've gone as much together as these two have, that's a bond that can't just go away, no matter how much time you spend apart. So I have a feeling that, regardless of how great her new love interest is, Mike is where Max's heart truly lies. And now that he's back in the picture, it'll be harder for her to deny that fact.
So don't worry, folks. I doubt we've seen the last of this…
Images: Sarah Shatz/FOX (2); shawnashmore/Tumblr
