Bay (Vanessa Marano) has a new man in her life on Switched at Birth season three who she met while taking a college art course. Bay and Tank (Max Adler) started out as art project partners, became friends, and then romance hit when Tank wouldn’t leave her side after she injured her hand.
Bay had a good reason for being hesitant about starting a new relationship. Her last two boyfriends broke her heart. Good guy Emmett cheated on her with her former best friend and Ty led her to believe he cheated on her as well.
Tank’s feelings and attraction for Bay weren’t to be denied. After initially “friend-zoning” him, she came to see him in a romantic light. They became the cutest and sweetest couple on Switched at Birth, but will it last?
I spoke with Max Adler on the phone to get the scoop about Tank’s relationship with Bay, the balancing his life in the fraternity with his new romance, and the upcoming dance episode.
Tank and Bay have such different interests and life experiences, what draws him to her?
I think exactly that. I think that you know that everything he’s going after was instilled in him from a very young age. And everything he’s doing now was expected from him from since he was five years old and he’s anticipated this his entire life. And it gets to a point where it gets a little stale and to meet someone completely new that has different interests and offers ideas of the world or culture or interesting facts about art.
There’s something that he’s never been exposed to, that’s a completely different path than he’s on is very exciting for him and that’s why he wants to explore it. The risk is that in that exploration, it won’t pan out well for him and then he’ll give up and take the path to safety and security that he has. It’s a very tricky position that he’s in.
Bay’s had a difficult romantic journey and she seems to be drawn to the nice guy aspect of Tank. She trusts him and she doesn’t think he’ll betray her. No relationship is smooth sailing. What kind of hurdles will they have to overcome together?
I think with Tank what he finds very interesting with Bay is the unknown. And the fact that it’s a completely new person and new ideals and ideas and dreams and passions and that’s what keeps him interested.
And I think for her it’s the same thing. You’re used to the bad guy or cheating or affairs and there’s drama. What you want next is the safety and security and loyalty and trust. I think she’s finding that in Tank and that’s the hook. That keeps Bay interested, but I think because of her past experiences, there’s a fear that it could be too good to be true and something bad waiting at the end of the tunnel.
Any negative feedback from his fraternity brothers that he’s dating Bay? She’s still in high school, she’s an artist, all the things that attract him to her, but may go against what the fraternity would want?
Exactly. That’s Tank’s struggle too. He’s got to retort back to all his frat brothers and be surrounded by a bunch of guys who have their own ideas about what he should be doing at that age and that time in your life. And whether or not Tank agrees, he’s got to please them and please himself.
So, I do think that’s a struggle. He has to be loyal and respect Bay’s wants and desires and that same time he’s got these obligation and duties toward the frat life. And I think that’s a juxtaposition of Tank’s character. And the ying-yang, he’s dealing with.
In “Dance Me to the End of Love,” Tank goes dancing. Are you a good dancer?
I mean, as much as Tank is an artist. I did show choir in high school and did all the musicals and stuff. When I have a choreographer, who we actually did for this episode — a great girl, Mimi [Karsh Narducci], who was phenomenal to work with — I can learn steps fairly quickly. But the free style at clubs is a big weakness for me.
You’ll get to see Tank doing a little line dance in his room which is fun.
Anything else you want to tease?
There is some pretty intense drama that does happen between Tank and Bay in the next few episodes.
Check out a sneak peek of everyone dancing!
Switched at Birth airs Mondays at 8 pm ET on ABC Family.
(Image courtesy of ABC Family.)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Contributing Editor and Writer for Collider, BuddyTV, TV Fanatic, CliqueClack, and other publications. TV criticism, reviews, interviews with actors and producers, and other related content. Founder of TV Diehard.
