At least one of his team members turned evil, another used alien tech for rape, another used memory erasure to manipulate and preserve a relationship. (Well the one who turned evil did that too.) And it looks like at least half his was chosen on gut instinct.

So you don't see him as a canonically bad manager, and a bad leader for this type of team? Making bad situations worse almost as often as he makes them better? Again, have not seen COE, so maybe everyone just shines or at least comes through in the end in that one.

well, when you put it THAT way...

I think having chosen them badly and having chosen them half-arsedly are two different things--and I agree with the former, although I'm not remembering the memory erasure plotline, ironically enough.

I don't think, though, that we're *supposed* to think he's bad at his job. When he makes the calls to save the day, they're day-saving calls, no? His team looks to him to save their asses and the world, no?

My impression was kinda that Jack has the job because he knows more about alien life than anyone else currently in residence on earth and is unlikely to be killed by any of the things he comes into contact with, rather than because he's actually good at it.

I think he has the job because he's still alive, but I also do think that his team trusts him to do his job well.

I also think that if him knowing more about alien life than anyone else translates into any advantage, wouldn't it improve his ability to do his job well? If not, then who cares?

I don't know, it seemed to be mostly a case of identifying what was invading this week, making ill-advised decisions that turn out badly, and then some member of his team figuring out what to do based on info he'd dropped.

Since The Sarah Jane Adventures S2 has not yet hit American shores, I will use white font, except to say it got a lot better by the end of the first season, and grew better in season 2.

That having been said, I must now shout in whitefont about the season finale: The Brigadier!!!!

When does Sarah Jane S2 reach? I think I can wait for that, eagerly.

I'm starting to think maybe I don't want to watch TW at all, despite the hotness.

Up to you, but I think it well worth watching, and not just for the hotness. Mixed but some really great characterizations. Also as to day saving. Day is not always saved (see faeries) and when the day is saved, it seems quite often with unnecessary deaths and brutality. Routinely day late, and dollar short. And yet that is part of the charm. Not the A team in space. Highly flawed human institutions and highly flawed people doing the best they can.