History Main / OnlySaneEmployee

* Albert Speer was this to [[ThoseWackyNazists Those Whacky]]: [[NaziGermany Nazis]]: someone who wasn't a delusional megalomaniac (Hitler), a self-indulgent junkie (Goering), a crazed fanboy (Goebbels) or all of the above (Himmler). His organizational skill and grasp of reality were largely to blame for the fact that the Third Reich lasted as long as it did (he achieved questionable KarmaHoudini status thanks to a half-hearted attempt to assassinate Hitler, by the splendidly appropriate means of poison gas.)

* Albert Speer was this to ThoseWackyNazis: someone who wasn't a delusional megalomaniac (Hitler), a self-indulgent junkie (Goering), a crazed fanboy (Goebbels) or all of the above (Himmler). His organizational skill and grasp of reality were largely to blame for the fact that the Third Reich lasted as long as it did (he achieved questionable KarmaHoudini status thanks to a half-hearted attempt to assassinate Hitler, by the splendidly appropriate means of poison gas.)

** This is more a product of the first anime adaption. Mustang's team is much more competent and focused in the manga.

* Hank Hill in ''KingOfTheHill'', especially in the later seasons as his co-workers grew more and more quirky. Also, his role in his group of friends. Things tend to deteriorate rapidly when Bill and Dale (sometimes Boomhauer) are left to their own devices. Consider the episode where Boomhauer accidentally gets committed to an asylum because the people in Austin [[MotorMouth can't understand him]]. He calls Dale, who ends up there too (he tried to sneak in as if he were a secret agent), and ''he'' calls Bill, who checks himself in voluntarily. Finally, at this point, the grudgingly admit they need Hank, who gets the matter resolved in minutes.

* The anime {{OAV}} ''Animation Runner Kuromi'' combines this with animation-industry self-parody.
* Rossiu, from TengenToppaGurrenLagann, after the timeskip, is the only one in the [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation Dai-Gurren Junta]] (with the possible exception of Leeron, who just wants to do Science!) with any ability to run things. At all. Seriously, they're shocked by his development of standardisation and law courts. It ''might'' just be because he's the only one who grasps the concept of sitting down and thinking about things, rather than just running off to blow something up.

* A [[FanWank possible viewpoint]] of Kyon's role in the SOS-Dan in SuzumiyaHaruhi. He is, basically, the babysitter/KidWithTheLeash for a [[AGodAmI potentially dangerous]] RealityWarper with a personality that can be argued as "HeroicSociopath", or even "one-woman embodiment of ComedicSociopathy".

* Kureha in {{Sora no Woto}}, especially since the first DVD extra episode established that she {{cannot get drunk}}.

* Daníel from [[{{Ptitleya4ke1rx}} Næturvaktin]] is the only regular character who can do a decent job. His boss is a dictatorial bully who offends every customer he meets, and his only co-worker is a [[TheDitz ditz]] who's usually either slacking off or (incompetently) trying to make his fortune in showbiz.

* In FireEmblem 9 (Path of Radiance), the Crimean army is [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits almost entirely made of nutcases]], with trusty right-hand Titania and stern strategist Soren the seemingly only persons to do any work outside of fighting. Captain Ike has said explicitly stated he couldn't do anything without them. Then again, there was this one exchange about storming an enemy fortress in which Soren succumbed to the craziness and Ranulf was the OnlySaneMan left. It went something like...

** Starting out as an architect, he was also rather approving of Hitler's imperialistic dreams because it would mean that the spectacular monuments that he had personally designed would see the light of day. This was before he fully realized that this would ultimately mean the mass murder and extermination of tens of millions of people (mainly Jews and Slavs).

[[folder: Comics]]
* ''{{Dilbert}}'' is what happens after the last sane guy ''quits'', replaced by the biggest CloudCuckooLander of them all.
** And when those who once tried to keep everything under control (Dilbert, Wally and Alice) flat out gave up and started exploiting the system for their own personal gain.
** Asok the intern ''would'' have this job; he has the right perspective and opinions to play this role, but he has no seniority and therefore nobody pays any attention to what he has to say. He shows every sign that his OnlySaneEmployee nature is an aspect of his inexperience, and he'll be broken of it long before he's been there long enough for anybody to listen.
*** He has started taking lessons from Wally.
* Fantasio (and later Prunelle), of ''GastonLagaffe'', spends most of his time trying to get Gaston to work. And then when Gaston tries to work, [[TheKlutz he just screws it all up]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Manga & Anime]]
* The anime {{OAV}} ''Animation Runner Kuromi'' combines this with animation-industry self-parody.
* Rossiu, from TengenToppaGurrenLagann, after the timeskip, is the only one in the [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation Dai-Gurren Junta]] (with the possible exception of Leeron, who just wants to do Science!) with any ability to run things. At all. Seriously, they're shocked by his development of standardisation and law courts. It ''might'' just be because he's the only one who grasps the concept of sitting down and thinking about things, rather than just running off to blow something up.
** Of course, [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope when he takes it too far]], their complaints began to make sense...
* A [[FanWank possible viewpoint]] of Kyon's role in the SOS-Dan in SuzumiyaHaruhi. He is, basically, the babysitter/KidWithTheLeash for a [[AGodAmI potentially dangerous]] RealityWarper with a personality that can be argued as "HeroicSociopath", or even "one-woman embodiment of ComedicSociopathy".
* Riza Hawkeye from ''FullmetalAlchemist'', so, ''so'' much. She's constantly picking up the work left behind by her boss Mustang and telling him and the others off for not doing their work- all with a [[PussInBoots long-suffering, exasperated expression on her face]].
** This is more a product of the first anime adaption. Mustang's team is much more competent and focused in the manga.
* Kureha in {{Sora no Woto}}, especially since the first DVD extra episode established that she {{cannot get drunk}}.
* Kiyone in ''[[TenchiMuyo Tenchi Universe]]''. Although in her case, it's less "only sane employee" than "only sane employee in the local galactic region." (And let's face it, babysitting Mihoshi is a full-time job.)
* [[MahouSenseiNegima Chisame's]] job description: [[PlayfulHacker Hack computers,]] [[DeadpanSnarker make snarky comments]] [[MetaGuy about everything around her,]] and keep [[TheHero Negi]] from doing something pointlessly reckless.

[[folder: Web Original]]
* This is the premise of ChadVader, although it's highly debatable who the sane one is.
[[/folder]]

* Albert Speer was this to ThoseWackyNazis: someone who wasn't a delusional megalomaniac (Hitler), a self-indulgent junkie (Goering), a crazed fanboy (Goebbels) or all of the above (Himmler.) His organizational skill and grasp of reality were largely to blame for the fact that the Third Reich lasted as long as it did (he achieved questionable KarmaHoudini status thanks to a half-hearted attempt to assassinate Hitler, by the splendidly appropriate means of poison gas.)

->'''Jack''': I don't do these things just to drive you crazy, Lemon. I do them for the good of the show.\\
'''Liz''': Well, I'm the one who always has to clean up the mess afterwards.\\
'''Jack''': That's why my job is way better than yours.
-->--''[[{{ptitleolsdue4jfzga}} 30 Rock]]'', "Tracy Does Conan"

* Daníel from [[{{Ptitleya4ke1rx}} Næturvaktin]] is the only regular character who can do a decent job. His boss is a dictatorial bully who offends every customer he meets, and his only co-worker is a [[TheDitz ditz]] who's usually either slacking off or (incompetently) trying to make his fortune in showbiz.

* Hank Hill in ''KingOfTheHill'', especially in the later seasons as his co-workers grew more and more quirky. Also, his role in his group of friends. Things tend to deteriorate rapidly when Bill and Dale (sometimes Boomhauer) are left to their own devices.

* Any real life stage manager in the theatre or for a band. Their job description is literally "make things run smoothly."

*** Titles often mean very little in regards to who is the OnlySaneEmployee if a production is [[ItGotWorse sufficiently troubled]]. This troper speaks from experience...

** Though if the stage manager themselves [[AGodAmI develops a complex]], it's up to Tech and Crew.

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** Asok the intern ''would'' have this job; he has the right perspective and opinions to play this role, but he has no seniority and therefore nobody pays any attention to what he has to say. He shows every sign that his OnlySaneEmployee nature is an aspect of his inexperience, and he'll be broken of it long before he's been there long enough for anybody to listen.
* Fantasio, of ''GastonLagaffe'', spends most of his time trying to get Gaston to work. And then when Gaston tries to work, [[TheKlutz he just screws it all up]].

* It varies from season to season, but [[{{Office}} Jim]] is generally in charge of damage control particularly towards Michael and Dwight and sometimes Andy. Not quite a full case, however, since there are other sane employees that help him, mostly Pam and Oscar (Oscar mostly handles Angela and Kevin). Oscar even states this explicitly when Jim and Pam are on their honeymoon, stating that the ratio of sane employees to insane employees has been disrupted.