Well one was a regular character for a season and the other one was only recurring. But which character did you like better, Max the magician or James the bad actor?

I liked Max the most.

He seemed to be involved/helped the kids.

I liked James the best because he added another element of insanity to the show that wasn't present with Max. He allowed thw riters to do more.

Stanley Allen Taylor
The recruiter from Harvard
Zack's dad

These are all examples of how james improved the show. I just thought he was incredibly funny.