The Office: BBC or American Flavor?

I just received the first season of the BBC version for Christmas.  After seeing those again and half of season two of the American version, the battle is on.  Of course, the BBC version is the obvious favorite since it is the original and stars the shows creator, Ricky Gervais.  The first few episodes of the American one even used the same scripts as the BBC series.  In these episodes the BBC is the clear winner.  However over the past couple of years, the American version has shown it's own more direct style of comedy.  Both are great, but which is the greatest?  

First compare Micheal Scott (Steve Carell) of the American version to David Brent (Ricky Gervais) of the BBC version.  Easy.  Steve is funny, but no one is better than Ricky.  The character he created inspired the entire series, after all.  So... (insert image of David straightening his tie here).  Advantage BBC.

Then compare Dwight Schrute of the American version to Gareth Keenan in the BBC version.  If you haven't seen Gareth you must check the guy out.  Dwight is hilarious however, and he may be the reason the American show has become such a hit.  Though BBC fans will hate me for it, I say advantage American version.

OK as a tie breaker, let's compare Pam and Jim from the American version to Dawn and Tim from the BBC version.  To be fair we have to say that the actors in the BBC version created these characters.  They had no idea how these two should relate to each other and they had to figure it out as they went.  The actors in the American version had hours of episodes that they could borrow from.  That said, I prefer Pam and Jim.  I think because, like all of the American characters, they are more relaxed about the f'ed up environment they work in than the BBC characters.  This contributes to more humorous situations and less purely awkward ones.  What can I say, I guess I really am American.  Advantage Amer- no I can't say it.  Call it a draw.  Watch them both!