The Office: U.S. Versus British Version - Which One is Funnier?

Many fans of NBC's hit show The Office have heard the following at least once: "The British version is much better." But is it? I recently got the opportunity to watch the British version on DVD, and here is my official comparison of the two, broken down by character:

Michael Scott (Steve Carell) versus David Brent (Ricky Gervais)

As a fan who watched the American version first, it was hard for me to imagine a more amusing character than Michael Scott. Steve Carell was hilarious on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and, in fact, I originally tuned in to NBC's version of The Office because of him. However, Ricky Gervais is a master of subtlety in his portrayal of hapless boss David Brent, and he makes you realize how truly over the top Michael Scott is. When you compare the two it is clear that Gervais' character is a bit more "realistic" and Carell's Michael Scott is more of a caricature. Their foibles (racist and sexist tendencies and general cluelessness) are similar, however. If I had to choose a favorite, I would have to give the nod to Gervais, if only for his more distinguished career.

Dwight Shrute (Rainn Wilson) versus Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook)

Again, the two characters serve similar functions within the show--the overly self-important, geeky corporate wannabe. Dwight is a bit more exaggerated as a character than the understated Gareth, making the British character someone you feel like you might actually work with in real life. However, in this case, I prefer Rainn Wilson's character. He seems to be a bit more involved in the plots and the show's dynamic, and provides a lot of the funny one-liners in the program.

Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) versus Tim Canterbury (Martin Freeman)