>>It's just the cringe-worthiness of Ricky Gervais; he plays such a creep, so convincingly that it's like a slo mo car-crash and you find yourself, well, cringeing and begging for the tension to ease.
>
>I think that's the difference between the two versions - I don't think the US version makes anybody look like a creep. Sure Steve Carrell says some incredibly stupid things, but all of the characters are loveable. Even Dwight Schrute.

You hit the nail on the head.