I think that's probably it - British humour doesn't translate brilliantly to the US. Various sitcoms we've had over here die a death when put into American mouths.... the exception is probably The Office - but when compared with the British version, you can see how they had to change it to make it fit American sensibilities. Steve Carrell can't be David Brent which is what they tried in the first season, he has to be a different character. He has to be more goofy and adolescent (its the right description) because when he's doing the British thing, he just seems cruel and dickish. But Gervais can pull off the cruelty because it's in line with a layered British humour.

What you guys do better than us is writers rooms, you have some of the funniest jokes and some of the best set ups. Your stuff tends to stay funnier for longer, whilst our stuff (usually written by one or two people) gets stale very fast. Having said you have the best crafted jokes you don't necessarily have the funniest moments. The 'Don't tell him Pike' moment in Dad's Army, the 'Don't Mention the War' bit of Fawlty Towers and 'Falling Through the Bar' in Only Fools and Horses wouldn't necessarily have been funny on the page - they rely heavily on the relationship between a single actor and writer.... or both in the case of Cleese.

I see American TV as a comedy factory and the UK as home made comedy craft. We have a lot of shite... your generic shite is of a better standard, but when we get our comedy right it's artisan and auteur, when you get yours right it's like a well oiled machine. We have Fawlty Towers but you have 10 seasons of Friends. :o)