You can't have one without the other, they just play off each other nicely, but I like James more, his voice in the first season <3 but I do see him as pathetic really, Jessie is strong willed and actually helps pull the lazy pair (meowth and James) off of their butts and into positive thinking. I think without Jessie they would've given up on getting that yellow rat ages ago. They do have a nice side, that's how people can relate to them, they're doing bad things because that's what they think they are expected to do, what else is there for them?
Who doesn't like seeing James get eaten/beat up by his pokemon? <3