Well, I think it’s important to consider what the creators’ intentions were, because that shines a light on why many elements of the ST are so similar to the OT.

So, why is TFA so similar to ANH? Because Abrams and co wanted to pay hommage to the film, that started it all, and after the controversial PT wanted to get back to the look and feel of the OT. TFA was a soft reboot in the sense, that it had to introduce a new group of characters in a very similar setting as the OT, namely a small band of rebels fighting an overwhelming force led by a fallen Jedi student.

Why is TLJ so similar to the OT? Because RJ wanted to highlight the OT tropes, and subvert our expectations, and so he too delibirately wrote a story, that for large portions of it recycles the plot, scenes, and visuals of the OT, such that at several pivotal moments, he can pull the rug out from under us.

So, in my view the similarities are very delibirate with one movie wanting to feed our nostalgia, and the other surprise us. The downside of all this is, that once the nostalgia, and novelty of the surprises wear off, what we’re left with is two movies, that in plot, structure, visuals, and settings are very similar, and I would say too similar, to the OT.

Both films in the ST thusfar have been driven heavily by fan expectations, and so rather than feel like a natural continuation, and progression of the story and characters, to me it feels more like a metacommentary on the tropes and archetypes of the Star Wars universe.