I think where this show really faltered is in its focus. It focuses on making an arbitrary rematch happen instead of focusing on a story. As a result, what could have easily been an opportunity to tie the PT and the OT together nicely, and maybe “fix” some of the inconsistencies, turned into more problems that now make certain lines of dialogue and character interactions in ANH weird.

There’s something similar in ROTS when Obi fights Grievous. His line “You fool. I have been trained in your Jedi arts by Count Dooku.” doesn’t really make a lot of sense since they have fought countless times in the CW at that point. But in that case, I think the CW added so much to the lore and characters of the PT that such a thing is very excusable.

This show, on the other hand, is JUST the fight. That’s it. Almost everything else is either a ripoff of Rebels and Jedi: Fallen Order, or plain out pointless, like the Path thing since they must all be dead by the time of ROTJ. But most importantly, Obi Wan’s arc is really weak. I imagined him communicating with Qui Gon was going to be the defining moment at the end of his arc but it’s just played as a cameo at the end instead, with no real impact to the plot.

They didn’t write a story, they sold a fight.