No amount of tinkering with individual scenes could have saved the prequels - they needed a top-to-bottom rewrite. The whole tone of the films is different from the OT. The OT has a bunch of likeable characters caught up in action/adventure during the course of which story themes emerge. The PT has a bunch of bland/unlikeable characters engaging themselves with story themes, with the occasional insertion of arbitrary action/adventure.

In addition, the OT had a bunch of likeable actors who gave spirited performances.