To get down to just the bare bones of the whole thing, for me, I would of just been happy if there were three well written characters that become good friends that continued through all the 3 films. I tend to watch movies over and over more of the ones with the characters that are fun to watch. I love the bickering friendship of Val and Earl in 'Tremors'. I don't care if the shark in 'Jaws' looks fake, I watch it for those guys on the boat. Or the layered characters in a Tarantino film. Then humor comes out of desperate situations from how well these characters know each other.
Who knew the 'Pirates' films would do so well, since in the past those type movies all failed. But you can tell this director is having a good time. And Johnny Depp is enjoying himself along with everyone else. Who cares what the story is about, audiences respond to the fun adventure ride these characters are on. Then after that, any story can support the characters no matter how lame and plot hole full.
Even in Georges own 'American Graffiti', the story can be summed up in one quick short sentence. But to explain the people and friendships that develop could take pages.
But when it comes to the PT, It's 'Master' this, or 'Padawan' that ,-over and over. Council meetings and Senate debates that seem to endlessly go on and on. Secret conversations, and duel identities. And it appears that none of the actors cares about whats going on or who they were with.

I think George has no clue on how to write a friendship because he has forgotten how to have one. He has surrounded himself by kiss-butts for too long. Nothing comes close in the PT as do the moments of when OBwan was guiding Luke. You can see the bond grow between them scene by scene, and they are only physically together in Star Wars for roughly 30 minutes of screen time.
But of coarse, George had much help and real friends developing the scripts back then.