Me too. I'm glad to hear another say this. There's so much bashing going on here - and those who are critical are entitled to that opinion, and are no more correct or wrong than am I in mine - it would be easy to take away nobody enjoys this show. To me, Star Wars has always been written for a ten year old audience, and to enjoy it as it has always been intended, one must revert to a ten year old naivete. There have been implausibilities since 1977 (when I was in fact ten years old), and they have continued at the same pace since. It's a fairy tale, nothing more. Why did the prince need to fit a glass slipper to Cinderella in order to recognize his one true love? Because he did, that's why; same with Star Wars.
To those who might say there have been no good Star Wars stories since ROTJ, I'd say more likely than not we've changed - not Star Wars.
If this series is truly meant for children alone, or if you have to revert your mindset to that of a child to be able to enjoy it, what does that really say about middle age men and women who are obsessed with it? I can understand that Star Wars brings childlike wonder to millions of fans, but there's a marked difference between family friendly entertainment which can appeal to children but also cater to adults that doesn't dumb down the writing, and that of shows or movies made for children where quality is an afterthought. If we're really going to argue that "it's made for kids," then why on earth would adults care about it? Star Wars Celebration was attended in Anaheim by thousands of (mostly) adults.
What if we were to switch the film or movie? How many adults do you know who are obsessed with Teletubbies? How many people do you know collect their merchandise? How many of those childhood fans are now adults and clamoring for a spin off series or reboot? The only reason
our fandom isn't considered creepy is because most Star Wars fans
are adults and it's become socially acceptable to be a fan,
despite our age. We partly justify our love for this franchise because there's enough of us in adulthood who feel the same as we do, so in that regard we don't stand out as pariah's in social circles. So much of the pop culture of our childhoods have carried into adult life where past generations outgrew the material. It does pose the question as to why we haven't let go when our parents did? I think it's because we're afraid of growing old.
Even setting that aside for the moment, there's nothing wrong with liking or disliking a show or movie and thankfully I have to say that this thread has been very civil in it's discussion, to which I am very thankful. I just think it's high time to acknowledge that if you're going to claim that the originals were inconsistent, poorly written, poorly acted, miscast, or whatever your quibble with it is, why is it that when someone points out the same, if not more egregious errors in the new stuff, suddenly it's considered complaining when they question a discrepancy? People like me aren't saying anything new. We spoke up in disagreement when Lucas kept changing the story, so why should Disney get a pass for doing the same? If anything I think that stance is, at the least, more consistent.
The original three worked, and worked so effectively that they've lasted 45 years. Any inconsistencies they had (in their original theatrical cuts) must have been pretty minimal to last this long. Nostalgia alone has a shelf life, so that's not a valid reason to explain their longevity. Even complaining about "whiners" is a form of complaining. Putting the onus of success and fan reception from a current show on the past editions is a really strange way to excuse choices made by today's writers. When you write fiction, you're establishing a continuity. When you deviate from that continuity, it's only natural that your audience will question it.
I'm not suggesting that there isn't a place for fans to enjoy the new material and far be it from me to ever make a peer feel unwelcome. It's just time to be frank about the rationality behind our arguments. If we're going to make claims that don't make much sense, then it's equally as valid to call out story ideas that don't work. My dislike of a story should in no way impact your enjoyment. Just as your dislike of what I love should be of little consequence. There is no argument to win. We're all fans. I embrace you all, even if I don't always agree with you.