I agree it's a simple concept. It's basically a space opera based on family relations, that's why it was so relatable from the start. But what I mean by "expanding" is actually the opposite of making the saga more complicated. What I mean by expansion is defining a more concrete object rather than making the universe larger. Use these sequels to further explain what is already there from the start (i.e.: the Jedi, the Sith, the Force, Good vs. Evil). There are lots of unanswered questions about the nature of the Force that could be tied in with the idea of Good vs. Evil and add to the Skywalker legend. The notion that there must be a balance in the Force, for instance, has never been fully explained. If the Jedi are supposed to be the good side, wouldn't a predominance of the Light side be preferable? I suspect that Light and Dark, good and evil, have a different and more complicated relationship that hasn't yet been fully developed in the series. The idea of a Chosen One was also introduced and never explained.
They could use these new characters to make the "theology" more concrete and easier to understand (by bringing together all the information we've had about it so far) instead of adding to the confusion by again postponing these explanations and introducing new elements that will further complicate things (now you can apparently master the Force by not even going through rigorous training, like Rey). They just keep adding things without explaining them and we're supposed to accept every contradiction. That's my main criticism.
No, I agree 100% then. Yes, it's not about adding complexity, but simplifying and explaining things, adding cohesion and coherence to the Star Wars universe. There was always a big component of style in Star Wars, from A New Hope, as it had to create a whole new world of fantasy, and I think George Lucas and his team did great with that. Even if Alec Guiness thought it was the biggest pile of garbage he was ever involved in. But besides the style, there was a very simple and direct message of the universal struggle of good vs evil, and it worked really well. Darth Vader was an ominous character, and the way the Empire could do away with whole planets with the Death Star was truly cruel and heartbreaking.
After that initial exposition in A New Hope, Empire really dug in and became a much more raw and dark exploration of where that darkness came from, and how it affected Luke and Leia so directly. It was like the coming of age of Star Wars, and most people consider it the best of the series, which is a real credit to George Lucas, but also perhaps more specially to Larry Kasdan (who I guess was responsible for most of the storyline?)
I can't talk about Return of the Jedi, as I never finished it, because I couldn't stomach the ewoks, but the prequels were really bad, in particular the first one, which lacked a lot of heart. The kid that portrayed Anakin was just not too sympathetic somehow, and the guy that played the older Anakin in the next sequels had the same problem as well, I could never connect with those movies. There was definitely a lack of balance between substance and style IMO. Everyone remembers Darth Maul, but there is really no depth to him, the same way there was no depth to many of the other characters. There was just too much stuff going on, and none of it was deep enough.
The Force Awakens was good at first sight, because it took on a familiar tone, characters, style, etc, so it was a comforting movie. They even played with that idea in the trailer, when Han told Chewbacca "It's good to be back home, Chewey!" or something like that.
But it was for the most part a formulaic rehash, so its appeal for me faded very quickly after it was over. I'm very tempted to watch Rogue One, but deep inside I have the feeling I will be disappointed once more.
BTW, I guess some remakes can be good, but I've never agreed with the many people who for example consider Aliens superior to the original Alien either. Remakes always have a huge handicap, because on the one hand they are expected to somehow replicate the feeling of the original, yet they obviously can't be a carbon copy of it, and any deviation from the original is quickly scrutinized and declared a mistake by most people, since they consider the original a standard. So yeah, Empire must really be credited for being one of the very few remakes which were actually superior to the original.
The one sequel I really liked was Terminator Rise of the Machines (the 1991 one), but then again, I didn't watch the original Terminator until after I saw T-1, and I guess that allowed me to watch it with fresh eyes.
EDIT: I forgot to mention a quote from Orson Welles which I think is very apropos, which goes something like "The biggest enemy of art is the absolute lack of limitations". That is a surprisingly deep thought, which I really think plays a big role in the Star Wars movies.
