Among all the bashing of Episode I, I'll offer my views.

Episode I as a stand alone movie isn't very good. But as part of the whole saga I think it does a good job at getting things going.

Most people wonder why Lucas started so early, way back when Anakin was a child. Maybe it was to show the innocence that Anakin had back then. That he had a good heart. I think starting so early gives a great view of the Sith's patience and their plan for control.

I am also not going to focus on Anakin's story here. Lucas has even stated that the saga is Anakin's story, but I'm going to look past Anakin to look at other events of Episode I.

Politics. The original trilogy didn't have politics in all three movies combined to the level that just Episode I has. The trilogy's focus was more toward the struggle against a galactic empire already in power. The politics in Ep. I are very important I think, because it is path the Sith use to gain the power to control the entire universe. Working through the political ranks, Palpatine positions himself in the current power over the universe, the galactic senate. This allows him or orchestrate situations and corrupt the right individuals to convince the senate that change is needed, and that he is the one to bring that change. It's easier to take control if it is given. A careful plan that took years to play out. While so many complain about the politics in Ep. I, I'd rather see a careful plan of the sith like this rather than a brief back story thrown at me real fast so we can get on with the fighting.

Naboo, a planet ruled by a young queen, with a volunteer security force as it's only real army, not only provided Palpatine with the perfect situation that he could control, but that strong sympathy vote he needed in the senate.

Darth Maul. I will admit it is sad how little this great character was used, especially if you consider all the marketing that went into him for the movie, but he too plays his role. By sending his apprentice to stop the Jedi from discovering too much, Palpatine again is able to control a situation without bringing too much attention to himself. I would have preferred not to see Maul destroyed until Ep. II, but the story unfolds quite fine by itself as it is.

The Jedi. These great guardians of peace pose a danger to Palpatine's plan for control. His order's ancient enemy must be eliminated. But, by gaining control of the senate he can indirectly control the movement of the Jedi, and this gives him the advantage. Take a young Jedi (Obi-Wan) and have him mentor a very young and idealistic padawan at this point in time, and that padawan will be just about right to fall into darkness come Episode III.

I think Episode I does a very good job of setting a base for the entire saga, but again, can't really stand on it's own if removed from the big picture. Sure we could do without the childish Jar Jar. We could have placed more focus in one are, and less in another. But as it is, it works.

Now on the flip side, Episode I could have easily started closer to where Episode II did, with possibly the end of Episode I closing in more closely to the start of the clone wars. But if it had been done this way, I would still like to have seen some of the delicate dance Palpatine did to take control of the senate played out, and not just delivered as fact in the opening crawl.

Thanks just my take, feel free to share yours.