For one of the best-loved film franchises in human history, Star Wars sure does attract a lot of hate for a lot of different things. Most points of criticism hurled at Star Wars are controversial and will usually attract defenders of the films, but when it comes to comedy, the franchise seems to inspire derision from all sides.
Basically, every Star Wars project exists within the same sci-fi fantasy action genre, but almost every film or show takes time out between laser battles to set up a few comic relief bits. Alternatively, the films often shoehorn in comic relief characters who routinely wind up despised.
Every Star Wars fan has heard enough about Jar Jar Binks, routine punching bag, and consistent most hated character in the franchise. The character is introduced in The Phantom Menace, and his role in the film is clear, he is the comic relief. Almost every line of dialogue he is given is a gag, he's constantly getting hurt for cheap slapstick, and the only time he does anything useful, it's by accident. His role is cut dramatically in the following films after fan backlash. The level of hate he gets is pretty obviously overblown, but his fate as supposed worst character ever is not unexpected.
Audiences can derive tons of enjoyment from bad action, bad horror, or bad romance in films, but bad comedy is inevitably insufferable. A character that strolls onscreen and proceeds to deliver nothing but duds, despite clearly being intended to be hilarious is just asking for hate. Jar Jar's comedy stylings fail because they are immature, predictable, and overstaying their welcome immediately. Fans don't want meaningless slapstick comedy taking up precious screentime that could be filled with exploring this beloved universe. Jar Jar Binks is the monument to the franchise's mistakes in this genre, but he is far from the only example.
The Last Jedi received criticism from a variety of sources, some of which was in good faith, some of which was toxic garbage. Perhaps the most divisive scene was Finn and Rose's detour to Canto Bight. The scene has its defenders, but some elements are rarely mentioned. Whatever can be said about the scene's set design, visual artistry, or social commentary, much of it is given over to uninspired slapstick which completely falls flat. This scene falls back on the same weak humor as the Prequels, resulting in a dead spot in an otherwise exciting film.
Even the original trilogy was not immune to the curse of comedy, the most heavily criticized sequence in the original trilogy is unquestionably the battle on the forest moon of Endor. This scene from Return of the Jedi has its ups and downs but is divisive for its approach to a final battle scene. In between Luke's do-or-die struggle with his destiny and his own father, teddy bear-like creatures drop rocks onto stormtroopers' heads This juxtaposition mostly serves to damage the tone. Both scenes would likely be better without the other, comic relief in this franchise mostly just gets in the way.
In all three trilogies of the Star Wars franchise, the most divisive single element has been a genuine attempt at comedy. The problems are almost always the same, the jokes are generic repetitive slapstick, it fails to add anything to the film and it distracts from the elements fans are there to see. These elements are imminently solvable, in fact, other action franchises handle it much better. Marvel movies, for example, routinely leave audiences in stitches with clever dialogue, even in the midst of action scenes. What do they get right and does Star Wars ever really get a laugh?
The secret to working comedy into action is all about intrusiveness. Marvel characters can be snarky, irreverent, and hilarious in their real personality, while Star Wars characters are routinely restricted. Marvel stays funny because characters like Tony Stark are written to be funny people, so when he takes time out to be hilarious, it completely works. This sets a tone for the rest of the film that broadcasts to audiences that laughter and excitement should go hand in hand. Marvel weaves comedy and action together to form a holistic experience, Star Wars sections its serious and comedic elements, sometimes literally on different planets.
One great example of Star Wars absolutely nailing a joke actually comes out of Attack of the Clones, perhaps the worst film in the franchise. Early in the film, Obi-Wan Kenobi is approached by a shady character in a darkened bar. The unnamed fellow offers Kenobi a seemingly illicit product called "death sticks." The Jedi master does not respond, instead, he taps into his psychic skills to refuse politely. Kenobi mind tricks the gentleman into refusing to sell the illicit goods, then pushes a little further to encourage him to return home and rethink his life. This joke works for a number of reasons which the franchise could learn from.
The "death sticks" scene features a beloved character doing something funny, but totally within his personality, in a serious situation. By writing Kenobi in a new light, a new dimension of the character is revealed, to comedic effect. The franchise needs to learn that serious characters can still do funny things. Han Solo has a couple of snarky lines, Chewbacca occasionally provokes a fun reaction, even Anakin tries a sarcastic bit or two from time to time. The franchise will use this tool to great effect at times, but it has trouble blending its elements.
Ultimately, Star Wars struggles to create funny bits and to insert them elegantly. The franchise should break its old slapstick habits and lean into clever comedy, or else continue to illicit groans instead of laughs.