Is there any legitimate defense of this show?

>There's only 4 likable characters (a few townies are okay)
[Pic related]

>The plot is completely retarded
Nothing actually happens in this show, literally nothing changes, the planet gets invaded by homeworld gems and nothing happens except for the gems getting some new sidekicks.
Is the world affected by this? No. Is there any damage done to the world? No. Do any of the characters care? No. Did someone get hurt? Not really.

>The character arcs are absolutely retarded
Pearl's entire transition over the story was to have more focus placed on her ridiculous obsession with Rose that added nothing to the show, then got over it but not really.
Amethyst became less of the fun (female)bro character and just turned into a cunt who torments someone who was supposed to be her friend, and becomes a drain on the team over some emotional conflict that the show never even suggested she had before.
Garnet does fuckign nothing, even when her future vision should have given the ability to, such as stopping Greg from getting kidnapped, but Ruby and Saphire have the absolute most annoying episodes because they are nothing but a nuisance when she un-fuses.
Peridot and Lapis compared to the powerful threats they were introduced as ended up have completely asspull 'redemption arcs' but at least they actually have likable personalities.

>Completely fails at creating even a slightly tense situation
Maybe in early season 1 the show did a better job with this, in episodes like cat fingers, but in any attempts made recently it shits the bed everytime, a good example of this is the recent Lars "death" scene, where the impact seems minuscule, he doesn't look even mildly hurt, he wasn't a character I think anyone even cared about prior to this event, and his demise doesn't even seem to last long enough to even have an impact, even the first time seeing it, the manner in which he was revived seems incredibly contrived.