Why is poker so appealing to many?

i love blackjack. however, i have tried to get into poker, seeing so many people like it and it has its own popular tv series. i don't dislike it, but i just can't see why it's so much more popular than blackjack. it's said that poker is a game of skill, but when i've played it, it seems it's the luck of the draw of the cards. also, there so are many different combinations to beat, and how could everyone memorize them, let alone which combinations can beat each other. i mean i know basic combos such as full house or royal flush, but how to memorize if, say, one player gets 3 fives, and the other gets four two's. who wins? how do players figure this out. i just want to try to understand why it's so poplular and how it can be profitable to many. thanks