Midiclorians never bothered me, probably cause there were other plot points that drove me more crazy:) But Midiclorians are a symbol for the PT: Lucas didn't trust the audience, so he dumbed it down. There are so many things in the PT that just cries for, "OK I am going to tell you exactly what is going on because you may not figure this out in the movie!" When Anakin fights Dooku in ROTS he says, "My powers have doubled since we last me Dooku!" compared to ROTJ when Vader sees that Luke has built his own lightsaber, "Indeed you are powerful as the Emperor senses!" What is the difference? The PT put a number on Anakins power just so the audience knows he is DOUBLE the strength he was in AOTC, compared to the OT where the audience could figure in the first 20 minutes when Lukes kicks everyones ass on the sailbarge that he is a powerful jedi. I could go on and on about the Cave Scene and how that doesn't explain anything and lets the viewer rationalize what just happens as Yoda says, "Remember your failure at the cave." In the PT, Yoda would have said WHY Luke failed but Lucas/Kershner/Kasdan trusted the audience in 1980. Midiclorians are just more of the same, putting a number on a plot point just so the audience gets that Anakin is one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy.