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Private Practice Rundown: Episode 11, "Contamination"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:31:06 -0800

Private Practice is back and is ripped from the headlines! You've almost certainly noticed the heated debate taking place over the correlation between the immunization of children and autism (both sides have celebrity voices attached to their cause). It's highly controversial, super emotional, and extremely personal to moms especially, which means it was probably just begging for another preachy prime time drama to wade into the fray.

Anyway, despite some clunky, public service-y lines related to the autism (Sam: "CDC is clear, vaccination saves lives. End of story."), this episode on the whole is pretty absorbing and entertaining especially because everyone appears to be friends again. Or, in the case of Violet and Pete, super duper close sexy-time friends. Ready to chat about it? Just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 10, "Worlds Apart"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:30:40 -0800

Once again, Private Practice delivers the goods in this week's episode, thanks to lots of exciting plot twists that had more to do with my favorite doctors than their patients. I tuned in dying to find out how far Violet and Pete take their makeout session (turns out — pretty far!) and if Meg would find out. There's also the hot new doc downstairs whom Addison hates because he's ambitious and cocky and reckless with medicine and calls her "Monty!" It's practically written in the stars they'll have hate sex soon. But what about SWAT guy? Well, that gets complicated, so let's get to chatting about it. Just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode Nine, "Know When to Fold"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:30:46 -0800

Grey's Anatomy may be imploding before our eyes, what with ghost sex and rumors of original cast members quitting, but something's kicked into gear over on that other show Shonda Rhimes created. This week's episode is a pleasant surprise — and is exactly the kind of show I've known Private Practice could be: funny, moving, thoroughly entertaining, sexy. And most of all, it left me wanting more. Yay! In fact, there's so much good stuff going on here that I can hardly figure out where to start, so let's get to chatting —

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 8, "Crime and Punishment"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:30:34 -0800

For the first time in a long time, this week's Private Practice did not kick off with some kind of steamy sex scene and instead opted for murder. It was sobering and an appropriate start to an episode that is very much concerned with when life begins and when it ends. After last week's relatively upbeat episode, this week felt dark and made me sad. Ready to chat about it? Just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode Seven, "Tempting Faith"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 13:00:25 -0800

Wow! This week's Private Practice has many a heart-pounding moment, including an actual punch-out in the Oceanside Wellness lobby and a gun-wielding SWAT guy protecting Addison. I feel satisfied with how a lot of the different plot lines turned out in this episode, as I think many of these threads were due to either end or hit some kind of dramatic climax. And yay for the addition of Addison's brother Archer! I have to admit the prospect of yet another character seemed daunting, but after talking to Grant Show about this guy, I was intrigued, and now I think he'll be a great addition to the show. Ready to talk about it? Just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode Six, "Serving Two Masters"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:30:56 -0800

On this week's Private Practice, Addison dives in headfirst to her trust issues stemming from her marriage with Derek. Just as the good doctor is settling into a fun and easygoing relationship with her cute SWAT guy, he goes and says something that brings everything to an awkward halt. And while Naomi thinks Addison's hang-ups are clear as day to anyone with eyes, it takes a sweet elderly couple to reveal to her and Sam how to move on from the shambles of their marriage. There's all kinds of psychodrama going around once again, so let's not waste time — just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode Five, "Let It Go"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:30:48 -0800

If last week's Private Practice was all about getting elected, this week's is about what happens to all the lofty campaign promises once the election is over. All of our doctors have lofty dreams or plans for the future (and chips on their shoulders about the past), and this episode sees everyone realizing that sometimes, you've just got to . . . let it go. To chat about it, just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode Four, "Past Tense"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:30:41 -0700

Well, now Naomi and Sam have really made Addison mad, and she's had it up to here with all the dysfunction at the office. She is still jogging alone and gets all pumped up on this week's Private Practice to do something about how icky going to work feels. She's successful in persuading the rest of the office to confront those two, because they too are sick of the bitter divisions within Oceanside Wellness. Well, Naomi and Sam aren't into setting their differences aside and instead decide it's best to campaign for the votes of the staff to decide who will be in charge. Thus begins a nifty election-themed episode full of timely metaphors! To see my thoughts,

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 3, "Nothing to Talk About"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:34:31 -0700

As the title suggests, this week's episode of Private Practice was sort of all about how no one is really talking to anyone else at Oceanside Wellness these days, even as their economic woes continue to get worse. But the thing is, I feel like everyone did a lot of talking (as usual), just not to the people they want to be talking to. Addison would love to talk to Naomi, but Naomi's still mad; Naomi needs Violet to be her new BFF and listen to her talk about Sam, but Violet feels like that ship has sailed; and Pete and Addison have never really talked as friends but now, because there really aren't many options left, they're feeling it out. To see the rest of my thoughts,

Private Practice Rundown: Episode Two, "Equal and Opposite"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:30:33 -0700

Well, it looks like things at Oceanside Wellness will probably get worse before they get better. On this week's Private Practice, Sam and Addison solemnly try to get things back on track financially while encouraging the others to drum up new business. It's an unnatural state for this group to be in because no one likes the way Sam rules, and "drumming up new business" when you are in the business of helping people be healthy seems wrong. Staying in business while sticking to your ideals was the basic dilemma each character struggles with, and it's at times powerful stuff. I'm not gonna lie: I got teary several times last night. So let's talk about it — just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode One, "A Family Thing"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:30:44 -0700

At this Summer's TCA press tour, a lot of shows talked about "hitting the reset button" after the writers' strike — but maybe none more than Private Practice. The Grey's Anatomy spinoff had a rough go in season one, and the producers wanted to refocus it to be more about medicine and moral dilemmas. Wednesday's premiere was a step in that direction, though I didn't think the actual "reset" came till the closing minutes. To hear my thoughts, just

88 Minutes: Actually 105 Minutes, And Feels Longer

BuzzSugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:30:25 -0700

I fear for the future of Al Pacino's career. If 88 Minutes is any indication — and I think it might be — he should stop. Now. Or stick to cameos because his near-constant presence in 88 Minutes is an exercise in frustration. And sure, much of the movie is frustrating. It's not all his fault, not by a long shot. I'm just so baffled by how an actor so revered could have one facial expression to offer. I fear he'll fall into the same category as Diane Keaton — every performance one-note, and that note makes us cringe. It makes me wonder if there's really much there at all. And that sucks.

The movie follows the successful Seattle forensic psychiatrist and professor Jack Gramm (Pacino, with an extra six inches of puffy hair adding to his height) whose testimony in the trial of serial killer Jon Forster (Neal McDonough) helped send Forster to death row. However, now that the killer's execution date has arrived, there have been murders occurring in the city that mirror Forster's, casting doubt on his guilt and causing his lawyers to call for a stay of execution. Meanwhile, Gramm receives a phone call telling him he has 88 minutes to live. This is where the story actually picks up a little, so

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 9, "In Which Dell Finds His Fight"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 13:34:26 -0800

This week's Private Practice was the last new one ABC has scheduled at this point; one more episode has been filmed, but on account of the writers' strike, there's no knowing when we'll see it. So I figured this would be a good time to take stock of the show. Are you enjoying it? Have you started to like it more — or less — since the start of the season? And when the strike ends, will you come back to watching it?

This week's episode wasn't my favorite, and it reminded me of the persistent problem I'm having with Private Practice: With the exception of Cooper and occasionally Addison, I'm still having a hard time caring about these characters. It wasn't a terrible way to end the series for a while, though, so to talk about it, just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 8, "In Which Cooper Finds a Port in his Storm"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:59:38 -0800

I was pretty excited to see Cooper's name in the title of this episode of Private Practice. He's easily my favorite character, and from the comments on last week's episode, it seems like some of you agree. But the, er, "port" Cooper found in his storm wasn't quite what I was expecting. Meanwhile, Addison's baby fever kicked in again, and Naomi and Sam became convinced they were being punished for their sins. To read my take on the episode and add your thoughts, just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 7, "In Which Sam Gets Taken for a Ride"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:15:38 -0800

Like watching women give birth? Then you'll love this episode of Private Practice! It was baby boom time around the Oceanside Wellness Group this week, as three sets of doctors got to deliver three babies with three different guest-starring patients, including Sara Gilbert as a pregnant woman who held up a convenience store. There was a lot of contraction-groaning and baby-wailing, in the midst of which came a proposal by Violet to have casual sex with Cooper, so to talk about all the drama, just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 6, "In Which Charlotte Goes Down the Rabbit Hole"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 13:29:17 -0700

If I had to choose a theme for this episode of Private Practice, it would be "hidden pain." Whether through their patients or their personal stories, each character had to face some sort of uncomfortable, repressed secret. To read my take, just

Private Practice Rundown: Episode 4, "In Which Addison Has a Very Casual Get-Together"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:31:10 -0700

Hi, character development! Welcome to Private Practice. I hope you're settling in for a long stay at Oceanside Wellness, because when you're around, this show is so much better. Downright enjoyable, even! I'm finally starting to feel like this thing is going somewhere. To read my thoughts and add your own, just

"Private Practice" Rundown: Episode 3, "In Which Addison Finds the Magic"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:29:52 -0700

This week's episode of "Private Practice" presented me with a whole new problem: overwhelming boredom. I've found previous episodes to be eye-rollingly bad or, in the case of last week's, actually kind of OK. But this one really had me struggling to keep my eyes open. The ratings have been good, so people are definitely still watching — but I really hope the show picks up soon. For more of my thoughts, just

"Private Practice": Episode 1, "In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl from Somewhere Else"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 09:30:28 -0700

"This is not my Addison." — Chief Richard Webber

Wasn't that quote, from the very first scene of "Private Practice," a funny way to start the series? It set us up for what we were about to see: an Addison different from the one we saw on "Grey's Anatomy," for better or worse.

Maybe it was a case of having low expectations going in, but I didn't think the first proper episode of "Private Practice" was awful. And yet, it was still a long way from being must-see TV. I didn't think it was bad, per se — just utterly ordinary, without a whole lot to bring me back. To hear my thoughts on it and share your own, just

TV Tonight: "Private Practice"

BuzzSugar — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:30:00 -0700

There are a few high-profile premieres tonight — NBC's sci-fi update "Bionic Woman" and ABC's glitzy "Dirty Sexy Money" among them — but I doubt any of them will get more scrutiny than "Private Practice." I mean, we've been talking about this show since February, we watched (or, some would say, suffered through) the backdoor pilot, and we've gotten an almost endless stream of promotion for the show and its star, Kate Walsh.

Now it's time to see if all the hype translates into a good show. I haven't seen the full first episode, but most of the reviews I've read say it's still not very good (though a few have said it could redeem itself). My biggest fear is that Addison will turn into a dumbed-down ditz, which seems entirely possible from the previews I've seen so far. (Dancing naked? And then babbling about how hot you look naked? Really, is this the same tough Addy who tormented Izzie and Meredith for the better part of two years?)

Still, I'll be tuning in tonight, even as I brace myself for a letdown. Are you game for giving this spinoff a try? To watch a preview, just

"Private Practice": Photos, Promos ... and Promise?

BuzzSugar — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Oh, you guys, I'm such a sap. I've been secretly preparing all summer to hate "Private Practice" and call it a huge disappointment and a disgrace to the big-name actors and actresses in the cast ... and then I watched four promos in a row, and I kind of got chills. Sigh.

The thing is, I really love Addison. I want to be best friends with Addison. And watching these promos — which are heavy on Kate Walsh's "Grey's" scenes and light on actual "Private Practice" content — reminds me of how cool and determined and strong and kick-ass she can be. If "Private Practice" screws up my Addy, I'm outta there; otherwise, I might love it. (The sneak preview episode was iffy on that count.)

ABC also has released new promotional photos for the cast — including new best friend Audra McDonald — so to check them out and watch the promos,

"Private Practice": First Thoughts

BuzzSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 12:17:28 -0700

As I said earlier, I really wish the LA portion of this week's "Grey's Anatomy could have gotten its own hour, rather than being intercut with the regular episode. It was tough to get a good sense of what kind of show "Private Practice" could be from that jumpy, scattered two-hour episode. Frankly, I wish they'd skipped the medical cases in LA altogether; we didn’t even care about the doctors yet, much less the patients.

Still, I imagine that if I could pull all the "Private Practice" bits out and watch it as a stand-alone episode, I'd think it was a decent pilot. It wasn't anywhere near as good as the "Grey's" pilot was back in 2005, but the "Grey's" pilot was one of the best I've ever seen. Pilots always have problems, especially in ensemble shows where the writers have to set up a lot of background. But I thought the "Private Practice" elements had promise, even if the show's not quite there yet.

Maybe the most reassuring thing for me was seeing Addison carry a show successfully, so