Private Practice Renewed for the a Full Season

Ironically this is also one of the first shows I’ve dropped from my viewing schedule.  I really, really wanted to like this show.  Despite cherrypicking the best character from Grey’s and adding some of the best character actors on television this show is just terrible.  So I didn’t like last season’s pilot or this season’s premiere for that matter.  But still I wanted to give this show the benefit of the doubt.  Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, even Addison deserve the benefit of the doubt.

I’m sorry though.  Three episodes (plus last year’s pilot) and a preview of the fourth were more than enough to tell me that this show isn’t happening.  I’m truly embarrassed for these talented actors with their underdeveloped, childish characters, forced to spew bad dialogue that makes Gossip Girl seem like Shakespeare and stuck dealing with boring storylines (can anyone say “blue children”).

Although I am dropping this show I do need to put in a caveat that I am willing to revisit at a later date if my fellow TV Lovers tell me to give it a try.  I had dropped Grey’s Anatomy after the first couple of episodes and midway through the second season my wife convinced me to give it another try and I found a completely different and strangely enjoyable show.  I hope the same happens with Private Practice but for now, it’s off the list.

Private Practice – Season 1, Episode 1 – In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl From Somewhere Else

Like pretty much everyone else who watched the pilot of this show last season in Grey’s Anatomy, I thought it sucked. (Check out my review if you don’t believe me.) They took the best character on Grey’s Anatomy and turned her into Meredith, one of the worst characters on TV. Taking the summer to retool, we are presented with the newly reworked real pilot episode and I’m unconvinced and even a little bored.

Unfortunately there are many things I dislike about this show. I need to be clear – It isn’t the cast who individually are great actors. Unfortunately, they just don’t seem to gel as an ensemble. The back and forth banter which is supposed to imply a relationship between the characters seems a little too scripted and not very natural. The relationship between Taye Diggs and Naomi (good recasting by the way) lacks chemistry. Although they haven’t changed Addison as drastically as they did in the previous pilot, she definitely isn’t the calm, cool professional she was on Grey’s.  That Addison, the “world class neonatal surgeon” would never have taken a job at a clinic like this with its group of disfunctional adults (and I use that word loosely) or be dancing naked in her window.

Beyond the character issues, the stories aren’t working either.  It’s way too early in the season for me to feel burned out on medical drama situations but I’m already feeling the “been there, done that” with the stories.  Was anyone surprised that the girlfriend would want the sperm after the boyfriend had died?  Not me.  Did anyone think the 17 year old girl who came to the clinic would have a smooth pregnancy?  Nope, not me either.

On the plus side, there was no Grey’s voice over but on the downside, same old Grey’s music.  I don’t think I’m done with the show yet.  Given the amazing cast I’m going to give it a few weeks but at this point I’m not feeling hopeful.

Avi’s Episode Rating: C-