TVSquad

(S01E03) "I don't fit here." - Addison

In my last Private Practice review, I mentioned that I didn't like Naomi much, mostly because she is always angry and rarely smiles. A little over 40% of the TV Squad readers who participated in our Naomi poll agreed that the character needed to lighten up while about 31% doesn't care for her at all. That's over 70% not liking her! I hoped that in time, I would start to at least tolerate her. But this week's episode didn't help me achieve that goal. She is just not an enjoyable character and I really don't relate to her. I'm starting to wonder if changing the actress to play Naomi was a mistake. This whole Naomi situation worries... especially when I add it to the other flaws the show has.

This week's cases weren't that bad: we got our slightly touching case (the blue girl), the somewhat wacky case (the 35-year-old woman not able to make love), and the case used to have one of the lead characters move on or make changes in his/her life (Doug and Kathleen). Put the switched-babies storyline from last week aside, I'm not thrilled about the cases Private Practice has been throwing at us. I want compelling storylines, I want to care for the patients, and I want drama and joy. Am I asking too much? There has been sitcoms set in private practices before (not a lot succeeded) but I'm starting to think that there is a reason why one-hour dramas set most of their cases inside hospitals: more drama, bigger cases, etc. Will the clinic setting restrict Private too much?

Cases aside, this week's episode offered us a bit more to chew on for characters like Violet. I'm still unsure about this character. Are the writers highlighting her flaws and having us think she isn't that great of a therapist on purpose? I get that nobody's perfect but do they have to make Amy Brenneman's character be that helpless and hopeless? I don't understand why, after 36 months of therapy with Doug, Violet never suggested couple's therapy nor wanted to hear the wife's side of the story. Okay, I'm not a therapist but still, shouldn't Violet have suggested that before advocating for divorce and pushing it really hard on Doug? At least, Violet eventually accepted that Doug made his own decision even if it was the easy way out. Plus, this event finally had her start to distance herself from her ex. I wonder if that will pave the way to her and Cooper.

"In Which Addison Finds the Magic" also gave Pete a bit more depth. We learned more about his relationship with is now-deceased wife, Anna Wilder, and the fact that he never had a good night with her. It explains some of his behavior and it got Addison to stop stereotyping him, which may lead to them getting cozier since that's clearly what the show wants to see happen. Sadly, Kate Walsh and Tim Daly seem to have lost some of the chemistry they shared when she guest starred on Eyes as his ex-wife! Wow, did they have chemistry there! The actors must find the magic they had on Eyes again if they want us to believe in Addison and Pete.

Did anyone care about that chocolate cake thing? Maybe I found it useless because I don't like Naomi, but that storyline didn't do it for me. Was Dell trying to make Naomi feel better so the clinic would stop suffering from her bad mood? Or was he trying to please her to get closer to her? If you recall, in the pilot (not the premiere), Naomi had a crush on Dell. This has not really been mentioned this season so far. Are they going down that road again? I could have seen Merrin Dungey as Naomi get it on with Dell, but Audra McDonald? Not so much. I'm slightly scared that witnessing Dell and Naomi together will have the same effect on my retinas that seeing Angel's Cordelia and Connor together in bed had. Not a pretty sight.

There was a bright side to the story this week: Cooper. I love that character. He is charming, lovable, friendly, and has a good number of flaws and habits that help make him more real! If Private ever gets canceled, Grey's Anatomy needs to not only bring Addison back to Seattle Grace but have Cooper follow.

What do you think of Private Practice? Am I too harsh on the show? I have not given up on the show yet but let's say that I feel like Addison felt at the beginning of this week's episode: I don't fit here, at least, not yet. I want to like Private Practice and wish that I'll get to love the rain, as Addison did in the end.