TVSquad

Mainly because I watch Pushing Daisies at 8, but also because I can't find much else to watch at 9, I've tuned into the first two episodes of Private Practice's second season. During last year's aborted first season, I tuned in and out, curious to see how the Grey's Anatomy spin-off was progressing. What I found was a) a show that was too busy making its thirty- and forty-something doctors act as immaturely as the twenty-something residents at Seattle Grace and b) that Kate Walsh's character of Addison Montgomery went from strong and funny to whimpering and lovelorn.

The second development was especially disheartening, since Addison had become my favorite Grey's character by far, mainly because through sheer force of her acting ability, Walsh was able to turn Addison from a one-dimensional enemy of the Meredith-Derek relationship to the surgeon we rooted for the hardest.

But in the first two episodes, most of what I liked about Addison has returned. And what isn't there is on the way to coming back.

Last fall, Gilmore Girls' David Sutcliffe appeared in two episodes of ABC's Private Practice, the Grey's Anatomy spin-off. His guest starring stint as a potential love interest for lead character Addison (played by Kate Walsh) was set to last a few episodes but was cut short due to the writers strike.

Since the last episode of PP's short season aired, it was unknown if the actor would return as Officer Kevin Nelson, a cop that caught Addison's interest. The actor's schedule could have changed, the writers could have decided to bench his character, who knows?

Sutcliffe fans, fear not! In the latest edition of the "Ausiello Report Vodcast Scoop," Michael Ausiello interviewed Sutcliffe (the interview starts at the 1:17 mark in the video below) and was able to get confirmation that the actor will return to Private Practice.

(S01E09) "He's fighting for her." - Dell about Sam

What could be the last Private Practice episode in a long while (this was the last episode completed before the writers' strike) finally gave Dell a good amount of screen time. However, it felt like it was too little too late.

(S01E07) "We are following the plan. Everything is right on schedule." - Pete

Three babies and three couples. This week's Private Practice episode was all about screaming women and babypalooza, flirting doctors, and making adjustments since the plan couldn't be followed to the letter. It may not have looked like a November Sweeps episode but at least the episode pushed the romantic storylines a bit further.

(S07E14) This was the one. This was the episode that pulled together all the pieces that resulted when Team Palladino smashed everything to bits at the end of season six, when Lorelai dumped an aloof Luke and fell into bed with Christopher. It's taken way, way too long to get to this point, but what I found very interesting about this episode is, despite the fact that I wasn't emotionally involved in the Lor-Chris-Luke triangle at all this year, this resolution to one of the sides of the triangle sucked me in and got me involved again.

I think the dog funeral helped that out a little.

(S07E13) So this is what it takes to get a good episode this season? Richard Gilmore has to have open-heart surgery? Well, I guess if this is what they have to do, I can accept that. Maybe next week, they'll give Paul Anka worms.

Seriously, though, the reason why this episode worked is because all we saw was the Family Gilmore, together for most of the episode. Not sixty seconds of a Friday night dinner. Not Lorelai and Rory chatting on the phone. Nope, they were all together for an extended period, interacting in the ways that once made the show so great.

Did this episode have flaws? Tons. But it was the best of the season so far.

(S07E02) Holy out-of-character, Batman! This is what fans were afraid was going to happen during the new Rosenthal regime: a slowish episode where people do and say things that no one has ever seen or heard them do, punctuated by forced "classic Gilmore" dialogue that neither flowed right nor made much sense in the context of the episode.

I've got to say, I was immensely let down here, in more ways than one. How many ways, exactly? Well, right now I can count five:

1. Predictability - As soon as the cold open started and we saw Luke driving in his truck with a map in his hand, we knew exactly what was going to happen.