Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

May 3, 2013 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

“Private Practice” was an a good season and as a longtime viewer, this series has really played out like an emotional roller coaster, with episodes that were exciting, shocking, emotional and some even frustrating. But everything has come full circle with this sixth and final season. If you are a fan of “Private Practice” and have watched every season thus far, Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season” is recommended!

DVD TITLE: Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season

YEAR AIRED: 2012-2013

DURATION: 13 Episodes (559 Minutes)

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Spanish and French Subtitles, Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions

COMPANY: abc studios

RATED: TV 14 DSLV

RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2013

Created by Shonda Rhimes

Directed by Mark Tinker, Michael Zinberg, James Frawley and Tom Verica

Written by Shonda Rhimes, Jon Cowan, Robert L. Rovner, Ayanna Floyd, Michael Ostrowski, Lauren Scmidt, Craig Turk, Steve Blackman

Executive Producer: Shonda Rhimes, Mark Tinker, Betsy Beers

Producer: Lauren Schmidt

Co-Producer: Scott Printz

Music by Chad Fischer

Cinematography by Lex DuPont

Editing by Christal Khatib, Noah Pontell

Casting by John Brace, Linda Lowy

Series Production Design by Richard C. Hankins

Starring:

Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery

KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King

Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman

Amy Brennerman as Dr. Violet Turner

Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett

Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett

David Sutcliffe as Officer Kevin Nelson

Brian Benben as Dr. Sheldon Wallace

Benjamin Bratt as Dr. Jake Reilly

Caterina Scorsone as Dr. Amelia Shepherd

Matt Long as Dr. James Peterson

Griffin Gluck as Mason Warner

Justina Machado as Stephanie Kemp

Prepare yourself for the stunning no holds barred final season of television’s most seductive medical drama from the creator of Grey’s Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes. Feel the passion and relive the heartbreaking moments from every episode of ABC’s Private Practice: The Complete Sixth Season. The tight knit family at Seaside Health and Wellness is in for a huge shakeup as a new doctor arrives in the wake of a devastating loss; meanwhile, Addison makes a heart-wrenching choice between Jake and Sam; and more changes are in store for Cooper and Charlotte who discover that life’s biggest events come in threes. Lastly, Sheldon finds true happiness in the midst of a traumatic personal challenge. Experience all 13 episodes complete with never-before-seen bonus features on ABC’s Private Practice: The Complete Sixth Season!

For fans of “Private Practice”, The sixth and final season of “Private Practice” features a story about tragedy, dealing with tragedy, a new chapter in the lives of those at Oceanside Wellness Center. The season also provides closure for fans who wonder how these characters will fare in the final season!

What is “Private Practice”?

In 2007, Shonda Rhimes (creator/executive producer of “Grey’s Anatomy” and writer of “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement”) developed a spin-off of “Grey’s Anatomy” titled “Private Practice” based on the life of Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh). For the most part, “Private Practice” Season One lasted about nine episodes and received a so/so reception from fans.

For the second season, viewers were promised a much more exciting season and sure enough, Shondra Rhimes and crew were able to take the series to different heights this time around.

The premise of the series is that Dr. Addison Montgomery has left Seattle Grace Hospital and moved to California to work for a private practice, Oceanside Wellness Center. In the first season, Dr. Addison Montgomery had to win the respect of her fellow doctors and relationships were examined in the first season.

In the second season, Oceanside Wellness Center is not exactly in the best circumstances as the center faces major financial problems, a new rival practice trying to steal their clients, more relationship problems and drama, cross-over episodes with “Grey’s Anatomy” and to cap things off, a dark and twisted season finale that viewers were probably not expecting.

For the third season, “Private Practice” was all about personal challenges and taking things up a notch. For Addison, we know that her promiscuity comes from her father and she knows she has to deal with it. This season, she finds herself in more complication situations and also having to decide where she stands with Pete and Sam.

Naomi is also put into an interesting situation as her move to another center tests her friendship with Addison but also her business/personal relationships with the men she works with. But most of all, she’s tested as a mother, with a teenager who is growing up.

Violet and Pete must take on many challenges after Violet has suffered a major attack and now, not sure where she is in her life after the attack and having to give up her baby and making Pete a single father. Cooper and Charlotte’s relationship is tested and as volatile as a couple, they are also in love but have a difficult time showing it.

Last season, Dr. Addison Montgomery and Dr. Sam Bennet kept their relationship secret, meanwhile Dr. Peter Wilder and Dr. Violet Turner grew closer in their relationship, as with Dr. Cooper Freedman and Dr. Charlotte King. Also, the season featured Dr. Amelia Shepherd moving in with Dr. Addison Montgomery and the season ended with tragedy as Dell and Myra were in car accident and while Myra and her baby survived, Dell died from his injuries.

For “Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season”, the doctors recover from the death of Dell, meanwhile they must decide what to do with his daughter. Meanwhile, couples get married, a couple breaks up and as their is one joyous occasion, there is also heartbreak as one of the doctors is raped and beaten savagely, one of the doctor’s may lose her license and one suffers a heart attack.

And here we are now with “Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” as Addison and Sam continue their sexual relationship but things start to change when Addison wants to have a child. Meanwhile, Pete dealing with PTSD after his heart attack, must deal with his spiteful emotions towards his wife Violet, as he can’t stop himself from yelling at her.

Meanwhile, as Cooper and Charlotte try to adjust to their married life, Cooper is visited by a woman he had a one night stand with and finds out that she gave birth to a child. And now this eight-year-old child Mason may not have a mother, because her cancer has spread.

Meanwhile, Amelia is drinking and doing drugs once again, Sheldon is still Sheldon but now we have a new doctor at the practice as Dr. Jake Reilly joins the practice and it appears that perhaps he and Addison still have some unfinished business.

And with the finale of season 5, Pete is locked up for trying to help a doctor/patient assisted suicide and Amelia crashed down so hard with her addiction that she needed to get the help necessary. Meanwhile, we were left wondering which man will Addison pick… Sam or Jake?

With the sixth and final season, the series begins four months later with Pete missing his court date. Did he jet off to another country to avoid being imprisoned? Meanwhile, Cooper and Charlotte receive news that they are having triplets, but Charlotte is not so thrilled about it.

Meanwhile, as Violet tries to wonder where Pete had gone, Addison is shown to have chosen Jake, Sam tries to deal with rejection and wondering if he can ever be friends with her. Amelia has become sober, but is also being pursued by the new doctor James Peterson. And Sheldon’s health takes a turn for the worse.

What will happen to these individuals by season finale? Find out by watching “Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season”.

“Private Practice” focuses on the following main characters:

Dr. Sam Bennett (Taye Diggs. “Day Break”, “Kevin Hill”, “Grey’s Anatomy”) - Known to the other doctors as “Doctor Feelgood”, Sam is a founding partner of Oceanside Wellness Center and is an internist. Was dating Dr. Addison Montgomery but after their breakup, their friendship is not the same. Currently dating Stephanie Kemp.

Dr. Violet Turner (Amy Brenneman, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Judging Amy”, “Frasier”) – A psychiatrist at Oceanside Wellness Center. Married to Dr. Pete Wilder and in the process of divorce with Dr. Pete Wilder.

Dr. Cooper Freedman (Paul Adelstein, “Prison Break”, “Hack”) - The pediatrician at Oceanside Wellness Center and is the private practice’s pediatrician. Married to Dr. Charlotte King and trying to prepare in becoming a father of several children. He tries to balance his personal time with both Violet (as a friend) and Dr. Charlotte King.

Dr. Charlotte King (KaDee Strickland, “The Grudge”, “The Wedding Bells”, “American Gangster”) - The Chief of Staff at St. Ambrose Hospital in Santa Monica. She helps open Pacific Wellcare, a competition to Oceanside Wellness Center. She is also married to Dr. Cooper Freedman and is known for being a cold-person. In Season 6, Charlotte finds out she will be pregnant with triplets and is not taking it so well.

Dr. Sheldon Wallace (Brian Benben, “The Brian Benben Show”, Dream On”) – A psychiatrist who is often busy dealing with his patients but finds out that he has cancer.

Dr. Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone, “1-800-Missing”) – Sister of Dr. Derek Shepherd (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and a surgeon. Also, a recovering drug addict who is being pursued by the new doctor, James Peterson.

Dr. Jake Reilly (Benjamin Bratt, “Law & Order”, “Miss Congeniality”, “Catwoman”) – A general surgeon and OB/GYN who specializes in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He and Addison are currently dating.

Dr. James Peterson (Matt Long, “Ghost Rider”, “Reflections”, “Homecoming”) – A new physician at Ocean Wellness Center who wants a relationship with Dr. Amelia Shepherd.

“Private Practice – The Complete Sixth Season” features 13 episodes on three DVD discs. Here are spoilerless summaries for each episode:

DISC: 1

EPISODE 99 – Aftershock – Four months have past and Pete has skipped out on bail and is missing, Addison chooses Jake over Sam and their friendship, Charlotte finds out that she is pregnant with triplets and Amelia has been sober for a year. But not all is good when one of their own is found dead.
EPISODE 100 – Mourning Sickness - Charlotte tries to continue with what Pete had wanted in his will, meanwhile Addison receives a call in regards to Mark Sloan.
EPISODE 101 – Good Grief – Addison grieves over Mark’s death but does not know how to tell Jake about her past. Amelia tries to help Violet who is having to take grief counseling.
EPISODE 102 – You Don’t Know What You’ve Got Till It’s Gone – Dr. James Peterson is hired to replace Pete, meanwhile a girl has gone missing at the hospital.
EPISODE 103 – The Next Episode – Sam is asked to take part in a reality show pilot based on his life. And Sam mom comes to town.

DISC 2:

EPISODE 104 – Apron Strings - Addison is worried when Henry’s biological mother comes back and James works on a patient who has connections to Addison.
EPISODE 105 – The World According to Jake – What happens when Jake proposes to Addison and James continues to pursue Amelia.
EPISODE 106 – Life Support – Charlotte is upset that Cooper did not keep her pregnancy a secret and both argue what religion the triplets will practice. But what happens when Addison is forced to deliver one of the triplets at 26 weeks?
EPISODE 107 – I’m Fine- Sheldon tells his ex-wife about his cancer. While doing chemo, Sheldon believes that his patient may have kidnapped the girl that went missing (in episode 102).
EPISODE 108 – Georgia On My Mind - Charlotte is put on bed rest and both Charlotte and Cooper can’t agree on the names of their new baby.

DISC 3:

EPISODE 109 – Good Fries Are Hard To Come By - Amelia and James go on dates but will they have a relationship together?
EPISODE 110 – Full Release – Charlotte goes into labor but with the first baby being delivered fine, the second baby is turned to its side and Addison must try to save the baby.
EPISODE 111 – In Which We Say Goodbye – The final episode. What will happen to Addison and Jake? What will happen to Sam, especially when Naomi returns? How will Cooper deal with being a stay at home father? Will Amelia and James’ relationship last? And how will Sheldon deal with the final days of Miranda’s life? And what new book does Violet have planned?

VIDEO:

“Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season” is presented in Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 televisions. In the past, part of the cool look that “Private Practice” had was this slick California look and many shots outdoors. For the final season, a lot of the shots are shot indoor. Indoor scenes are well-lit and during the low-light scenes, you do see a bit of noise but compared to other drama series on television, the series is above average in terms of picture quality on DVD.

AUDIO:

As for audio, “Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season” is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Dialogue and music is crystal clear, while surround channels are not too active and is a dialogue/music driven soundtrack coming from the center and front channels. The show is presented with English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season” includes the following special features:

DISC 6:

Deleted Scenes – Featuring 21deleted scenes from season six of “Private Practice”.
Bloopers – (3:08) “Private Practice” season 6 outtakes.

EXTRAS:

“Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season” comes with a slip cover.

Having watched “Private Practice” all these years, the show has had its ups and downs. While the storyline was bogged down by a circle of friends who would date another friend after a breakup, I worried at times that this series was not going to get any better because it was stuck after season two.

While season 2-4 really tried to shock viewers with their season finales, while , “Private Practice” had to stake a step back and bring some realism once again and focus on the character dynamics, relationships and exploring the characters one last time. It was known that some of the actors were not planning on coming back but with a shortened six season, while Tim Daly departed from the show, I was happy to see that Kate Walsh would stay for the final season.

So, what are my thoughts on season six.

I guest the best way to explain it in one word is “closure”.

These characters have been put through so many traumatic experiences that I was happy to see less of that and to focus on a somewhat brighter storyline and end things on a much more positive note. The season’s focal point was Cooper and Charlotte having triplets, while the first few episodes focused on Violet getting over Pete’s death, while the latter episodes focused on other storylines based on relationships.

Addison and Jake discussing how to keep Henry and strengthening their relationship. Amelia and the newest doctor, James Peterson. While Sam, Violet and Sheldon each have their own situation personal situations to deal with. Will any of them find love? While most of the storyline of the series played it safe, as to give their characters some closure, there is an interesting storyline that deals with a patient of Sheldon’s but also a young girl who had gone missing.

If anything, the sixth and final season of “Private Practice” played things quite safely this time around. Which is not a bad thing, as people want a positive finale rather than seeing any more characters dead. Making Benjamin Bratt’s Jake Reilly a full-time character was a good choice but also bringing in some new blood with Matt Long as Dr. James Peterson. It’s too bad that the character of James Peterson didn’t come earlier, as it would have made a better buildup between Amanda and James.

Unfortunately, I felt Sam’s character tend to go from one of the primary characters to suddenly a more secondary character with problems with women. At least he received a pretty solid episode this final season, as well as the character of Sheldon.

But overall, I was quite pleased with how the season ended and no doubt that fans will get some closure with the season finale.

As for the DVD box set, you get two special features (“Deleted Scenes” and “Bloopers”) but it would have been nice to have a finale featurette with the talents. Even behind-the-scenes footage of the final taping. For a show that has gone on for six years with a lot of fans invested in it, you kind of expect these special features for a series finale.

Overall, “Private Practice” was an a good season and as a longtime viewer, this series has really played out like an emotional roller coaster, with episodes that were exciting, shocking, emotional and some even frustrating. But everything has come full circle with this sixth and final season.

If you are a fan of “Private Practice” and have watched every season thus far, Private Practice – The Complete Sixth and Final Season” is recommended!

Filed Under: DVD Reviews

Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

September 6, 2012 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

The writers played things too safe for “Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season”. No major tragedies or anything that is too shocking, but this season focuses on character relationships, personal developments and possibly life with children. No doubt, season five of “Private Practice” shows maturity with its writing and development of its characters. But overall a good season, but a bit more tame compared to previous seasons of the drama series.

DVD TITLE: Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season

YEAR AIRED: 2011-2012

DURATION: 22 Episodes (946 Minutes)

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Spanish and French Subtitles, Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions

COMPANY: abc studios

RATED: TV 14 DSLV

RELEASE DATE: September 11, 2012

Created by Shonda Rhimes

Directed by Mark Tinker, Michael Zinberg, James Frawley and Tom Verica

Written by Shonda Rhimes, Jon Cowan, Robert L. Rovner, Ayanna Floyd, Michael Ostrowski, Lauren Scmidt, Craig Turk, Steve Blackman

Executive Producer: Shonda Rhimes, Mark Tinker, Betsy Beers

Producer: Lauren Schmidt

Co-Producer: Scott Printz

Music by Chad Fischer

Cinematography by Lex DuPont

Editing by Christal Khatib, Noah Pontell

Casting by John Brace, Linda Lowy

Series Production Design by Richard C. Hankins

Starring:

Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery

Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder

KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King

Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman

Amy Brennerman as Dr. Violet Turner

Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett

Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett

David Sutcliffe as Officer Kevin Nelson

Brian Benben as Dr. Sheldon Wallace

Benjamin Bratt as Dr. Jake Reilly

Jay Harrington as Dr. Wyatt Lockhart

Josh Hopkins as Dr. Noah Barnes

Caterina Scorsone as Dr. Amelia Shepherd

Scott Alan Smith as Therapist

A.J. Langer as Erica Warner

From the creators of “Grey’s Anatomy” comes the fifth season of ABC’s sexy, medical drama, “Private Practice.” Addison and her friends at the practice are faced with new challenges as unexpected people enter and complicate their lives. From a sexy new doctor to an illegitimate son, the lives and loves of these doctors are put to the test. Relive every memorable moment plus never-before-seen bonus features only on DVD. Bring home ABC’s “Private Practice: The Complete Fifth Season” on DVD September 11!

The fifth season of “Private Practice” is here! And changes are in store for the practice as Dr. Addison Montgomery wants to have a child, Dr. Amelia Shepherd is suspected of being drunk on the job and relapsing, Dr. Pete Wilder and Dr. Violet Turner’s marriage is in deep trouble, a woman from Dr. Cooper’s life comes back with a child and saying he is the father (but how will Charlotte react?). Meanwhile, as Dr. Naomi Bennett is no longer part of the practice, the practice welcomes Dr. Jake Reilly, a man that Addison had a fling with while in a relationship with Dr. Sam Bennett.

Needless to say, it’s another drama filled season for “Private Practice” and what best to enjoy it than to enjoy the fifth season via “Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” on DVD set for release on September 11, 2012.

What is “Private Practice”?

For the second season, viewers were promised a much more exciting season and sure enough, Shondra Rhimes and crew were able to take the series to different heights this time around.

“Private Practice” focuses on the following main characters:

Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “The Drew Carey Show”) - A doctor at Seattle’s Grace Hospital and was married to Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey, “Grey’s Anatomy”) but had an affair with his best friend, Dr. Mark Sloan (Eric Dane, “Grey’s Anatomy”) and thus ruined her marriage. Thus leaving to Los Angeles and joining a private practice. In the first season, her fellow doctors/co-workers are not exactly warm to her but she manages to prove to them that she’s dedicated to her job and is finally accepted. She was attracted to Dr. Peter Wilder (Tim Daly) but in season two, she is now is looking for a man while leading Oceanside Wellness Center.

Dr. Peter Wilder (Tim Daly, “The Nine”, “Eyes”, “The Fugitive”, “Wings”) – A doctor at Oceanside Wellness Center and is a naturopathic doctor and licensed herbalist. He knows that Addison is attracted to him but is unable to be with other women since the death of his wife. In season two, he finds out that he may be a father of Violet’s baby. Due to his failed relationship with Violent, he has left Oceanside to work for Pacific Wellcare.

Dr. Sam Bennett (Taye Diggs. “Day Break”, “Kevin Hill”, “Grey’s Anatomy”) - Known to the other doctors as “Doctor Feelgood”, Sam is a founding partner of Oceanside Wellness Center and is an internist. Was married to Naomi and has a daughter named Maya. Wrote a best-selling nonfiction book, “Body Language: The Mind-Body Connection”. In Season 2, he faces a malpractice suit and also becomes concerned about his former wife.

Dr. Violet Turner (Amy Brenneman, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Judging Amy”, “Frasier”) – A psychiatrist at Oceanside Wellness Center. Trying to get over her breakup with her ex-boyfriend Allan. In season two, having been with a few men, she is now pregnant and is not sure who the father is.

Dr. Cooper Freedman (Paul Adelstein, “Prison Break”, “Hack”) - The pediatrician at Oceanside Wellness Center and is the private practice’s pediatrician. A caring doctor and good friends with Violette but not good with dating women and tends to look for them online. This time he balances his personal time with both Violet (as a friend) and Dr. Charlotte King.

Dr. Charlotte King (KaDee Strickland, “The Grudge”, “The Wedding Bells”, “American Gangster”) - The Chief of Staff at St. Ambrose Hospital in Santa Monica. She helps open Pacific Wellcare, a competition to Oceanside Wellness Center. She was recently fired and now trying to get a job at Oceanside. She is also dating Dr. Cooper Freedman and is known for being a cold-person.

Dr. Sheldon Wallace (Brian Benben, “The Brian Benben Show”, Dream On”) – A psychiatrist who had a relationship with Violet. It is not known who the real father of Violet is and thus he and Pete call themselves the fathers, and thus the two do not get along.

Dr. Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone, “1-800-Missing”) – Sister of Dr. Derek Shepherd (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and a surgeon. She has not talked to her brother since their father had died and became a drug addict. She attended medical school and became a doctor who is tough and fragile.

“Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” features 22 episodes on five discs. Here are spoilerless summaries for each episode:

DISC: 1

EPISODE 77 – God Laughs – Pete suffers a heart attack and Amelia wants to operate on him (but because she has relapsed, the practice worries that she may have relapsed). Meanwhile Addison wants to have a baby and finds out that her new OB/GYN is Dr. Jake Reilly, the man she had a brief fling with.
EPISODE 78 – Breaking the Rules - As Oceanside Wellness interviews doctors to replace Naomi, Jake Reilly is interviewed by the practice. Meanwhile, Pete’s anger towards Violet continues to grow.
EPISODE 79 – Deal With It – Jake wants to take on a complicated uterus transfer. Meanwhile, a woman is claiming that Cooper is the father of her 8-year-old.
EPISODE 80 – Remember Me – Cooper tries to get to know his 8-year-old son, but Charlotte is not convinced the boy is his. Meanwhile, Sheldon tries to help Pete who is losing control of his anger issues.
EPISODE 81 – Step One – Addison begins vitro fertilization treatments. Amanda finds out that her terminally ill friend wants her help in committing suicide.

DISC 2:

EPISODE 82 – If I Hadn’t Forgotten… - Amelia’s strugle with drug and alcohol abuse continues to worsen. Meanwhile Addison must choose a sperm donor.
EPISODE 83 – Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Amelia’s addiction to drugs and alcohol takes a dangerous turn for the worse. Violet’s license is reinstated and she comes back to work. Meanwhile, Charlotte tries to welcome Mason to her life, but his mother Erica is not too thrilled.
EPISODE 84 – Who Are We – The practice decide to stage an intervention for Amelia. And her addiction continues to worsen as it leads to tragedy.
EPISODE 85 – The Breaking Point – Addison tries to get pregnant and Amelia tries to get better in rehab.
EPISODE 86- Are You My Mother - When Cooper catches Mason stealing, how should he punish him. Amelia returns to the practice but will Sheldon accept her apology?

DISC 3:

EPISODE 87 – The Standing Eight Count - With Pete, Violet, Sam and Addison are now single, how will life be for these four as they try to date again.
EPISODE 88 – Losing Battles – Violet takes the “next step” with Scott, meanwhile Cooper, Charlotte and Amelia counsel Erica on her difficult decision.
EPISODE 89 – The Time Has Come – Sheldon tries to help Sam’s friend, an army vet suffering from post-traumantic stress disorder. Meanwhile, Erica and Mason are involved in a car accident. How will Pete react when he sees Violet and Scott together?
EPISODE 90 – Too Much – When Sam’s sister Corinne goes to jail, Sam asks for Sheldon’s help. Erica begins to take treatments for her cancer but does not want Cooper and Charlotte to tell Mason.

DISC 4:

EPISODE 91 – You Break My Heart – Cooper and Charlotte take Erica to Seattle Grace to meet with Derek, Lexie and Amelia regarding a very risky surgery.
EPISODE 92 – Andromeda – Sam tries to take care of his sister Corinne and things between Addison and Jake may be getting hotter!
EPISODE 93 – The Letting Go - Erica’s cancer has spread and she may need to say goodbye to Mason. Amelia reveals that she is pregnant and Jake tells Addison how he feels for her.
EPISODE 94 – It Was Inevitable – Charlotte and Cooper try to help Mason come to terms with his mother’s cancer. Meanwhile, will Addison become a mother?

DISC 5:

EPISODE 95 – And Then There Was One – Pete and Violet go to a marriage counselor, Mason refuses to speak to Charlotte and Cooper and Pete and Amelia try to save a 9-year old stabbing victim.
EPISODE 96 – True Colors – Violet and Cooper try to help a child who has a gender identity disorder.
EPISODE 97 – Drifting Back – Jake suspects Amelia is being tempted to substance abuse. Meanwhile, Addison and Sam try to work things out with their relationship.
EPISODE 98 – Gone, Baby, Gone – Amelia goes into labor, meanwhile Pete and Violet may have found love once again.

VIDEO:

“Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” is presented in Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 televisions. Whereas “Grey’s Anatomy” tends to be focused indoors, inside the hospital, “Private Practice” has a slick California look. Indoor scenes are well-lit and outdoor scenes are quite vibrant but viewers will notice the grain in the series. Even during the low-light scenes, you do see a bit of noise but compared to other drama series on television, the series is above average in terms of picture quality on DVD.

AUDIO:

As for audio, “Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Possibly with the exceptions of the final episode with the sirens and episode 41 (Blow Ups), the series is primarily dialogue driven, so it’s pretty much front and center channel driven.

The show is presented in English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” includes the following special features:

DISC 5:

The Practice of Parenthood - (12:39) Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers talk about how it was time to add children to the series in season five.
Deleted Scenes – Featuring ten deleted scenes from season five of “Private Practice”.
Bloopers – (3:47) “Private Practice” season 5 outtakes.

EXTRAS:

“Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” comes with a slipcase cover.

One of the things that I know is difficult for a drama series such as “Private Practice” is what throw at viewers. One season, we had a death of a major character. The following season, we saw a major character’s baby being cut out of her and by the next season, one of the character’s is rape, while another has a major heart attack!

Needless to say, one of the challenges that “Private Practice” has faced is coming up with a storyline that surprises or shocks viewers and pulls them in.

But there is only so much turmoil that these characters can faced and without having it becoming like a soap opera, I feel that Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers tried to reel the series back in and make it more realistic in the fact that this series focuses more on character relationships and with a primary of focus of bringing children into the lives of the characters.

While it’s one thing to have Violet and Pete’s relationship crumbling and wondering how they can be their for their son, it seems that every character had to deal with a child and it was not what I was expecting. It’s one thing for Addison to want to have a child, but then we have Cooper finding out he has a son that he never knew and now he and Charlotte become parents and then Amelia is pregnant. Fortunately, I think the only character that was spared was the character of Sheldon.

Needless to say, with the last three seasons of playing with emotions and tragic circumstances, the fifth season was trying to play things safe by and return back to the storylines that featured the characters showing why they are good at what they do at the practice but also dealing with personal issues and relationships. Some may look at it as a step-back from previous series or playing these a bit too safe, but personally, “Private Practice” is heading to a different direction and possibly trying to see now that there will be some major departures of main characters for season 6.

Tim Daly tweeted in May 2012 that Shonda Rhimes will not be bringing back Pete Wilder for season 6 and Kate Walsh announced that season 6 of “The Practice” is her final season. And to make things seem a bit dismal is the fact that the series was cut down from 22-episodes to 13. Does this mean that “Private Practice” is nearing its end? It appears that the cuts were more due to financial reasons and it seems that perhaps the series will need new synergy.

Fortunately, season five brought in Benjamin Bratt and his character Jake Reilly is cool and so far doesn’t show any problematic behavior aside from falling for Addison and the two have shared a fling together in season four. While I enjoyed seeing Cooper and Charlotte now becoming more of a family with the addition of Mason, this year of watching Pete losing it and seeing Violet put into another situation where happiness seems to allude her is getting old. This woman has been through so much in the past few seasons that you would have hoped that she would have some happiness in her life but season five seems like she was an emotional punching bag and this negativity that continues to surround her is getting old. Bring some sunshine into Violet’s life!

And I was not surprised to see the banal drug/alcohol relapse storyline for Amelia’s character. She was the black sheep then and she continues to be a black sheep now and another character, who I like for her feistyness but like violet, has this negativity that continually surrounds her.

It’s an interesting juxtaposition to “Gray’s Anatomy” because despite how much sadness the characters of that series experiences, they are able to find happiness. “Private Practice” is like the dysfunctional bunch that they experience so much crap, and very little do they find happiness.

But to have nearly every character having to deal with a child, as much as I praised writers for making things better in previous seasons, season five seemed like a step back in that regard. So, if season six will be the final season of “Private Practice”, I hope they end the series with class and style. Knock on wood.

As for the DVD box set, you get three special features (“The Practice of Parenthood, “Deleted Scenes” and “Bloopers”) but it would be nice if audio commentary was featured. But overall, “Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” had a decent amount of special features and like the previous seasons, picture quality and audio quality were good as one can expect from DVD.

Overall, “Private Practice” was an a good season but as a longtime viewer, it was also a bit frustrating as I felt the writing was playing things too safe and by subjecting these individuals to more unstable relationships, addiction and now issues of being a parent, not just one or two of the characters but everyone else seems to be wanting to have a child. But I do have hopes that writers will be bringing some sunshine to the practice for season six, whether it will or won’t be their final season.

If you are a fan of “Private Practice” and have watched every season thus far, “Private Practice – The Complete Fifth Season” is for you!

Filed Under: DVD Reviews

Q&A Interview with “Private Practice” star Taye Diggs (J!-ENT Interviews and Articles)

September 15, 2011 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

Actor Taye Diggs has come a long way since his acting debut in 1996 for the series “New York Undercover”. The actor would become well known for his film roles in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “Go” but Taye Diggs would eventually become known for his role on drama series with character roles in hit drama series “Ally McBeal”, “The West Wing”, “Kevin Hill” and “Day Break”.

And now, Taye Diggs plays the role of Dr. Sam Bennett in “Private Practice”, as one of the founding partners of Oceanside Wellness Group and ex-husband of Naomi Bennett.

In season three, we had the opportunity to see Sam and Addison Montgomery (played by Kate Walsh) become closer, but in season four, how far will their relationship go? And will Sam and Addison reveal their relationship to Naomi and their partners?

With the fifth season of “Private Practice” to air on ABC on Sept. 29th, “Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” DVD box set is planned for release on Sept. 13th.

The following is a media Q&A featuring Taye Diggs reflecting on season four of “Private Practice”.

What can you tell us about Season Four of Private Practice?

TAYE: I am very proud of the show and I’m very proud of the writing this year. There are some remarkable storylines, including some heartbreaking scenes from KaDee Strickland. She did a tremendous job in Season Four and I’m very proud of her. Our television show is a lot of fun, but I’m always filled with pride when we get the opportunity to represent serious issues. I’m not going to say what happens because I don’t want to give away a major storyline for this season – but I will tell you that you will be shocked when you see it.

What happens to Dr. Sam Bennett in Season Four? Will he finally get together with Addison Montgomery?

TAYE: There’s definitely a possibility for Sam and Addison to get together in Season Four. Obviously, the sexual tension is still there. There are a lot of furtive glances, loaded looks and whispers. Will they get together? You’ll just have to watch it and see for yourself.

Would you like to see Addison and Sam together as a couple?

TAYE: I think it would be interesting to see them together because they have very different personalities. In the past, Addison has always been a little freer in life – but Sam is a little more buttoned-up. I’d love to see what that chemistry could yield.

Could Sam still be holding a torch for Naomi?

TAYE: I cannot say. Naomi and Addison are both beautiful women. There’s a history with between Sam and Naomi. Well, they were married. But there’s a new-ness and an actual love that exists with Addison.

Is Sam ready to be a grandfather this season?

TAYE: He has no choice. He has to be ready because that’s what the writing says!

How does it feel to play a grandfather when in real life, you’ve only recently become a father?

TAYE: It’s a little strange, that’s for sure. My son was born in 2009, so I’m nowhere near to becoming a grandfather.

Do you enjoy being a father?

TAYE: Fatherhood is amazing. And I’m really excited about it because it’s just going to keep getting better. Fatherhood is like nothing I could have ever expected. It’s wonderful.

Were the doctors in the hospital where your son was born aware of your role on Private Practice?

TAYE: I think the nurses were more aware than the doctors. They gave us a really nice care package to take home with extra blankets and diapers, which was nice. It brought to the surface the respect that I have for the people who do this as a career.

Did you always dream about becoming a father?

TAYE: Yes, I always knew I wanted a child. Or should I say, children!

Who inspired you to act when you were growing up?

TAYE: My mom was in Community Theater where I grew up in Rochester, Upstate New York. She gave me the bug. She raised me and my four brothers and sisters, and then she went back to school for theater and dance. She was a very inspiring lady.

Did you have any crazy jobs when you were starting out in the industry?

TAYE: Oh, sure! I was everything from a janitor to a sandwich maker. I worked in donut stores and even at Disneyland in Tokyo. What did I do there? The show was called Sebastian’s Caribbean Carnival and I had to wear some wild outfits. I was the M.C. who’d sing Day-O and other crazy Caribbean songs.

When you first joined Private Practice, did you know Dr. Sam Bennett would be such a complex character?

TAYE: I knew that my character would be multifaceted because that’s how [Private Practice Executive Producer] Shonda Rhimes works. However, I didn’t know how complex he would become, and I’m not sure the writers knew either. When I started on the show, I was given some background to the character – but I had no idea where he would go from there. I only found out when I opened up my script every week.

What research did you do for the role?

TAYE: We have a great team of production staff on the show. They scheduled for me to view some actual surgeries, which was a great help. Obviously, I wasn’t standing right next to the bodies during the surgeries, but I could observe what it’s like to be there. I also got a few DVDs and a lot of literature on the subject. I was very well researched by the time we started shooting.

What goes through your mind when you view a surgery?

TAYE: It was a complete reality check to see what heart surgeons do for a living. It was also a reality check to see an actual body on the surgery table. To be honest, I felt a little removed because I am so desensitized from watching so many surgeries on television. In practice, it’s much more boring than watching TV, although it’s definitely eye opening for sure.

Do you have to learn medical jargon for your role as a doctor?

TAYE: I do, and it’s tough. That’s something I always struggle with, so I always have to get my scripts a couple of days in advance. I need to really memorize those words because we try to be extremely accurate on the show.

Do you think you could perform some of the medical procedures your character talks about on Private Practice?

TAYE: No way. I get extremely nervous when they set me up with the fake blood and the fake heart on set because it feels like we’re really going into surgery. It feels very real. I’ll be performing and I’ll notice my hands are shaking because it’s so nerve-wracking.

Not only are you an actor, a singer and a performer, but you’re also an author. What can you tell us about your book?

TAYE: When I was a kid, I grew up in a neighborhood where nobody looked like me. I was the only black kid in my school, so when I got older I wrote a poem about what it felt like to look different. I got with my best friend, Shane Evans – a great illustrator – and we wrote a children’s book about self-esteem called Chocolate Me.

Do you see yourself as a role model for other black people?

TAYE: I don’t see myself as a role model, but I gladly accept and understand that I am – and I don’t shy away from that. I think both of Shonda’s shows – Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy – are great for representing African-American people. Shonda sets a great example for people of any color, creed or background. I like that she’s setting such a strong example with having such a diverse cast. She mixes up relationships and represents things that are happening in the real world, which is what I love about working with her. She’s fantastic.

Private Practice – the Complete Fourth Season is available on DVD on Sept. 13th.

Photo credit: ABC/Andrew MacPherson

Filed Under: GALLERY, Interviews and Articles

Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

September 1, 2011 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

Continuing from a highly entertaining season three, “Private Practice” Season Four was well-written and featured highly emotional episodes that were pretty shocking. The writers for season four definitely stepped their game and really delivered. If you are a fan of “Private Practice” or are curious about the series, “Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” is a great season to jump in and enjoy! Recommended!

DVD TITLE: Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season

YEAR AIRED: 2010-2011

DURATION: 22 Episodes (986 Minutes)

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Spanish and French Subtitles, Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions

COMPANY: abc studios

RATED: TV 14 DSLV

RELEASE DATE: September 13, 2011

Created by Shonda Rhimes

Directed by Mark Tinker, Michael Zinberg, James Frawley and Tom Verica

Written by Shonda Rhimes, Jon Cowan, Robert L. Rovner, Ayanna Floyd, Michael Ostrowski, Lauren Scmidt, Craig Turk, Steve Blackman

Executive Producer: Shonda Rhimes, Mark Tinker, Betsy Beers

Producer: Lauren Schmidt

Co-Producer: Scott Printz

Music by Chad Fischer

Cinematography by Lex DuPont

Editing by Christal Khatib, Noah Pontell

Casting by John Brace, Linda Lowy

Series Production Design by Richard C. Hankins

Starring:

Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery

Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder

KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King

Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman

Amy Brennerman as Dr. Violet Turner

Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett

Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett

David Sutcliffe as Officer Kevin Nelson

Brian Benben as Sheldon

Jay Harrington as Dr. Wyatt Lockhart

Josh Hopkins as Dr. Noah Barnes

Caterina Scorsone as Dr. Amelia Shepherd

Experience every complex romance, medical crisis and moral dilemma of ABC’s “Private Practice: The Complete Fourth Season”. Don’t miss a moment of TV’s sexiest drama, from the creator of Grey’s Anatomy.

Join the Oceanside Wellness Group family as they try to balance work, friendship and love while they lean on each other for the help and support they need. As Pete and Violet prepare for their wedding day, disagreements at the clinic put a strain on Addison and Sam’s relationship. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Cooper struggle in the aftermath of a traumatic personal event and Derek’s sister, Amelia, returns from Seattle with a destructive secret.

It’s a season of change and new hope for Dr. Addison Montgomery and her colleagues.

“Private Practice” focuses on the following main characters:

Dr. Naomi Bennett (Audra McDonald, “The Bedford Diaries”, “Kidnapped”, “Mister Sterling”) - A founding partner of Oceanside Wellness Center and specializes in reproductive endocrinology, obstetrics and gynecology. She works with her ex-husband Sam (Taye Diggs) and has a daughter named Maya. She has left Oceanside Wellness Center to head up the Pacific Wellcare Center which has caused friction between her and Addison

Dr. Sam Bennett (Taye Diggs. “Day Break”, “Kevin Hill”, “Grey’s Anatomy”) - Known to the other doctors as “Doctor Feelgood”, Sam is a founding partner of Oceanside Wellness Center and is an internist. Was married to Naomi and has a daughter named Maya. Wrote a best-selling nonfiction book, “Body Language: The Mind-Body Connection”. In Season 2, he faces a malpractice suit and also becomes concerned about his former wife.

Dr. Charlotte King (KaDee Strickland, “The Grudge”, “The Wedding Bells”, “American Gangster”) - The Chief of Staff at St. Ambrose Hospital in Santa Monica. She helps open Pacific Wellcare, a competition to Oceanside Wellness Center. She was recently fired and now trying to get a job at Oceanside. She is also dating Dr. Cooper Freedman and is known for being a cold-person.

“Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” features 22 episodes on five discs. Here are spoilerless summaries for each episode:

DISC: 1

EPISODE 55 – Take Two – The aftermath after the death of Dell and how everyone must move on.
EPISODE 56 – Short Cuts - Pete and Cooper deal with a mother who is giving her autistic child her medical marijuana. Addison and Sam decide that Naomi should know about their relationship.
EPISODE 57 – Playing God – The driver who killed Dell shows up at Oceanside and has a heart attack at the center. Sam must treat the man he loathes.
EPISODE 58 – A Better Place to Be – Dell’s daughter, Betsey, is given up by her mother and now the friends must decide if one of the them should take Betsey in.
EPISODE 59 – In or Out - Addison disagrees with a new oncologist in regards to a newborn who has a malignant tumor.

DISC 2:

EPISODE 60 – All in the Family - Addison and Sam clash over a comatose patient.
EPISODE 61 – Did You Hear What Happened to Charlotte King? – Charlotte is beaten and raped but she wants to keep her rape secret. Meanwhile, because no report is made..the rapist could be let out free.
EPISODE 62 – What Happens Next – Charlotte deals with her assault but can Addison keep Charlotte’s rape a secret.
EPISODE 63 Can’t Find My Way Back Home – Charlotte resists listening to the others request for her to pursue criminal charges against her rapist.
EPISODE 64- Just Lose It – The DA has bad news for Charlotte in regards to her sexual assault case.

DISC 3:

EPISODE 65 – If You Don’t Know Me - Addison’s mother asks for her help to save her dying partner and it means working together with Dr. Rodriguez.
EPISODE 66 – Heaven Can Wait – Addison plans Bizzy and Susan’s wedding, meanwhile Dr. Rodriguez continues to flirt with her.
EPISODE 67 Blind Love – Charlotte’s attacker arrives in St. Ambrose in critical condition.
EPISODE 68 – Home Again – After a family tragedy, Addison returns to her Connecticut home.
EPISODE 69 – Two Steps Back – Charlotte and Cooper deal with secrets, Sam and Naomi treat a pregnant teen with Down syndrome.

DISC 4:

EPISODE 70 – Love and Lies – The doctors clash when an expectant motehr and her husband want them to harvest eggs of their unbon, ill-baby.
EPISODE 71 – A Step Too Far – Sheldon falls for Dr. Marla Tompkins, Cooper and Sam try to convince a family to make their son’s health a priority.
EPISODE 72 – The Hardest Part – Pete’s brother, Adam brings their sick mother for a consultation and Peter discovers something about her illness.
EPISODE 73 – What We Have Here… - Katie feels that Violet’s book has breached patient confidentiality and threatens to sue her. Cooper wonders if Charlotte has feelings for her ex-husband.

DISC 5:

EPISODE 74 – Something Old, Something New – With Cooper and Charlotte’s wedding day approaching, after all that has happened, will the two still get married?
EPISODE 75 – God Bless the Child – Betsey returns to the ER for a visit and Amelia tries to stay sober.
EPISODE 76 – …Tho Change the Things I Can – The practice is undergoing an investigation by the medical board. Addison receives an offer and Amelia and Charlotte get into a fight. Something bad happens to one of the doctors.

VIDEO:

“Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” is presented in Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 televisions. Whereas “Grey’s Anatomy” tends to be focused indoors, inside the hospital, “Private Practice” has a slick California look. Indoor scenes are well-lit and outdoor scenes are quite vibrant but viewers will notice the grain in the series. Even during the low-light scenes, you do see a bit of noise but compared to other drama series on television, the series is above average in terms of picture quality on DVD.

AUDIO:

As for audio, “Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Possibly with the exceptions of the final episode with the sirens and episode 41 (Blow Ups), the series is primarily dialogue driven, so it’s pretty much front and center channel driven.

The show is presented in English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” includes the following special features:

DISC 5:

An Inside Look: The Violation of Charlotte King – (13:13) Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers talk about exploring rape and how actress KaDee Strickland trained for the emotional scene.
Deleted Scenes – Featuring eleven deleted scenes.
Bloopers – (2:15) “Private Practice” season 4 bloopers

EXTRAS:

“Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” comes with a slipcase cover.

Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers definitely had to face a major hurdle with season three in order to bring back the fans who were skeptical about the show’s longevity. And suffice to say, they accomplished that goal.

Now with season four, how would the writers continue their success in making sure that “Private Practice” remains to be a strong, well-written show but most of all, utilize its characters.

And sure enough, it’s about focusing on the characters and their relationships.

Season four of “Private Practice” focuses on tragedy and heartbreak. The series started up strong with the rape of Dr. Charlotte King and with her character typically being shown as cold-hearted, we had the opportunity to see the writers make her character appealing but also warm-hearted and frail. We know she is strong-willed but the connection she has with Cooper Freedman and the happiness he brings to her life is well-done. This season, this couple has become my favorite of the series because of their fragile love but the fact that they are opposites that truly compliment each other.

The writers found a way to explore their characters and take them out of their comfort zone and explore… from the rape, to them trying to fix their relationship to their planned wedding.

The other story arc focused on Addison but instead of having too much Addison storylines, the writers also did a good job of not focusing on her character too much but spreading the story evenly but not over indulge the viewer with Addison this and Addison that. Addison’s relationship with her mother and family but also her relationship with Sam and also Naomi was nicely done.

Addison is a complex character with a lot of instability but also deep inside, she is a beautiful woman that is caring and vibrant if given the storyline to showcase the positive and emotional side of her. And its good to see that.

And then there is Peter Wilder and Violet Turner. Violet had an emotional season three, this time around she’s appeared to be the more headstrong character but at the same time, her relationship and marriage with Peter will probably be tested from what takes place in season four. Violet had a lot to face near the end of season four, as did Peter…but there is no doubt that this couple will be going through challenges for season five, especially what happened at the end of the season finale. Actress Amy Brennerman was given her moment to shine towards the end of the season with another emotional performance and as for Tim Daly, makes you wonder what the writers are trying to do with his character, especially with how things concluded in the season finale.

With that being said, I do feel the writers felt that Naomi and Sam were a bit difficult to focus on because while they do play an important role in each episode, compared to last year which focused on their daughter, it seems that they were the least focused on this season. So, perhaps because they were focused on so much in season three, the writers took a step back with these two characters. With the announcement that Audra McDonald would not be returning as a regular cast member, it may answer why she wasn’t portrayed as much in the series but also why the changes with the hospital took place.

As for Amelia Shepherd, we are starting to see the writers utilize her character even more but there is no doubt that her problems as a recovering addict, will no doubt creep back and hurt this talented doctor. She showed a lot of enthusiasm but hopefully her character is explored a bit more in season five.

And for Sheldon Wallace, he definitely had a role this season but more of a supporting role for each of the characters as he is the go-to guy when everyone is having emotional problems. But it would be great to see him integrated a bit more in season five.

This season, I definitely have to say that I enjoyed it. Well-written storylines, the chemistry among the actors worked very well. We had solid performances by KaDee Strickland, Kate Walsh, Paul Adelstein and Peter Wilder and everyone else in the cast. But KaDee Strickland definitely had to make her storyline work and seem real and she accomplished that. Great emotional performance!

I did enjoy the introductions of Dr. Rodriguez (played by Cristian de la Fuente) and also bringing in Jake Reilly (played by Benjamin Bratt) as a possible love interest for Addison but losing Audra McDonald, hopefully this means better character development for the character of Amelia Shepherd but I hope the alcoholic or the junkie storyline doesn’t get overplayed for next season as it is quite cliche for medical dramas.

As for the DVD box set, it would be nice if audio commentary was featured. Granted, the last season box sets didn’t really come with that many special features but it would be nice to have the director or writers and cast take part in one, especially for the more shocking episodes or the season finale. But overall, “Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” was a solid set with a few special features and also with good picture quality and audio quality.

Overall, “Private Practice” was an entertaining season. The writers managed to to keep the season entertaining, especially from a well-done season four. Each episode was quite entertaining, also a good dose of very emotional episodes as well. I do like how the writers made sure everyone in the series had a significant role and that was a major plus. So, with the new changes at the end of season four, I definitely look forward to what the writers have in store for season 5.

“Private Practice – The Complete Fourth Season” is recommended!

Filed Under: DVD Reviews

NEXT WEEK ON THE VIEW (3/14-18, 2011)

March 11, 2011 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment

BILLY RAY CYRUS, TAYE DIGGS, MARISA TOMEI AND STEVE MARTIN ARE AMONG THE FEATURED GUESTS ON “THE VIEW,” MARCH 14-18

Country crooner/songwriter/actor Billy Ray Cyrus, comedian/actor/musician Steve Martin, Taye Diggs (ABC’s “Private Practice”), Marisa Tomei (“The Lincoln Lawyer”), designer Tory Burch, director Tom Shadyac (“I Am”) and Michael Flatley (“Lord of the Dance 3-D”) are among the featured guests MARCH 14-18 on “The View” (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET) on the ABC Television Network. Former prosecutor and judge, now legal analyst Jeanine Pirro is featured guest co-host on Monday, March 14.

Scheduled guests the week of MARCH 14-18 are as follows (subject to change):

MONDAY, MARCH 14 – Guest co-host and legal analyst Jeanine Pirro; Director Tom Shadyac (“I Am”); actor Todd Bridges (author, Killing Willis).

TUESDAY, MARCH 15 – Taye Diggs (ABC’s “Private Practice”).

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16 – Academy Award(tm) winner Marisa Tomei (“The Lincoln Lawyer”); performance from Michael Flatley (“Lord of the Dance 3-D”).

THURSDAY, MARCH 17 – St. Patrick’s Day; musical guest Steve Martin.

FRIDAY, MARCH 18 – Country crooner Billy Ray Cyrus; “View Tube”: Week in Review highlights the most outrageous behind-the-scenes moments featuring “The View” staff/crew and guests, seen exclusively on abc.com/theview; “‘The View’ Fashion Friday” with celebrated designer Tory Burch.

“The View” features Daytime Emmy Award-winning hosts Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. It’s the original forum in which real women discuss everyday issues, share their opinions and engage in colorful conversations. “The View,” broadcast in HDTV and produced in 2-channel stereo sound, is now available to watch online daily at 4:00 p.m., ET/1:00 p.m., PT on the ABC Digital Full Episode Player at ABC.com. “The View” is produced by ABC Daytime and Ms. Walters’ Barwall Productions, with Ms. Walters serving as executive producer along with Bill Geddie, who also serves as executive producer for “The Barbara Walters Specials.” “The View” is directed by Mark Gentile.

For breaking news and updated videos follow “The View” (@theviewtv) and hosts Barbara Walters (@BarbaraJWalters), Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar), Elisabeth Hasselbeck (@ehasselbeck) and Sherri Shepherd (@SherriEShepherd) on Twitter.(tm)

Filed Under: American Entertainment News

Private Practice – The Complete Third Season (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

September 6, 2010 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

Last season of “Private Practice”, I called the season “angsty” and “mildly entertaining” but for this season, the writers did a magnificent job in turning this drama season around. Good writing, the acting was much better and the season finale was more shocking than last season. I’m definitely hooked and I can’t wait for the next season! Fans of “Private Practice” will definitely want to pick up “Private Practice – The Complete Third Season”!

DVD TITLE: Private Practice – The Complete Third Season

YEAR AIRED: 2009-2010

DURATION: 23 Episodes (989 Minutes)

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Spanish and French Subtitles, Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions

COMPANY: abc studios

RATED: TV 14 DSLV

RELEASE DATE: September 14, 2010

Created by Shonda Rhimes

Directed by Mark Tinker, Michael Zinberg, James Frawley and Tom Verica

Written by Shonda Rhimes, Jon Cowan, Robert L. Rovner, Ayanna Floyd, Michael Ostrowski, Lauren Scmidt, Craig Turk, Steve Blackman

Executive Producer: Shonda Rhimes, Mark Tinker, Betsy Beers

Producer: Lauren Schmidt

Co-Producer: Scott Printz

Music by Chad Fischer

Cinematography by Lex DuPont

Editing by Christal Khatib, Noah Pontell

Casting by John Brace, Linda Lowy

Series Production Design by Richard C. Hankins

Starring:

Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery

Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder

KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King

Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman

Amy Brennerman as Dr. Violet Turner

Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett

Chris Lowell as William “Dell” Parker

Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett

David Sutcliffe as Officer Kevin Nelson

Brian Benben as Sheldon

Grant Show as Archer Montgomery

Jay Harrington as Dr. Wyatt Lockhart

Kosh Hopkins as Dr. Noah Barnes

Sharon Leal as Sonya

Hailey Sole as Betsey

Amanda Detmer as Morgan Gellman

Chris Krauser as Dr. Robert Zeminski

The immersive new five-disc DVD set includes all season three episodes, uninterrupted, along with a host of exclusive bonus features including bloopers and deleted scenes. Allowing viewers to relive the riveting storyline of the exciting third season, when after almost two years in Santa Monica, Addison (Walsh) realizes she’s no longer the new girl in town. Now firmly entrenched in the professional and personal lives of her Oceanside Wellness Center co-workers, Addison and her ‘family’ must begin to count on each other as they balance tragedy, betrayal, friendship, love and even loss, as well as navigate the moral dilemmas that often come with the unique and often heart-wrenching medical cases they encounter each day.

For the third season, viewers were promised a much more exciting season and sure enough, Shondra Rhimes and crew were able to take the series to different heights this time around.

This third season features episodes that deal with personal and emotional challenges, discovery, heartbreak and tragedy.

“Private Practice” focuses on the following main characters:

Dr. Sam Bennett (Taye Diggs. “Day Break”, “Kevin Hill”, “Grey’s Anatomy”) - Known to the other doctors as “Doctor Feelgood”, Sam is a founding partner of Oceanside Wellness Center and is an internist. Was married to Naomi and has a daughter named Maya. Wrote a best-selling nonfiction book, “Body Language: The Mind-Body Connection”. In Season 2, he faces a malpractice suit and also becomes concerned about his former wife.

Dr. Charlotte King (KaDee Strickland, “The Grudge”, “The Wedding Bells”, “American Gangster”) - The Chief of Staff at St. Ambrose Hospital in Santa Monica. She helps open Pacific Wellcare, a competition to Oceanside Wellness Center. She was recently fired and now trying to get a job at Oceanside. She is also dating Dr. Cooper Freedman and is known for being a cold-person.

William “Dell” Parker (Chris Lowell, “Veronica Mars”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Life as We Know It”) - The receptionist at Oceanside Wellness Center and a nurse. Dell is a father and is reunited with his daughter’s mother Heather.

“Private Practice – The Complete Third Season” features 23 episodes on five discs. Here are spoilerless summaries for each episode:

DISC: 1

EPISODE 32 – A Death to the Family – The aftermath after a deranged woman has cut the baby out of Dr. Violet Turner stomach and now Dr. Addison and Dr. Naomi Bennett try to do all they can to save Violet and her baby.
EPISODE 33 – The Way We Were - Peter, Addison, Naomi worry about Violet. Meanwhile, the doctors are dealing with a daughter who has violent tendencies. Meanwhile, Naomi and Addison see their friendship is drifting apart.
EPISODE 34 – Right here, Right Now – A “Private Practice”/”Grey’s Anatomy” episode. Dr. Bailey (from “Grey’s Anatomy”) brings her patient to Addison’s hospital for a kidney transplant. But the problem is that the person who is a transplant donor is HIV positive and the person who needs the transplant wants to live even if it makes her HIV positive.
EPISODE 35 – Pursuing the Limits – Violet tries to help a couple in which the wife was pregnant by her rapist and now must decide what to do with the baby. Meanwhile, Addison, Cooper and Bennett try to help a young teen who has a sick child.

DISC 2:

EPISODE 36 – StrangeBedfellows - Charlotte wants to work at Oceanside. Meanwhile, Addison and Sam are working on a problematic case with a patient. Meanwhile, Violet comes face-to-face with her attacker.
EPISODE 37 – Slip Slidin’ Away – Naomi has problems when Pacific Wellcare makes an unexpected hiring. Meanwhile, Violent makes a decision to try electric shock therapy on a patient, which Pete does not support.
EPISODE 38 – The Hard Part – When Addison and Sam go for a hike in Malibu, they come across an expecting couple trapped in a car after an accident.
EPISODE 39 – Sins of the Father – Cooper is arrested when he refuses to cooperate in a case involving a young patient who was kidnapped by his father. Dell has surprising news.
EPISODE 40 – The Parent Trap – Addison’s father is in town, meanwhile she needs to perform a complex utero surgery. Sam and Naomi must deal with their daughter Maya who is growing up too fast.

DISC 3:

EPISODE 41 – Blowups – An explosion happens at Dell’s house and Betsey and Heather are injured and others try to make sure they survive the accident. Meanwhile, Addison finds out her mother’s secret.
EPISODE 42 – Another Second Chance – A “Private Practice”/”Grey’s Anatomy” episode as Addison tries to help Sloan’s daughter. Meanwhile, Dell regrets his decision for not giving Betsey a chance to say goodbye to his mother and the relationship between Cooper and Charlotte worsens.
EPISODE 43 – Best Laid Plans – Maya has news that will shock her parents Naomi and Sam. And Naomi wants to make an extreme decision for Maya. Meanwhile, Sam confront’s Dink, a teenager and father of Maya’s child.
EPISODE 44 – Shotgun – Addison and Cooper are trying to help a couple in need. Dink wants to marry Maya. Meanwhile, Naomi and Sam get some counseling on how to deal with their daughter’s marriage.
EPISODE 45 – Love Bites – Naomi refuses to help with Maya’s wedding. Meanwhile, Naomi finds out that she has an admirer and things between Addison and Pete start to heatup.

DISC 4:

EPISODE 46 – ‘Til Death Do Us Part – It’s Maya’s wedding day and Naomi wants no part of it. Cooper becomes suspicious of Charlotte’s new boyfriend and thinks he is a druggie.
EPISODE 47 – Fear of Flying – Pete and Sam work with a dad-to-be who has tuberculosis. Naomi is involved in a love triangle with her boss William and Dr. Fife.
EPISODE 48 – Triangles – Addison has problems with Sam’s new girlfriend Vanessa. Naomi is not sure which guy she wants to be with…William or Dr. Fife.
EPISODE 49 – Pulling the Plug – Naomi feels betrayed when she finds out how Sam and Addison feel for each other. Meanwhile, the hospital tries to keep a pregnant woman on life support, despite her husband wanting to pull the plug.
EPISODE 50 – Eyes Wide Open – A team of neurosurgeons are trying to save Addison’s comatose patient. Dr. Amelia Shepherd (sister of Dr. Derek Shepherd) joins the staff as a surgeon. Meanwhile, can Cooper and Charlotte work together?

DISC 5:

EPISODE 51 – Second Choices – Violet returns home and wants to reconnect with her son Lucas but Pete and Addison have mixed feelings about her return. Also, Sam is falling in love for Addison, despite Addison being with Pete.
EPISODE 52 – War – Violet files for joint custody for Lucas but Pete hires an attorney against her, so now everyone at the practice are put in the middle during the trial and are now having to choose sides.
EPISODE 53 – In the Name of Love – Naomi begs Fife to use an experimental treatment to help William’s advanced ALS. Meanwhile, a girl that Sheldon, Sam and Addison are helping may be a teenager who was kidnapped.
EPISODE 54 – The End of a Beautiful Friendship - Dell, Maya and her unborn baby are in a serious car crash and Addison, Amelia and Fife try to do all they can to save them. Meanwhile, the staff are shocked by an unexpected death.

VIDEO:

“Private Practice – The Complete Third Season” is presented in Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 televisions. Whereas “Grey’s Anatomy” tends to be focused indoors, inside the hospital, “Private Practice” has a slick California look. Indoor scenes are well-lit and outdoor scenes are quite vibrant but viewers will notice the grain in the series. Even during the low-light scenes, you do see a bit of noise but compared to other drama series on television, the series is above average in terms of picture quality on DVD.

AUDIO:

As for audio, “Private Practice – The Complete Third Season” is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. Possibly with the exceptions of the final episode with the sirens and episode 41 (Blow Ups), the series is primarily dialogue driven, so it’s pretty much front and center channel driven.

The show is presented in English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Private Practice – The Complete Third Season” includes the following special features:

DISC 5:

Kate’s Top 8 – (12:16) Kate Walsh talks about her top 8 favorite moments from season 3. Featuring interviews with show creators and television crew.
Deleted Scenes – (8:10) Featuring 12 deleted scenes.
Bloopers – (4:27) “Private Practice” season 3 bloopers

EXTRAS:

“Private Practice – The Complete Third Season” comes with a slipcase cover.

Oh, Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers! And the writers for both “Private Practice” and “Grey’s Anatomy” series… You listened to the fans and what good you have done to improve “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice” this last season. And you should be commended for what you have done.

Last year’s “Private Practice” was going through an average season until things picked up towards the season finale which came out of nowhere. But there had to be some improvements to this series. The characters needed to be put in situations and challenges that they have never been before.

It was one thing for Violet to deal with her violent attack and then leaving her baby behind, we got to see how things would develop between Violet and Pete, Cooper and Charlotte, the love triangle between Addison, Sam and Pete and to also see some development with Naomi and her relationship with Addison starting to deteriorate and then to see her find some love in her life. But instead of becoming the usual “Private Practice” and characters sleeping with this character and that character, there were some deep storylines where the talents were given moments to shine.

Kate Walsh did a fantastic job this season and she absolutely shined in episodes such as “The Hard Part” in which she gave such an emotional performance, Amy Brennerman also shined as the victim in the beginning of the season and also her return in the last episodes of the third season. The writers did a great job in thrusting other characters in positions that they have never been in before. Taye Diggs, Tim Daly, Audra McDonald were put into emotional situations and I really enjoyed the ups and downs between Adelstein’s Cooper and Strickland’s Charlotte.

I felt another positive about this season is by bringing in new characters (like they did with “Grey’s Anatomy”). There is only so much viewers can stand of Addison sleeping with this guy or that guy and Pete or Sam being with this woman and that woman, it’s time that the series had new blood and the addition of Amelia Shepherd, William and Dr. Fife was very good. Especially the potential of Amelia Shepherd, which would lead to crossover episodes with “Grey’s Anatomy” that did not always involve Addison.

And by the end of the season…as how Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers and the writers have shocked everyone with multiple tragedies in the sixth season finale of “Grey’s Anatomy”, the writers came up with a shocking finale in “Private Practice”.

Of course, there is only so much you can do with tragedy and this is not something that people will want to see every season finale but it was necessary as “Private Practice” needed to pull off a season finale that could best last year’s shocking finale. And the writers were successful. But now we can only hope that they continue the solid writing for the fourth season.

Overall, “Private Practice – The Complete Third Season” was the best season thus far. The DVD contains a few special features and I wish there was more. But the writing alone for this season was a major improvement and if you are a fan of this series, definitely give this DVD box set a chance!

Filed Under: DVD Reviews

Private Practice – The Complete Second Season (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

September 7, 2009 by Dennis Amith · 1 Comment

“The second season of Private Practice is a season I can describe in one word and that would be ‘angsty’. The second season manages to push the button on the medical issues with the patients, the economic issue with the private practice but for the main characters, this season was just full of angsty episodes and you often wondered if these characters will ever find any happiness. Also, to cap the season off, we get one of the most dark and twisted season finale’s that I’m sure viewers were probably not expecting. Otherwise, a mildly entertaining second season but I hope the storylines for the characters are much more developed and spread evenly next season.”

DVD TITLE: Private Practice – The Complete Second Season

DURATION: 22 Episodes (946 Minutes)

DVD INFORMATION: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Spanish and French Subtitles, Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions

COMPANY: abc studios

RATED: TV PG DSLV

RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2009

Created by Shonda Rhimes

Directed by Mark Tinker, Michael Zinberg, James Frawley and Tom Verica

Written by Shonda Rhimes, Jon Cowan, Robert L. Rovner, Ayanna Floyd, Michael Ostrowski, Lauren Scmidt, Craig Turk, Steve Blackman

Executive Producer: Shonda Rhimes, Mark Tinker, Betsy Beers

Producer: Lauren Schmidt

Co-Producer: Scott Printz

Music by Chad Fischer

Cinematography by Lex DuPont

Editing by Christal Khatib, Noah Pontell

Casting by John Brace, Linda Lowy

Series Production Design by Richard C. Hankins

Starring:

Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery

Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder

KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King

Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman

Amy Brennerman as Dr. Violet Turner

Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett

Chris Lowell as William “Dell” Parker

Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett

David Sutcliffe as Officer Kevin Nelson

Brian Benben as Sheldon

Grant Show as Archer Montgomery

Jay Harrington as Dr. Wyatt Lockhart

Kosh Hopkins as Dr. Noah Barnes

Sharon Leal as Sonya

Hailey Sole as Betsey

Amanda Detmer as Morgan Gellman

Chris Krauser as Dr. Robert Zeminski

From Shonda Rhimes, the Golden Globe®-winning creator of “Grey’s Anatomy,” comes a standout show about the personal and professional lives of a group of passionate doctors. Featuring steamy storylines and a dazzling ensemble cast, the show stars Kate Walsh reprising her “Grey’s Anatomy” role as Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery. With Seattle Grace Hospital and all its complications behind her, Addison embraces the sunnier weather and new possibilities of the Oceanside Wellness Group in Los Angeles—but life and love are never that simple.

For the second season, viewers were promised a much more exciting season and sure enough, Shondra Rhimes and crew were able to take the series to different heights this time around.

This time around, Oceanside Wellness Center is not exactly in the best circumstances as the center faces major financial problems, a new rival practice trying to steal their clients, more relationship problems and drama, cross-over episodes with “Grey’s Anatomy” and to cap things off, a dark and twisted season finale that viewers were probably not expecting.

“Private Practice” focuses on the following main characters:

Dr. Naomi Bennett (Audra McDonald, “The Bedford Diaries”, “Kidnapped”, “Mister Sterling”) - A founding partner of Oceanside Wellness Center and specializes in reproductive endocrinology, obstetrics and gynecology. She works with her ex-husband Sam (Taye Diggs) and has a daughter named Maya. But in the second season, she appears to be keeping a lot of secrets from her fellow doctors.

Dr. Sam Bennett (Taye Diggs. “Day Break”, “Kevin Hill”, “Grey’s Anatomy”) - Known to the other doctors as “Doctor Feelgood”, Sam is a founding partner of Oceanside Wellness Centre and is an internist. Was married to Naomi and has a daughter named Maya. Wrote a best-selling nonfiction book, “Body Language: The Mind-Body Connection”. In Season 2, he faces a malpractice suit and also becomes concerned about his former wife.

Dr. Charlotte King (KaDee Strickland, “The Grudge”, “The Wedding Bells”, “American Gangster”) - The Chief of Staff at St. Ambrose Hospital in Santa Monica. She helps open Pacific Wellcare, a competition to Oceanside Wellness Center and does what she can to steal clients from Oceanside Wellness and interesting enough, she also has a crush on Dr. Cooper Freedman. Also, known for being a cold-person.

William “Dell” Parlker (Chris Lowell, “Veronica Mars”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Life as We Know It”) - The receptionist at Oceanside Wellness Center and a nurse. In the first season, “Dell” is attracted to his boss, Naomi Bennett but in the fifth season, he gets two unexpected surprises.

“Private Practice – The Complete Second Season” features 22 episodes on six discs. Included are (spoilerless summaries):

DISC: 1

EPISODE 10 – A Family Thing – Addison wonders if she can trust her best friend when Naomi has been concealing the financial problems of Oceanside Wellness.
EPISODE 11 – Equal and Opposite - With Oceanside Wellness experiencing problems, Addison and Sam will do what they can to make sure the practice doesn’t go through with bankruptcy plans.
EPISODE 12 – Nothing to Talk About – Charlotte tries to get Addison to join St. Ambrose Hospital.
EPISODE 13 – Past Tense – Sam and Naomi become rivals in who would lead the practice.

DISC 2:

EPISODE 14 – Let It Go - Addison does what she can to fix the financial problems at the practice but may be putting Oceanside Wellness in more problems.
EPISODE 15 – Serving Two Masters – Sam and Naomi look at their own relationship when they see an Alzheimer’s patient with her husband (guest star: Billy Dee Williams).
EPISODE 16 – Tempting Faith – Addison receives a visit from her brother Archer (Grant Show) but his appearance causes problems for her and others.
EPISODE 17 – Crime and Punishment (Extended Episode) – With a comotose patient pregnant, Addison and Charlotte race around the clock to save the woman. Meanwhile, Meg starts seeing one of the patients of Oceanside Wellness and it rubs people the wrong way.

DISC 3:

EPISODE 18 – Know When To Fold – Charlotte opens up Pacific Wellcare and the competition against Oceanside Wellness begins!
EPISODE 19 – Worlds Apart – Charlotte and crew continue to steal clients from Oceanside Wellness and Pete’s girlfriend Meg comes to visit.
EPISODE 20 – Contamination – When Cooper’s patient has the measles, a quarantine takes place at Oceanside Wellness.
EPISODE 21 – Homeward Bound – Addison and Kevin have relationship problems and suddenly she starts to become interested in Wyatt of Pacific Wellcare.

DISC 4:

EPISODE 22 – Nothing to Fear (Extended Episode) – Violet is pregnant but the problem is, she doesn’t know who the father is.
EPISODE 23 – Second Chances – Archer continues to create more problems for Addison and Naomi when he starts working for Pacific Wellcare.
EPISODE 24 – Acceptance – Archer suffers a major seizure and in order to save his life, the crew of Oceanside Wellness visits Addison’s former employer, Seattle Grace Hospital. A cross-over with “Grey’s Anatomy”.
EPISODE 25 – Ex-Life – Seattle Grace Hospital’s Bailey and Naomi try to find out why Sam has asthma attacks. Meanwhile Addison and Derek try to help a pregnant patient. A cross-over with “Grey’s Anatomy”.

DISC 5:

EPISODE 26 – Wait and See – Archer and Naomi grow closer with each other and Addison suspects something may be going on.
EPISODE 27 – Finishing – Addison finds herself attracted to a man who works at St. Ambrose Hospital.
EPISODE 28 – What Women Want – Addison tries to help a pregnant patient who lost her baby and also has major mental issues, while Violet must find a way to convince the woman that her baby is dead.
EPISODE 29 – Do the Right Thing – Cooper is upset that a patient’s mother is allowing her 12-year-old to have sex. Sam faces a malpractice trial.

DISC 6:

EPISODE 30 – What You Do For Love – Sam wonders why Naomi is constantly sneaking away from the practice and Addison goes to a colleague at St. Ambrose Hospital for help.
EPISODE 31 – Yours, Mine & Ours – Naomi must decide if she wants to stay at Oceanside Wellness or to move to Pacific Wellcare. Meanwhile, something terrible happens to Violet.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“Private Practice – The Complete Second Season” is presented in Widescreen (1:78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 televisions. Whereas “Grey’s Anatomy” tends to be focused indoors, inside the hospital, “Private Practice” has a slick California look. Indoor scenes are well-lit and outdoor scenes are quite vibrant but viewers will notice the grain in the series. Even during the low-light scenes, you do see a bit of noise but compared to other drama series on television, the series is above average in terms of picture quality on DVD.

As for audio, the series is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The series is primarily dialogue driven, so it’s pretty much front and center channel driven. There are no accidents or any major sound effects or even a lot of music like “Grey’s Anatomy” in “Private Practice” but for the most part, audio is clear and understandable.

The show is presented in English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Private Practice – The Complete Second Season” includes the following special features:

DISC 6:

Patient Confidentiality: Examining Season 2 – (12:52) Creator/Executive Producer Shonda Rhimes and Executive Betsy Beers talk about wanting to focus on the moral and ethical dilemma as doctors for Season 2. The talents also chime in on the various season 2 storylines and add their own personal feelings.
Life Through the Lens: The Pictures of Chris Lowell – (8:10) Actor Chris Lowell (who plays William “Dell” Parker”) showcases his photography and he talks about his inspirations and the cast talk about how he is a talented photographer. While the talents are complimentary, Lowell is more comedic when describing his photography.
Extended Episodes and Deleted Scenes – 14 deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by Creator/Executive Producer Shondra Rhimes and Executive Producer Betsy Beers.
Bloopers – (4:17) “Private Practice Season 2″ bloopers

With the first season of “Private Practice” receiving so-so reviews, the “Grey’s Anatomy” spin-off needed to make sure that the second season was significant enough to captivate the audience’s attention enough to stay for all 22 episodes.

So, what better with the country’s economy affecting private practices, to show Oceanside Wellness Center in a similar predicament. The early episodes tend to focus on the company on the verge of bankruptcy and the Addison doing what she can to prevent the company from bankruptcy and hoping for the private practice to emerge from its problems.

But along with the company problems, each of the main characters have their own major issues.

Addison deals with major issues with the company (and eventually leading the company), problems with men, the return of her brother (and her brother working for the rival practice), her relationship with her friend Naomi starts to grow apart and we get to see Addison and McDreamy once again during the “Grey’s Anatomy” cross-over.

This season’s love triangle appears to be between Pete-Violet-Sheldon. As Violet becomes pregnant, she is not sure who the father of the baby is and both men makes things more complicated when each want to be with her. But if anything, the most significant part of season two is Violet’s character at the season finale and to say the least, it will be interesting to find out if a major character does not make it for the rest of season three.

As for Naomi and Sam, things get quite interesting with them as Naomi now finally moves on with her life and starts to date other men (including Addison’s brother Archer), while Sam starts to show more concern over Naomi as she is seen sneaking off quite often from the practice.

As for Cooper, his storyline becomes the Cooper-Charlotte storyline and Cooper now wanting to be there for his good friend Violet and move in with her and support her during her pregnancy, while Charlotte being the cold-hearted doctor of St. Ambrose and later on developing a rival practice against Oceanside Wellness, she becomes more jealous of the time Cooper spends with Violet.

And as for Dell, he has to deal with his ex-girlfriend’s drug problems and finding out that he has a daughter and gets into an even more complicated situation. Talk about a character who’s likability seems to have fallen.

And as the characters face their major issues, on the medical end, the series deals with ethical and moral issues. The series definitely received some controversy with episodes such as episode 20 titled “Contamination” which dealt with autism and whether or not vaccinations do cause autism, another that dealt with sexual relationship between a woman and a young teenage boy, accidental switching of embryos, physician-assisted suicide and siblings who have sex with each other and more. Needless to say, both Shondra Rhimes and Betsy Beers definitely wanted to push the button on certain medical issues.

But part of the problem with “Private Practice” is that it seems as if the writers can not keep up the quality of writing with many of their characters and some are not getting the time that they need. I felt that this was an angsty season and a season where characters storylines were a bit uneven. Writers…please find Addison a decent man instead of having her fall for someone that is always taken. Also, remember… Sam? He needs a storyline. And Dell, this character is really being jerked around quite a bit. “Angsty” seems to be my word to describe season 2. And to cap it off, a season finale that takes a story from what we see in the front page and definitely a dark and twisted finale that I was surely not expecting.

Overall, “Private Practice – The Complete Second Season” had a good number of entertaining episodes and the chemistry of the characters are pretty good and overall, I enjoy the problems and rivalry among the private practices but when it comes to the characters and their storylines, I’m hoping Season 3 is less angsty.

If “Grey’s Anatomy” stars can have its up and downs but yet find some happiness, I hope the characters of “Private Practice” at least get some of that for season 3.

Filed Under: DVD Reviews

Go (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

July 20, 2009 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

“With the 10th anniversary of this popular dark comedy, ‘GO’ receives its High Definition transfer. For the most part, contents are exactly the same as its DVD counterpart but the picture is much more vibrant and full of detail, while the lossless audio definitely enhances many of the action sequences of the film. This Blu-ray release is the definitive version of ‘Go’ and worth the double dip!”

TITLE: Go

DURATION: 115 minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (2:40:1), English and French Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Subtitles: English, English SDH and French

COMPANY: Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

RATED: PG

Release Date: August 11, 2009

Directed by Doug Liman

Written by John August

Produced by Matt Freeman, Mickey Liddell, Paul Rosenberg

Co-Produced by John August, Paddy Cullen

Music by BT, Moby

Director of Photography: Doug Liman

Edited by Stephen Mirrione

Casting by Joseph Middleton

Production Design by Thomas P. Wilkins

Art Direction by Rebecca Young

Set Decoration by Fontaine Beauchamp Hebb

Costume Design by Genevieve Tyrrell

Starring:

Katie Holmes as Claire Montgomery

Saraph Polley as Ronna Martin

Desmond Askew as Simon Baines

Nathan Bexton as Mannie

Robert Peters as Switterman

Scott Wolf as Adam

Jay Mohr as Zack

Timothy Olyphant as Todd Gaines

William Ficthner as Burk

Taye Diggs as Marcus

Breckin Meyer as Tiny

James Duval as Singh

Ronna needs to make some extra cash. Simon wants to escape to Vegas for the weekend. Adam and Zack want to stay out of trouble. But it’s not just another night in the life of these unusual characters. They’re about to embark on a wild ride that won’t end until the sun comes up.

In 1999, the dark comedy film known as “Go” was released in theaters and for the most part, was a well-received film and compared to Quentin Tarentino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction”.

“Go” was directed and filmed by Doug Liman (“Swingers”, “The Bourne Identity” and “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”) and a screenplay written by John August (“Charlies Angels” films, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride”). Also, featuring music by electronic pioneers BT and Moby.

The film revolves around a group of young adults working at a supermarket. Simon Baines (Desmond Askew) wants to get Christmas day off and go to Vegas with his friends, meanwhile Ronna Martin (Sarah Polley) needs quick cash because she is being evicted from her apartment.

“GO” is broken up into three main stories based on Ronna Martin, Simon Baines and Adam & his boyfriend Zack who are soap opera stars but having been busted with drugs, are now helping the police capture their drug supplier.

Here is a spoiler-less summary of each story:

I. Ronna’s Story

Ronna is being evicted from her apartment and because she needs the money, she takes her co-worker Simon’s offer to work his shift at the supermarket. While working his shift, two guys named Adam and Zack look for Simon in hopes to getting some ecstasy. Knowing how much these guys will pay (or anyone will pay) for drugs, Ronna comes up with an idea. How about going to Simon’s supplier and since Simon is gone, selling drugs for a quick profit at the big Christmas Eve rave party.

Ronna is joined by her friends Claire (Katie Holmes) and Mannie (Nathan Bexton) and come up with an idea to get drugs from the drug dealer Todd Gaines (Timothy Olyphant). But Todd is suspicious of Ronna’s request because she wants enough drugs which by law constitutes as drug trafficking. Reluctant to sell her the drugs, he offers it to her at a high price. So, Ronna comes up with an idea…how about giving her the drugs, she’ll pay him back right after she makes the sale and in return, she will leave her friend Claire with him as collateral.

So, as Ronna then goes to meet Adam and Zack to make the deal but Mannie ends up taking some of the pills and is all drugged out. But as she goes to make the deal, she is unaware that Adam and Zack are there with an undercover officer to bust her for drug trafficking.

II. Simon’s Story

Simon joins his friends Marcus (Taye Diggs), Tiny (Breckin Meyer) and Singh (James Duval) in Vegas. While at the casino, Marcus warns Tiny and Singh to not go overboard with the shrimp buffet, they do and now are bedridden with diarrhea. So, Simon and Marcus go out and have some fun at the casino.

After a good number of adventures in Las Vegas, Simon and Marcus go to get a lap dance. They are warned not to touch the women. Unfortunately, Simon does and ends up getting in deep trouble and gets beat up by the bouncer, Victor Jr. Marcus tries to help and gets beaten up and in self-defense, Simon shoots Victor Jr.

Simon and Marcus know they are in deep trouble and quickly get their friends and know they must leave Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Victor’s father wants revenge and will do whatever it takes to get back at the man who shot his son. Both Victor’s go after Simon and friends.

III. Adam & Zack’s Story

Adam (Scott Wolf) and Zack (Jay Mohr) are two soap stars and gay loves who were busted by the authorities for drug possession, but they are now working on a deal with Burke (William Fichtner) in order to have their drug possession charges dropped. After both men meet Burke in hopes to bust Simon, they realize that Burke and his wife are wanting the two to work with them and sell Confederated Products.

Meanwhile, Adam and Zack confess their sins and that both of them are cheating each other by being with their makeup artist Jimmy. So, the two want revenge on Jimmy by going to a Christmas rave and confronting him.

After confronting Jimmy, they try to leave the Christmas rave and end up running into a woman with their car and possibly killing her.

Now the two are in anguish of what they should do with the body.

IV. CONCLUSION

The first three stories are tied together but showcasing each person’s wild day that they are having on Christmas Eve. It’s important to note that much more happens in each storyline which I didn’t go into but nevertheless, each story is filled with dark humor.

The conclusion is the fourth final story as we get to see what has happened to Ronna and Simon after their own personal storyline.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“GO” gets its High Definition treatment with a 1080p transfer (2:40:1 aspect ratio) and again, Sony does a great job with its transfer. From Simon’s sweaty skin as he comes out of the trunk, the dirt and grime on the cars, the vibrant colors of the outdoor scenes. For the most part, you see detail from the clothing down to the car seats. Flesh tones are natural and for the most part, “Go” looks great on Blu-ray.

There is grain from the film and no signs of over-DNR and no compression artifacts from what I have seen. Blacks are very deep blacks and for the most part, “Go” is a colorful film.

As for audio, the film is presented in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 in English, English SDH and French. For the most part, the film is a dialogue and music driven film. Dialogue is clear and understandable and for the most part, the film is front channel driven. It’s when you get to the second story featuring Simon and that is where a lot of the action scenes are heard. From the gunshots to the grinding of metal when cars crash into each other or scrape on the side of the brick walls, the sound comes alive from your surrounds.

As mentioned, the film is also music driven, so you can hear BT’s music being utilized through the front and surround channels throughout the film. May it be the rave scene in the first and third story or the action scenes in the second story, music plays a prominent part in the film.

Subtitles are presented in English, English SDH and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“GO” features the following special features in Standard Definition (note: these are the same special features from the original DVD release):

Commentary by Director Doug Liman and Editor Stephen Mirrione – An informative commentary with the two men with insight of the film and what they enjoyed about certain scenes. Some of the improvised lines from some of the talent, to filming in Las Vegas and how certain people who weren’t familiar with the Las Vegas scene started to enjoy it. Overall, a fun and enjoyable commentary.
Making-Of Featurette – (6:20) The original 1999 making-of featurette. Featuring Director Doug Liman and various cast with the behind-the-scenes making of “Go”.
14 Deleted Scenes - (25:26) 14 deleted scenes (with the time stamps). Included are: Simon and Ronna Outside, Ronna and the Beer, Mannie on Drugs, Gaines Pulls a Gun on Claire, Singh and Tiny Ad Lib, Simon and NRA, Porno and Kid, Vic and Dinosaurs, Elevator, Burke and Girlfriends, Sandra, Gun Play, Hunt for Keys and Simon Gets Punched,
3 Music Videos – Three music videos: “New” by No Doubt, “Magic Carpet Ride” by Philip Steir and “Steal My Sunshine” by Len.
Trailers – Trailers for upcoming films on Blu-ray from Sony Picture Home Entertainment.
BD Live Enabled – This Blu-ray release is BD Live enabled.

I was definitely the first in line when the original film came out on DVD and its hard to believe that it has been ten years since the release of the film, here we are today with a Blu-ray release.

“GO” is an enjoyable dark comedy that is not grotesque or even uber-violent if compared to “Pulp Fiction” but it is a film that some may classify as a stoner film to just an all out adventure with three enjoyable ensemble storylines. In fact, the film does have its share of drug references and its share of sexual scenes.

For the most part, the characters are all fun to watch and each storyline was just fun to watch in their own way. Despite William Fichtner and Katie Holmes getting the top billing for the film, their role in the film is quite short, nor are they the main characters. Also, as each storyline do focus on a few individuals, its the actual melding of all the characters and their friends and the adventure they go through and also their crazy antics, that makes “Go” so much fun to watch. And ten years later, the film still manages to make me laugh and is enjoyable now as it was back in 1999.

As for the Blu-ray release, for the most part, the Blu-ray release has the same special features. There is nothing new added but the fact that the film is featured in 1080p High Definition and features and English, Portuguese and French Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack.

Other than that, I recommend this film for those who have never seen the film before. But is the film worth the double dip? It all comes down to if you want this film in 1080p and want it with the lossless Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack.

But overall, this is the definitive version of “Go” and definitely recommended for those who enjoyed the film and want it on High Definition.

Filed Under: Blu-ray Reviews

Go (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

September 27, 2003 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

BUY THIS DVD

MOVIE COMPANY: Columbia Pictures
CAST: Taye Diggs, William Fichtner, J.E Freeman, Breckin Meyer, Katie Holmes, Timothy Olyphant, Sarah Polley, Scott Wolf and more.
DIRECTED BY: Doug Liman
PRODUCED BY: Paul Rosenberg, Mickey Lodell and Matt Freeman
INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE URL: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0139239
TYPE OF MOVIE: Drama
DURATION: 102 minutes

Ronna needs to make some extra cash, Simon wants to escape to Vegas for the weekend, Adam and Zack want to stay out of trouble. But it’s not just an other night in the life of these unusual characters. They’re about to embark on a wild ride that won’t end until the sun comes up.

This hip, outrageous and action packed hit from director Doug Liman (SWINGERS) features a pulsating soundtrack and surprising performers from hot newcomers Sara Polley (The Sweet Hereafter), Katie Holmes (TV’s “Dawson Creek”), Scott Wolf (TV’s “Party of Five”) and Jay Mohr (Jerry Maguire). GO is a sexy and hilarious comedy that stretches the limits of how far you can go and still get home from the party alive.

DVD EXTRAS:

• Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
• Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen
• Commentary by director Doug Liman & Editor Stephen Mirrione
• Production notes
• Theatrical trailer(s)
• Making-of Featurette
• 14 Deleted Scenes
• 3 Music Videos
• Full-screen and widescreen anamorphic formats
• Number of discs: 1

KNOWN DVD SECRET(S): None at this time

DVD REVIEW:

Before I started watching this movie, I heard so much hype of how cool this movie is. I was watching a movie directed by a friend called “Yellow” and people described it as the Asian version of “Go”. Well, I finally watched the movie and I was impressed.

At first I didn’t know what to think about it. I thought it was OK in the first 30 minutes and then next thing you know, it got better. I liked how there were different storylines which were all connected and it was pretty cool.

As for the video, the colors were nice and colorful. I don’t recall major artifacts. As for the sound, since it’s a dialogue movie, not much sound effects but the music is was is utilized the most. Really good music in this film.

As for the special features in this movie, I was impressed how many deleted scenes were included in this DVD. I wonder why some of them were taken out but I still have to watch the director’s commentary on that. Also, cool music videos were included especially the popular Len music video. The featurette was also cool to watch.

The movie was good, not great. A good opportunity to sit back and watch young actors go to raves, experiment with drugs and alcohol and have some fun while some face certain consequences. Very entertaining with the variety of characters in this movie. Check it out!

THE MOVIE: B-
THE DVD EXTRAS: A
THE DVD OVERALL: B+

Filed Under: DVD Reviews