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”!
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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.
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 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.
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.
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. 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. 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. 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.
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.
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 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!
