User reviews

This is one of those shows that has been discredited by many viewers as a simple spin-off. Think it not a spin-off, but an extension. Before simply saying, "I have to make a choice between Private Practice and Grey's Anatomy. I can't watch both." Give Private Practice a chance.

The all-star cast is incredible. And Kate Walsh is even better now that she is in her element with actors and characters who are her age, and act like it. Grey's Anatomy's story now seems immature, and repulsively similar to high school in comparison to Private Practice's adults in their late thirties/early forties who are fed up with the crap of relationships. These characters have been divorced, been broken up with, and are looking for something of substance and meaning to add to their lives.

Yes, the individual episode format of medical conflict is similar to that of Grey's Anatomy. But more than just surgery plays its part in this show; therapy, alternative medicine, pediatrics and simple family medicine can be just as complex as surgery; often more-so since the patient is conscious and often fuels the issue with their personality problems.

So give this show a chance. The cast is great and the storyline is much more mature than Grey's Anatomy. If you don't try it, you won't know if you like it.

At first, I thought the show was just so-so, & I kept watching because I am a fan of the actors (Kate Walsh, Amy Brenneman, Tim Daly)... it was decent, but not as good as I had hoped. I kept watching to give it a chance, & I'm glad I did; the writing is still not "great", but it's getting better each week, & I like the fact that the characters are older & more mature (mostly) than on Greys. You shouldn't try to compare this show to Greys Anatomy too much though, as it portrays a different style & atmosphere- less surgery drama, different types of medicine & treatment of patients, less "hosptial" & more of an "office" atmosphere (obviously), etc. Mainly I like it because it seems to deal with issues that aren't only about "who's sleeping with who this week", although there are potential hookups for the future... I am now liking Private Practice more than Greys this season; the actors are great, & the writing is slowly getting into the groove... I'll definitely keep watching, & I hope people give it a chance for awhile.

I actually enjoy this show and I was doubtful when I heard about it. Has ANYONE worked in a place with friends and NOT had personal dramas? I doubt it. We all know it's there. The cast is incredible. There are some amazing performances by some very notable names. These are believable characters with believable faults and believable problems. It's humorous, dramatic and it pulls you into the stories. It's got heart wrenching stories without being far-fetched and odd, but believable cases. OK, it's not Grey's Anatomy, but let's face it. It wasn't meant to be.

I would recommend at least watching a few episodes yourself, then stopping and see if you aren't drawn back to the stories. You will be.

This show is really just completely average, which may be better than many shows on television currently, but it is not that good. All of the female characters especially are so one-dimensional. Kate Walsh is great and I like the rest of the cast, but Adison has lost all of the complexity and interest that she had in Grey's Anatomy and now is some pathetic woman who just wants a baby. All the women in this show are going through mid-life crisis' or something and are not realistic or complex at all. If this show would just get canceled Grey's Anatomy might get back to the good quality that characterized the first three seasons.

I have been watching since the back door pilot, which should have warned me how the show was going to be. Even so there are such good actors on the cast that I ignored my initial impression of the slow, dragging storyline of Private Practice and watched anyway. I loved Amy B on Judging Amy and Kate Walsh was enjoyable enough on Grey's. I'm also a fan of Taye Diggs. Still there's something missing from the show. Its most upsetting for me to see Amy playing this sad woman, Violet? I'm not sure I enjoy that very much. This season's premiere just proves that even the best of actors can't make do with a so-so plot line. I know Shonda Rimes means well but I'm not interested so far. I guess I don't know where she's going with this. I'll still be watching and expecting more but only to see the actors I love suffering in their roles. Hopefully the writers will give them the gift of better storyline soon.

This is not Grey's anatomy. I think one of the most important you have to do in order to appreciate this show is to not compare it to Grey's Anatomy.

This show had a bad start when the pilot within the two hour special Grey's was hated by many fans and critics. However, now that this show has became an individual show with its own time slow, it has improved dramatically. The first episode was a huge step up from the two hour special. The second episode was even better than the first. This show has the potential to become a hit, if only people would give it a chance.

Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Amy Brennemen, and Paul Adelstein all deliver great performances every episodes. The group itself contain a lot of chemistry and whenever they work together, it makes you feel all buddy buddy. Though i don't particularly like them, Taye Diggs and Audra McDonald gives decent performances weekly.

Just give it a chance, and if you stop comparing it to Grey's, its actually a pretty decent show with a chance to thrive.

Really good. More mature than Grey's. This is for grownups. The characters are good, annoying, stupid, lovely, angry, irrational - just like real people.

This is a GREAT show.People need to just sit down and watch it without comparing it to Grey's Anatomy. It is a totally different show. The only reason the pilot aired the way it did was to basically let people know where Addison went and why. Other than that common factor there really isn't much the same about the two shows. But most of the time it is hilariously funny. The producers of this show-I believe- picked the perfect cast.They all mesh well together...like they are old friends who were meant to work together. And Addison is still as crazy as ever on this show, she just has men in her life that actually act like men instead of teenage boys. But really people just give this show a chance.You might be surprised and like it.

It's one of those rare times, a spin off series really captures its original show feel, and gives it a new edge. I always preferred Addison. She's classy, naturally gifted, and a lot more sympathetic heroine than Meredith Grey. Also, California beaches are more enjoyable than Seattle's wooded landscape, to me. Storylines strayed in very questionable and over the top dramatic plots, only never the way Grey's Anatomy did and still do. Season 6 is clearly not the show's best, but that series finale was worth the wait. Regulars are great, even when they're flawed. And Amelia shined there, which is a shame her joining the original series cast, spoiled that. To me, the show was at its peak during seasons 2 to 5. Coincidentally back when ABC was as well. The music, the cast and the acting, were reasons I always preferred this over Grey's, and love rewatching both shows back to back, a lot more than what is currently showing on the network. I was a whole different time for both the franchise and the show runners, where ideas were still fresh. Which made Private Practice, Sondaland's most accomplished series.

Easily the best character in the show!! Start off not loving her, but as the season goes on she really grows on you!

Contrasting her is Naomi... the worst and most hypocritical person alive.

I'm a big Greys fan... and enjoyed this too (maybe not as much!)... but a different spin, more complex stories and a sunny backdrop make for enjoyable viewing!

OK it's got the depth of a puddle and the nuance of an angry 15 year old girl. But that's the demographic sweet spot. I'm sure it's fine in that sense. You can't judge trash by the standards of anything other than trash and this is pretty good trash. OK so all the men are women and the women are insane. But only in that high school chick movie way. In the real world you'd run screaming for the doors if any of these borderline narcissists came at you with a scalpel or medical help. Assuming of course any of them could pull their respective genitals out of each other long enough to see patients. But so what? Oceanside Wellness careens from one improbable medical disaster to the next. And it always ends well or tragically. Which is the same as ending well. I feel that the only moral dilemma they left out was having a suicide bomber show up demanding to be artificially inseminated with the sperm of dead cloned Rabbi so she could go off and detonate in a glorious spectacle of female empowerment. Maybe they did that one. I forget. At any rate, give it watch. It's stupid mindless fluff that will leave you asking the TV whether they're retarded or you are. And the answer does not matter. I rate this a 5/10 because it aims for silly mediocrity and hits it perfectly.

I too really like the show, at first I wasn't too sure if I would as "greys anatomy " is one of my favourite's, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised.

I was drawn to the series following the character... Dr. Addison Montgomery played by the lovely Kate Walsh. Again I didn't know if she alone could hold the show as although she played a great role in greys, it was only a small part in the whole series.

As is has been said, the show is quite different from Grey's But I think a stunning series in its own right. Well worth watching, and looking forward to seeing the next series.

On the whole, the show was an enjoyable watch, it at time seemed to go off on a tangent, but reigned itself back in.

At times it seems to dwell on sadness and adversity, but at the same time helps us to find something to smile about.

Least said about the Musical episode the better... Season 6 was a bit of a disappointment, with its format a bit of a hotchpotch at times.

It gets much, much better with time. Lame cliché, but true. Why is that? you may ask, well, first because it's getting a distance from GA. It's technically a spin off, but it's truly not. It's a brand new show with a character that USED TO BE on GA. Huge difference. Which, unfortunately, made the pilot/episode of GA almost un-watchable. It was really bad because we got a bunch of new characters tossed at us in two hours with a: this is the new show, like it! Almost impossible in those circumstances seeing as they are extremely different shows. So the first episode on it's own made me go: huh! better than I remembered. So distance: good.

Secondly, the characters are getting more interesting. Not only are the actors obviously... getting to know who their characters are, but so am I. Violet is getting past the stalking thing. She now has a personality that doesn't involve stalking Allan (big plus). Cooper is getting over having sex with women of dubious nature and becoming a very caring character who wear wings to discover the source of little girls illness (major plus). Dell is passed the surfer dude stage, gotta love the happy pap! And so on. I'm not sure I'll ever get to like Charlotte though I do have to say that the urge to hit her over the head with a large stick has mostly passed... So, they are getting past their starting point and I like that.

Thirdly, and final point, the writing is better. It's directly relating to second point, and the story line are interesting. They do only have two patients an episode, so not a whole lot of medicine, most of the time not even Addison's, but it doesn't matter cause they are good story lines. And they are getting explored now. They use more of their potential and that's very nice. It seriously makes for an enjoyable watch. Give it another chance, you might actually be surprised at what you'll find.

Really great drama, that has everything that Grey's Anatomy doesn't. Great characters that are complex yet very relatable. Story line is always fresh and unpredictable. Each episode gets better and better. Definitely didn't have any expectations for this show since it was considered a spin off, but it's not like that at all. Nothing about it reminds me of Grey's except for Addison's character, who was great on Grey's and even better on this show. Not cheesy or over the top like Grey's can be, it reminds me of House but w/ more likable and interesting characters and better stories. If you haven't watched this show yet, catch up on old episodes online. This show puts Grey's to shame, especially this season. Hoping Private Practice makes it for another season.

First of all, the most childish and unprofessional office I have ever seen. Everyone is in love with each other and it's largely a bizarre, vaguely medical-themed game of kiss chase.

No one seems to question that the characters all work in a wellness clinic and yet are operating pretty much every single day in a local hospital for some reason? The surgeons who are presumably employed at this hospital just stand back and let this incestuous band of wellness gurus perform ground-breaking surgery every episode? And then what is going on with Charlotte? She was fired from the hospital and now she works at the wellness centre or does she work at a rival clinic upstairs in the same building or is she still actually chief of staff at the main hospital because she also seems to still be doing this? I just can't keep up with anything. The bizarre clinic vs hospital vs where does Charlotte work (please is she working as a sex therapist in the clinic or is she boss of the hospital because it just doesn't make sense that one episode she is one thing and another episode she is something else!) alongside this wholly childish love-octagon the characters are embroiled in makes this show an overwhelming and distressing mess. Like a cross between greys anatomy and a fever dream.