"Private Practice" Under the Microscope

Grey's Anatomy had me at, "Hello McDreamy" but the spin-off "Private Practice" is going to have to earn my valuable TV watching time, first and foremost, because the idea of a spin-off in general just bugs me. It's built on the premise of a show that put in the time and effort to make a name for itself. It's like waiting in line for hours for tickets to an event only to have someone at the last minute cut in line by joining a friend thus reaping the benefits without doing any of the leg work. Like, why did Matt LeBlanc have to tread on the reputation built by "Friends" by having his own spin-off "Joey?" But I digress.

"Private Practice" is billed as a new start and lease on life for Kate Walsh's Grey's character Addison Shepherd who cheated on her husband only to win him back and then lose him again to another woman (Meredith Gray played by Ellen Pompeo). Shepherd's appeal was the producers' ability to build the character up as someone you would instantly hate once she hit the canvas; a cheating, conniving, know it all interfering with the main romantic pairing everyone was rooting for, but who surprisingly became a beloved character which is pretty tough after that kind of negative build up. But, just when we were starting to get use to the idea of her sticking around Seattle Grace, producers decide to throw a wrench in the plotline.

The introduction to the spin-off was somewhat jarring as it was thrown into the season finale of Grey's Anatomy at the end of last season. That one was tough to digest as "Private Practice" is suppose to take a different direction than Grey's yet the two were integrated begging the question just how different are they? Not to mention getting to know new characters during a critical time in the lives of the old ones didn't lend me to pay more attention to them and did quite the opposite.

To its credit "Private Practice" has a few big names that will draw me to the season premiere, characters who weren't introduced in the interjected introduction during the Grey's finale. For example, Taye Diggs who will play Dr. Sam Bennett, was incredible in the movie "Rent" which really makes me wonder what drew him to the new primetime program. Also, Amy Brenneman from "Judging Amy" who will play Dr. Violet Turner, is a great addition, but I'll have to see if I can think of her as anyone other than the family court judge who had a mess of a personal life but had a firm grasp on the law. The other big name cast mate, Tim Daly, who is billed as Walsh's new love interest, Dr. Pete Wilder, in my mind is only lukewarm as I feel he just isn't up to the challenge of competing with other eye candy Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane who have played Walsh's previous love connections on Grey's. Plus, I can't help think of old episodes of the sitcom "Wings" in which Daly played the very square Joe Hackett.

Other lesser known actors debuting in primetime include Tony winner and recording artist Audra McDonald, Paul Adelstein who's appeared in films such as "Collateral" and "Intolerable Cruelty," KaDee Strickland whose movie credits include "Fever Pitch" and "The Stepford Wives," as well as Chris Lowell from the series "Veronica Mars."

Whether or not the show can keep me interested will be a delightful challenge because as of right now I have low expectations. I'm envisioning "Ally McBeal" meets "House" meets "Friends." I hope that I will be pleasantly surprised.