Is tonight's episode of Private Practice a trick or a treat? Is it a full-sized chocolate bar in your loot bag, or a rock? Or is it something in between?

Spoilers ahead… spooky emotional details! Oooooooo!

Addison faces her baby envy with a patient, Angie, who is lying to her husband about wanting a child. She asks Naomi and Addison to lie, and "blame" their inability to conceive on him… and not on her using birth control. This woman has everything Addison wants – an adoring husband who wants children – and she's seemingly throwing it all away. However, she reveals that the reason she doesn't want children is because she fears she is carrying the gene for Huntington's Disease, and with Addison's help, she finds out that she is indeed a carrier. She ends up leaving her husband, to save him from the pain of losing a wife and not having the child he so desperately wants. In the end, Addison talks her back, explaining that she needs to tell her husband the truth, and that "a person should get to have a whole life." Addison isn't feeling whole herself then, we gleam.

Cooper has a young patient, Tess, who says her multiple injuries are just from being clumsy, but the signs point to abuse. Her mother, Marilyn, who suffers from MS, is much loved by Sam, her doctor. Following his gut, Cooper calls Child Protective Services on the basis of her records, including a repeated accident to her arm which looks like someone twisted it, hard. Sam is angry, and defends Marilyn, causing friction between the two doctors. When questioned about it, both Tess and Marilyn insist it's because Tess is only trying to help her mom keep from falling, and sometimes her arm gets bruised in the process. Even before the hearing, Cooper is second guessing his actions. But in a very revealing moment, Dell actually explains the signs of abuse, because he went through it himself. Just before seeing the judge, Tessa reveals that her mother does indeed hit her, but she's willing to let her. While on the stand, Cooper explains that no one child should allow themselves to be abused, because it denies them the chance of being a child. Sam realizes he was wrong, and admits his fault to Cooper.

Charlotte is suffering from insomnia, and nothing seems to be working. Sam turns her over to Pete, who does everything he can think of to get her to relax and sleep. Nothing seems to work, until in a brief session with Violet, when we learn Charlotte has intimacy issues – she's letting no one in. She has a moment of confidential release with Pete, and is able to sleep afterwards – but is back to being the Tiger Lady the moment she wakes up.

All of these storylines, and their emotionally bitter yet revealing centers aren't rocks or full sized bars, but good satisfying nuggets of character building. Like four or five dark chocolate mini-sized bars.

Other Random Thoughts:
- I liked the episode opener… and the closer… they were both powerful moments for Addison to get the upper hand, and let Pete look like the needy flirt of the pair. It was a good way to empower her, if only a little, and set the balance back to almost even between them. Pete always seems so self-assured, so quietly confident, and he was thrown off a bit in this episode, between Addison's challenges and Charlotte's calling him out as taking the easy way out with holistic medicine.
- Prediction: Charlotte, the old version of Addison, is going to be the other part of a triangle with Pete. I love this woman! And Charlotte had a pill problem? Nice that she has a fault besides just being a hard ass in a sea of feel good doctors.
- Pete is The Fun Guy, and not the Deep Family Guy? Not the marrying type? I've never pegged him as the Fun Guy. His dead wife and bad marriage didn't sour him entirely. I think that's a lot of hot air. And no matter what may happen with Addison, I still think he's going to be pulled toward nurturing Charlotte instead of Addison.
- Naomi should hit that, and you know what I mean. That's just what she needs.
- Violet doesn't want kids and I think that's a good idea.

What did you think? Did you enjoy this episode as much as I did, or is it just the sugar high talking from raiding my kids' candy?

Comments

Is it wrong that Pete/TD is as old as my dad, yet I'd still hit it in a millisecond?

I thought the Pete/Addison scenes were good. Nice chemistry from the pair in the past few episodes. It's interesting that they might make Charlotte a point in the triangle. I had her pegged for Sam.

Cooper is still great. I...just love him. And he gets so many great lines.

SweetPea | Nov 1, 2007 1:26:32 AM | #

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I'm not agreeing with the Charlotte being pulled into a love triangle angle. I think Charlotte and Sam are being positioned to be a couple. After all it is Sam who ends up at the hospital everytime they need to send someone over.

I'm a little worried about Dell/Naomi actually happening. The reason is that there is a power inbalance; whereas, with eg. Pete and Addison they are at the same level but Dell (or is it Del?) is a subordinate.

Rishi | Nov 1, 2007 3:03:52 AM | #

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Tonight's episode sealed these characters for me. Before tonight I was a little on the fence about everyone but Addison. I also liked Charlotte, I always knew there was a softer side to her, not soft but softer and last night we got to see it.

I agree that Dell and Naomi would just be weird to watch. I agreed with her when she was talking to Sam that he is a child. He is very young looking and I don't really get the chemistry there.

I also thought that the Addison/Pete thing would take longer. It's only November and they are already kissing randomly. From what I got from the last scene was that Addison wasn't willing to settle for Pete when he wasn't ready to commit. Yet the preview for next week showed them making out again. Either be together or don't the in-between thing drives me crazy.

Courtney | Nov 1, 2007 6:01:31 AM | #

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Is it too much to ask for an episode where Cooper is wrong and the parent is not evil? Having a child when there's a 50% chance of it developing Huntington's is a very selfish thing to do. Dell and Naomi is going to happen, and it's her fault for not shutting him down... he pretty much confessed to loving her last night. Addison is an idiot for trying to change Pete to what she wants him to be (marriage material) from what he actually is (emotionally damaged)... men are not fixer-uppers.

AC | Nov 1, 2007 7:22:20 AM | #

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Dillon | Nov 1, 2007 7:57:58 AM | #

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This show is getting werider and werider with there medical cases I didn't even know that hungington's disease is a really sound werid disease, and trying to put that blonde with pete i think is perfect they are both assholes anyways!

Dillon c | Nov 1, 2007 7:59:53 AM | #

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Dillon-- Huntington's is a REAL disease. It's not "weird" to bring attention to a real and fatal disease that thousands of Americans deal with on a daily basis.

And AC, who are you to decide what makes a life have value? The majority of HD patients don't even begin to show symptoms until age 40 or 50, and after that, death doesn't occur for ten or fifteen years. Who are you to say that because a child could have a risk of HD, they should never be born? How is it selfish? What if the child is born WITHOUT the HD gene and then is hit by a car and killed at age ten? Does that negate the value of his or her life prior to his death, and mean that the child shoudl never have existed? What a totally brain-dead view of the world.

CC | Nov 1, 2007 9:39:53 AM | #

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I don't have a problem with Naomi and Del's age difference, but I do have a problem with a boss dating a subordinate. Unless they make him a full partner now that he is a nurse(is he a nurse or a nurse practioner?), I would not like to see Naomi & Del together.

A one time deal would do wonders for Naomi's ego, but it would hurt Del a lot. He is in love with Naomi and wants a whole relationship with her.

Age is relative. I have a good friend who got married this summer whose husband is 18 years younger. It all depends on the attitudes of the couple.

Lorraine G. | Nov 1, 2007 10:30:08 AM | #

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great episode.

and i love to see pete/charolette over pete/addison. but that's just me..

ave | Nov 1, 2007 10:42:42 AM | #

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This was the first PP episode I've ever seen. And Addison isn't as spunky as she used to be...sad. She had more chemistry with the Grey's guys than anyone on this show.
That Charlotte is one tough prick. But I do see chemistry between her and both guys: Pete and Sam (names?).
Overrall: If the show stops stuffing Addison-Pete down my throat, I may continue watching. Oh, and if it stops being so damn BORING too.

Cherie | Nov 1, 2007 11:11:54 AM | #

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Was anyone else shocked that Naomi didn't seem to know what Hungington's was? She's supposed to be a doctor, right? I learned about the disease in middle school and guessed that it was the problem as soon as the patient mentioned that Addison had a background in genetics.

AD | Nov 1, 2007 11:50:48 AM | #

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After Del's admission of being abused (presumably by his father), any relationship with Naomi would be so Oedopedian (i.e. Oedipus) it would be sickening. That's beyond the fact that she's his boss and which would be completely wrong on that level. The writers better strike that off the boards immediately.
Other than that, the show seems to be getting better as they actually had the characters deal with adult issues while still maintaining the humorous aspect of the relationships.
Charlotte ending up with Pete really cracked me up particularly the smirk on his face when she walked out with the magnets all over her face. They are definitely going to get it on out of frustration before too long and the potential repercussion of that could be hilarious.

wmeador | Nov 1, 2007 11:55:28 AM | #

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I think Naomi should hit that too. What's not to like? Like she said, he thinks she's pretty; and she needs that now.
And as for his age being "wierd", is it equally wierd that Violet's ex- is w/a 20-something? No? No one grossed out? Then why is it wrong for Dell, in his 20's, to get together w/Naomi????

Lisa | Nov 1, 2007 2:41:05 PM | #

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Minor nit -- to gather (as information) bit by bit is to GLEAN, not gleam. [Definition from www.m-w.com]

(My apologies to you if this is just a spelling error, but it looks like a mistake in usage, and I take those seriously even in on-line contexts.)

kwh | Nov 1, 2007 5:01:51 PM | #

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@AD
I am right there with you. Not only did Naomi not know about Huntington's, but Addison seemed to have to explain basic middle school genetics to her.
Furthermore, all Naomi did was follow around Addison and frown all episode long.
When Dell told her (Naomi) that "she is the practice", I laughed, because Naomi is so clearly NOT the practice.

Rachel | Nov 1, 2007 6:48:05 PM | #

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Really liked tonight's episode, and feel the show as a whole gets stronger each week. Loved the Naomi and Dell moment, and Naomi in general.

So, it's been six episodes and there are still posters writing about how horrible the show is and how they're going to stop watching? That's a pretty long time to hang on to a show you dont' like. I'm usually gone by two.

Angelic | Nov 1, 2007 7:34:32 PM | #

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I'm sorry, I thought everyone watching PP was actually a fan of Grey's first; Grey's the place where Surgeons sleep with interns and nurses, staff members below them in the pecking order but that's OK but Naomi hitting Del suddenly everyone's so self righteous?? Del is more grown up than the rest of them in that practice and he knows what he wants, he always has. He's never once wavered in his feelings for Naomi - so he's younger than her in dog years but since when was that a crime he's in his 20s not a teenager. How old was the stripper Sam was knocking around with earlier in the season - no-one cared about her age. Del is a very genuine man and I think what Cooper says about battered children not getting a proper childhood applies to Del too - being battered may have made him grow up first but he is an adult and he doesn't need fixing plus Chris Lowell is gorgeous so go for it, I would!
Charlotte - complete cow but I admire that she says what she thinks without caring what everyone else's reaction to it will be but I'm still quite surprised no-one smacked her.
I think one of the lessons of the Huntingdon story is that people should not be making other people's choices for them. That woman would rather leave her husband than tell him the truth her fear of his reaction took away his right to make his own decision and she nearly lost the love of her life. That goes for some of the people on this post too - your fears are colouring your decisions about someone else. Just because you have a disease even a fatal one should not negate your right to live your life the way you have to. Sometimes living your life means you have to close your eyes... and leap!

Sirius | Nov 2, 2007 10:11:16 PM | #

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