RX FOR 'PRIVATE PRACTICE': ONE DOSE OF REALITY.Byline: > DAVID David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. KRONKE When you have a to-die-for cast that includes Kate Walsh, Audra McDonald, Amy Brenneman, Tim Daly and Taye Diggs, you'd ordinarily want to deliver to them material a little less solipsistic than what they get in tonight's premiere of "Private Practice," Shonda Rhimes' much-anticipated "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff. As explicated in a "Grey's" episode last season, Addison Montgomery (Walsh) has left Seattle for sunny L.A., taking up residence at a "wellness center" focused on personalized care (which I think is code for catering exclusively to the wealthy, who like to be pampered pam·per tr.v. pam·pered, pam·per·ing, pam·pers 1. To treat with excessive indulgence: pampered their child. 2. ). She was hired by her pal Naomi (McDonald), who neglected to inform her other partners. Those colleagues are desultorily des·ul·to·ry adj. 1. Moving or jumping from one thing to another; disconnected: a desultory speech. 2. Occurring haphazardly; random. See Synonyms at chance. offended by Addison's presence, even though, on her first morning in town, she managed to do an unwitting strip tease of one of them, Sam (Diggs), Naomi's ex. (This is the sort of giddily quirky idiocy IDIOCY, med. jur. That condition of mind, in which the reflective, or all or a part of the affective powers, are either entirely wanting, or are manifested to the least possible extent. 2. Idiocy generally depends upon organic defects. with which the show threatens to overwhelm viewers.) Others at the clinic include Pete (Tim Daly), an alternative-medicine guru who thinks Addison came to town after the two of them smooched; Violet (Amy Brenneman), the proverbial shrink in need of a shrink; and Cooper (Paul Adelstein), who's a horndog jerk except when he's a sensitive guy. Tonight's episode features all manner of quixotic quix·ot·ic also quix·ot·i·cal adj. 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality. 2. plotting, including a battle between a dead man's ex and his mistress over the man's sperm. When it's not aggressively quirky, it's fiercely sentimental. What it isn't is remotely credible. This may shake out as the series progresses (but, then, a lot of viewers are getting increasingly exasperated with "Grey's" plotting). As is, "Private Practice" boasts a dream cast wallowing in nightmarish whimsy whim·sy also whim·sey n. pl. whim·sies also whim·seys 1. An odd or fanciful idea; a whim. 2. A quaint or fanciful quality: stories full of whimsy. . PRIVATE PRACTICE - Two and one half stars >What: "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff with Kate Walsh's Addison Montgomery transplanted to Los Angeles. >Where: ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. (Channel 7). >When: 9 tonight. >In a nutshell: A cast this good deserves better than this cutesy/manipulative scripting. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: The wellness center that's the setting of "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff "Private Practice," debuting tonight on ABC, probably could use a relationship counselor just to keep all those doctors in line. |
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