ABCDon't look now but the Addy and Pete love triangle just became a bona fide square on Private Practice. (Which was just picked up for a full second season, FYI).
Sources tell me Pete (Tim Daly) has a new love interest who's coming on board. And I also just chatted up Addison herself, Kate Walsh, to get the word on her alter ego's latest romantic exploits and other P.P. happenings.
Read on for that dish, and, check out seven sneak peeks of tonight's all-new episode...
Love Ain't Easy: According to Kate, despite Addy's continued professional success, her love life remains complicated: "I think there's this continuing dichotomy between Addison's personal and professional self. She's taking on more of an alpha position at the practice, and in these next several episodes you really see her taking her place and causing lots of conflict that way. And then there's this dichotomy with her personal life and what unfolds with dating, all of these other sides of her that are revealed." I am slightly concerned this means Addy is strong at work but weak and quibbling when it comes to love. Prove me wrong, Shonda!
As for the romance with Kevin "SWAT Guy" Nelson (David Sutcliffe), Kate tells us, "It's very interesting to see how it plays out. When you see her trying to relate to this SWAT guy, you see a totally different side of Addison."
How does once-upon-a-time love interest Pete (Tim Daly) feel about this turn of events? "I don't know! You'll have to ask Pete!" Actually a little birdie (not named Pete, Tim, Kate or Addy) tells me that beginning next week, Pete has a dalliance of his own. Yep, he'll be hooking up with a pretty physician named Meg, played by Jayne Brook, who works with Doctors Without Borders.
BFF? Things don't look good for the future Naomi (Audra McDonald) and Addy. According to Kate: "Professionally they don't always agree, and then personally, there's a streak of, 'I may make a choice at work that you don't like, but we can still be friends—or can we?' That continues to play out, and I think in a very realistic way." I've seen tonight's ep and for the moment, Naomi and Addy essentially aren't speaking. Naomi even tries to adopt Violet (Amy Brenneman) as a substitute best friend.
Whither Dell? Don't know about you, but Dell (Chris Lowell) is one of my favorite parts of series, and his relationship with Addy is a highlight. (It reminds me of the best of George and Bailey on Grey's.) Kate tells us she's a fan, too, saying, "I'm glad you like it, because I certainly love the dynamic between them. It's like Addison doesn't have any interns to boss around anymore so she has that relationship with Dell." Still, Dell has demanded his respect, as Kate points out, and he's nobody's doormat. We'll learn in tonight's episode what happened to Dell post-Wellness Center and how his attitude has changed. Among other things? He's getting a little bossy himself...
Long Live the King: As Addy refocuses on surgery this season, we'll see her at the hospital a great deal more, which means more quality time with badass Dr. Charlotte King. "All the doctors at Oceanside Wellness need Charlotte," Kate explains, "and yet they resent needing her, because she's a pain in the ass to deal with. But this season there's definitely a lot more of Charlotte, who is played brilliantly by KaDee Strickland."
Oh, Brother: Kate reports that Grant Show's arrival as Addy's brother reveals a great deal about her background that we haven't known until now. Kate says: "We always hear that she's Addison Forbes Montgomery, and she's clearly a WASP, but when her brother comes, we get to really see this totally other dynamic. Grant and I were saying there's sort of a 'les enfants terribles' dynamic that comes out when the two of them are together. They kind of regress...He just pops in and causes trouble in more ways than one, so it's really fun to play with him." Of course, the real question is whether he'll bring along his pornstache from Swingtown. I vote yes!
How are you liking Private Practice this season? In my humble opinion, it's an altogether stronger series this year, but what's your take? Check out the sneak peek clips of tonight's episode below, and then post your feelings below...
Private Practice airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.
—Reporting by Jennifer Godwin