Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Grey's spin-off is entertaining, but for adults only.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 11 kid reviews
Kids say this show is fun and intriguing, particularly for fans of certain medical dramas, but it contains mature themes that may not be suitable for younger viewers. While many appreciate the strong character relationships and medical storylines, concerns about inappropriate content, including sexual situations and complex topics, are frequently mentioned.
- fun and intriguing
- mature themes
- strong character relationships
- inappropriate content
- medical storylines
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
PRIVATE PRACTICE is a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy that centers on the staff of Oceanside Wellness Center, a cooperative private medical facility in Los Angeles where patients are treated by some of the best doctors in specialties ranging from pediatrics to homeopathic care. Noted obstetrician and neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) heads up the practice that was started by her best friend, Dr. Naomi Bennett (Audra McDonald) and Naomi's ex-husband, Dr. Sam Bennett (Taye Diggs). The patient cases these doctors handle are almost as complicated as their own personal lives, ensuring that things are never dull around the water cooler at this busy medical practice.
Is It Any Good?
Private Practice is an enticing series that's equal parts medical drama and soap opera. It's easy to get wrapped up in the intricacies of the characters' complicated lives, and their revolving workplace romances keep things, well, lively. Smart writing and a talented cast enable the show to handle the intense, real-life subject matter it explores, and the fact that it makes a concerted effort to present weighty issues like mental illness, homosexuality, and addiction from multiple viewpoints gives viewers plenty to ponder after it's turned off.
Of course, it's this same content that rules it out as an option for any but the sturdiest viewers, since it doesn't shy away from violence, sexual content, or raw human emotion. Life-and-death scenarios are commonplace throughout the show, and plenty of characters die. It's the show's adherence to sticking closely to reality (with the expected amount of melodrama) that gives it merit for adults but at the same time makes it problematic for most teens.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how this series portrays women. After seeing Naomi, Addison, Violet, and Charlotte in action, whom do you admire most? The least? Are these women's personal lives very different from their professional ones? How do these doctors compare onscreen to their male counterparts?
This series raises tough questions about real-life issues, so families can discuss how the characters cope with the challenges they encounter. How do the characters' different opinions complicate their ability to reach a consensus about caring for patients? When have you been in a situation where you've had to work with others whose opinions were different from yours? How do you best cope with group dynamics under pressure?
How does this series compare to Grey's Anatomy? Both are medical dramas, but do the characters handle issues in a similar fashion? Do the two seem to compete or can like-minded series coexist on TV? Does either series seem to adhere more to reality?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 26, 2007
- Cast : Amy Brenneman , Kate Walsh , Tim Daly
- Network : ABC
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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