ABC recently released the complete third season of PRIVATE PRACTICE on DVD. Although I only watch this show off and on during its season, I always manage to catch up later on. I find it a fun, guilty pleasure. On top of that, it has some pretty good medical stories and issues. I will admit I am a much bigger Grey’s Anatomy fan and, at first, just watched Private Practice as an extension of Grey’s. However, in the last three years, Private Practice has really grown into its own and has gone in a different direction.
The third season brought a lot of drama and a lot of changes. Almost every major character went through some life altering event. A huge part of the season involved Violet dealing with the effects of her assault, loss of her baby, finding her baby and trying to accept her baby. If that was not enough, there were marriages, affairs, deaths, and even a Grey’s crossover! What more could one ask for? How about a genuine shocker of a season finale that no one I knew predicted despite the previews. In fact, I would be hard pressed to say which finale was better, Grey’s or Private Practice.
Bonus Features
There are not a lot of bonus features, but definitely some worth watching. The first feature is called “Kate’s Top Eight.” I originally thought it would be Kate Walsh talking about her favorite 8 episodes. However, it was really a list of her eight favorite things about Season 3. She covered topics ranging from fashion to a particular character’s story arc. There were clips and behind-the scenes moments. Also, there was input from other cast members, so it was not all just Kate. Even Shonda Rhymes gave her input which I always find fascinating. If only I could tap into that woman’s creative mind!
Of course there were deleted scenes, 12 of them to be exact. There were definitely two scenes that I thought they should have kept in. One had Cooper hilariously wielding a saw and the other showed a very raw moment between Sam and Naomi. Of the 12 deletions, those were the only two that really stood out in my mind. Another scene that interested me was one that was actually shown in rough footage with boom speakers and a blue screen. Totally ruined my dreams of California ocean front living.
Finally, there was a blooper reel. Sadly it was only four and a half minutes long. Along with the usual funny faces and flubbed lines, there were plenty of unexpected interruptions and sounds that the cast just incorporated into their scene in a humorous manner. Those made me laugh. The dancing and sticking out tongues, not so much.
I am not sure I would buy this Private Practice season three for the bonus features. I would buy it to relive the season uninterrupted and at my own pace. It was an excellent season and the ability to rewatch the season finale whenever I wanted, is quite appealing. Honestly, though, I think this DVD is only for true die hard Private Practice fans that need to add every season to their collection. Casual viewers should just rent the DVD to view again.
You can buy your copy of Private Practice The Complete Third Season on Amazon.
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