Who doesn’t love a good, old-fashioned showdown? Today we pit Private Practice against Grey’s Anatomy in an epic Battle of the Medical Soap Operas Sprung from Shonda Rhimes’ Dark and Twisty Mind. I’ll compare three aspects of the shows. Your votes will decide which one is better.
Cast of characters. Both Private Practice and Grey’s Anatomy feature some strong characters. Practice has Addison (who was one of the most interesting characters on Grey’s), Pete and Violet (both so dark and twisty, their baby will probably be the darkest and twistiest person alive), and Charlotte, who is now my favorite character after starting out as the mean Southern lady who refuses to give surgeries to dying babies and puppies.
For me, the standout Grey’s characters have always been Bailey, Christina, Callie, and Alex (I also love to look at McDreamy and McSteamy). The show keeps adding great new pieces like Owen Hunt (the awesome Kevin McKidd) and Teddy Altman (Kim Raver of 24 and Lipstick Jungle). Seattle Grace’s merger with Mercy West has brought a lot of new faces to the show as well.
While both shows feature ensemble casts, Grey’s clearly has many more characters, which means less screen time all around. With its smaller core of characters, Practice theoretically can focus more on character development; however, the patients take up a lot of the focus. Practice differs from Grey’s in that the patients are recurring characters (like the two moms whose embryos got switched … whoops). This creates continuity and allows us to get to know them better. Unfortunately, a lot of the patients are idiots, so I haven’t exactly warmed up to them.
Story lines. Grey’s has the crazy Merry-Go-Round of Love thing going on. Nearly everyone has hooked up with everyone else, and just when you think a couple has finally got it together, they ruin their relationship and move on to a new partner. I hope Izzie and Alex will buck the trend, but in the latest episode there are hints of something starting between Izzie and the Mercy West guy, Charles Percy.
I wish Izzie could have heard the speech delivered by Charlotte last night on Practice (she basically told her patient, “Your relationship is not always going to be a fairytale; don’t run when things get hard”). That episode also reminded me that Practice does the same relationship-hopping thing but on a smaller scale. The characters shuffle partners to the point of ridiculousness. Last night, when Sam and Addison kissed, it was George and Izzie all over again. One of the things I love about Practice is the now steady relationship between Cooper and Charlotte. That’s something that I want for Alex and Izzie.
Besides the Merry-Go-Round of Love, medical things also take place on these shows (gasp!). On Practice, the medical stories tend to lead, while the relationships provide the B-stories. Practice can be pretty heavy-handed when it comes to using bizarre medical cases as opportunities to moralize via an ethical dilemma of the week. The patient stories on Grey’s are usually funny or tragic, not quite as preachy, and they reflect (rather conveniently) whatever is going on in the lives of the residents.
Writing. Let me say a few words about the dialogue, because that is something Shonda Rhimes’ shows are known for. There is something in the water at Seattle Grace that causes everyone — doctors, nurses, patients, and visitors alike — to speak in long, eloquent monologues. While these speeches can be deeply moving, I look for the part at the end where the person starts repeating the same phrase over and over again. The style carries over to Practice; last night, it was Addison, weeping, “Get me out of this car. Get me out of this car! Get me out. Get me out of this car! GET ME OUT OF THIS CAR. Get me out ….” (I wonder when the director let her stop.) That said, Practice does a better job of making the dialogue feel natural. Perhaps the older, more experienced cast knows how to deliver the lines so that each character’s unique voice is maintained. The writing on Grey’s is certainly more eloquent as a whole, but when the characters on Grey’s begin to speechify, they can start to sound the same.
Both shows have strengths and weaknesses, but these depend on your perception and preferences (i.e., Do you like an emphasis on relationships or on medical dilemmas? Do you prefer eloquent or natural dialogue?).
I have barely put a dent in this topic, and all of the observations I’ve made are colored by my personal opinions. That’s why I’m not going to decide the winner of this showdown. You are.
Leave your comments, cast your votes, and may the better show prevail.
Clacked by Ruby T.
on Nov 13, 2009 @ 15:00 EST5EDT
Last year I would have had a different answer. This year, it’s all about Private Practice. Its taken on a whole new feel, and its working. Of the two, the one I don’t want to miss is Private Practice, and that’s the first time I’ve felt this way. Of course, my other favorite show is The Good Wife, and I seem to be leaning toward shows that require deeper thought. While I don’t mind eye candy droning in the background, it just doesn’t draw me in.
Private Practice has definitely stepped up it’s game whilst Greys is a slowly sinking ship trying to reinvent itself every season to stay fresh.
Case in point – last night’s PP episode. Certainly the best so far. If there was any justice, Kate Walsh would be up an award. Heartbreaking :(
PP uses location shooting more often too, which I like to see. Hospitals and practices get very boring.
Crap, don’t tell me I’m going to have to start watching PP again.
Wait, you know what, I’m not going to. No matter what. Rhimes ruined me on the show last year with the complete crap that I had to watch each week. They completely assisasinated the character of Addison Montgomery, and gave me very little reason to care about any of the other characters on the show (the exception, of course, was Cooper and Charlotte, but, really … Just Charlotte).
I watched the first episode to get to the resolution of the cliffhanger, and haven’t look back. It may be my loss, but I’m just done :)
Have to agree about Private Practice. It has gotten so good this year. I still haven’t watched the last 2 eps of Grey’s but that is primarily because I can’t DVR it. I could stream it, but just haven’t. I think that is pretty telling.
I think Private Practice is my favorite medical show right now. I will probably catch up on Grey’s this weekend, so I guess I will see if my answer is the same or not.
Though, I voted “draw”.
I’m with CJ.
I know it’s a drama, but Grey’s is completely off the wall. Their season finales are so far-fetched that it’s hard for me to really get into anymore. Actually, most of the season has been really far–fetched. I do love Arizona Robbins, though, and I may make it a point to tune in to see Kim Raver. I was a big Lipstick Jungle fan and I’m interested to see what she does on Grey’s.
Now Private Practice can be equally as far-fetched, I know, but I love the show more and more each week. I’ve not yet warmed up to Charlotte, I have to say. And I wanted to slap that poor groom this week. Now, I’m all for hanging in there, but his wife of like, AN HOUR, announced she was pregnant with someone else’s baby! Cut your losses and run, dude. If she would do that before they even got to the altar, no telling what she’ll do later.
Anyway. This week’s PP definitely evoked some emotions. I guess that’s what sweeps are all about!
Private Practice is a much better show.
It has better cast (Tim Daly, Audra McDonald and Amy Brenneman in one show – that’s enough to have me watching, despite storylines).
The storylines also seem to be less contrived, there is less bed hopping (although it seems that Addison and Sam just started it last night with their disgusting kiss).
The wiring on PP is much better this season then on previous ones, while on Grey’s it’s going the opposite direction: downhill.
I just wish they would developed some characters more and gave them the equal balance, instead of focusing on just a few characters, mainly Addison and Cooper. But Grey’s has exactly the same problem, actually.
I meant writing not wiring in my previous post.
i am a true greys anatomy fan, loved it since episode 1! and i do think its better than private practice but last nights episode of private practice has made me reconsider which show is better. the episode was truly outstanding and its hard to see that on tv these days.
i think that this season private practice will be taking the lead and is going to better than greys.i wish that they would stabilize alex and izzie’s relationship.
my vote is that this season practice is better even though im hoping for greys to make a big comeback
I vote for Private Practice- I can not miss an episode and look foward to it each week. I love the that they show the characters development but Charlotte is the most interesting and my favorite. Love Cooper and Charlottes steady relationship. I hope Shonda takes it further with them.
PRIVET PRACTICE IS WHAT YOU SEE WHEN EVER YOU SEE BLACKS AND WHITES ON TV, A BLACK GUY AND A WHITE WOMAN IN LOVE…. WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT BLACK WOMEN??? IT SAYS THAT WE ARNT GOOD ENOUGH FOR BLACK MEN…. JUST LIKE TIGER, AS SOON AS THEY GET ENOUGH MONEY, FORGET YOUR RACE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HOLLYWOOD TEACHES THEM….
PRIVATE PRACTICE IS A DISCUSTING SHOW AND THERE SPONCERS SHOULD BE BOYCOTTED.