"Private Practice": Why Fantasies Fail

Published: October 29, 2007 at 08:03 AM GMT
Last Updated: October 29, 2007 at 08:03 AM GMT

By Sally Cohen-Cutler

Fantasies - everyone's got some. This week on Private Practice, Addison started by setting up a really good fantasy, the kind every relatively intelligent girl dreams may one day happen to her. Trapped in the elevator, Pete confessed his unshakable attraction to Addison's...brain.

I wish, however, instead of having Addison jerk awake on the floor, she could have asked Pete about her brain. Maybe, for example, where it went. Or more specifically, everyone else's brains, and why they seem to be similarly MIA. And why her female colleagues would loudly be encouraging her to "scratch the itch" in a co-ed workplace. All questions to which I'd like answers.

The episode does jerk back to reality though, with the shocking announcement that Maya, Sam and Naomi's 13 year old daughter, is having sex and believes she may have gonorrhea. Addison is aghast, but agrees to test Maya. Her conversations with the young girl reveal a year's worth of sexual activity with multiple partners. Sworn to secrecy by Maya, Addison spends much of the episode struggling with the fact that she can't tell Naomi about her daughter's activities - though she has no qualms about spilling to Cooper. The ethics on this show continue to puzzle me.

In a completely different genre of anti-fantasy, Pete's patient Nicole is a championship runner, preparing for her upcoming Olympic trial meet, but having some breathing problems. When Pete tests Nicole, he determines she is having acute bronchiospasms (essentially severe asthma attacks) and that she needs immediate treatment with steroids. Of course, that prevents her from competing in the upcoming meet. Especially given Nicole's reaction when she has the first bronchiospasm - "No! Just a little longer! I just gotta push past it!" - it comes as no surprise that she refuses treatment and leaves.

Both of these stories of denying the truth come to a disastrous end. Shockingly, Nicole collapses at her next practice where Pete is so conveniently checking in. Having been referred to another doctor at her coach's behest, she has been taking some kind of unhealthy supplement. The damage done may prevent her from competing ever again. This, of course, offers Dr. Charlotte King her obnoxious entrance of the episode to sneer and snap at Pete. Pete's response? He punches the coach.

Meanwhile, it turns out that Maya's friend Ruby was actually having sex, not Maya, and she just couldn't admit it. In addition to having gonorrhea, Ruby also has an ectopic pregnancy, which is really an impressive double whammy of tough times for a 13 year old. Though Ruby eventually gets the care she needs, the relationship between Addison and Naomi is now strained, because as usual, there is no such thing as ethics on Private Practice.

Sam's patient is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder after a home invasion, but also hiding the extent of the damage (anyone noticing a theme?). She has neglected to tell anyone about the sexual assault that occurred when the intruder came in, and this revelation causes her husband to also suffer from his own guilt-induced PTSD. I'll be honest; I have no idea what happened in this story line. It was so boring and convoluted that I made myself some dinner while Violet got involved.

Of course, the biggest story this week was the return of Alan and the almost painful naivete of Violet. Alan appears at Oceanside Wellness, claiming to miss his friendship with Violet, and embarks on a series of non-date dates with her. Though everyone, especially Cooper, sees this as doomed to failure, Violet pushes on. Things seem to be going well, and Cooper even prematurely shows up after the first fake date with a life saving kit. However, Violet's optimism can only survive up to the point that Alan reveals that he and Cami are trying for a baby - duhhhhhh. In a pathetic effort to save face, Violet gives a totally forgettable speech (seriously, I don't remember what she said), and stomps away. Despite Cooper's earlier promise not to pick up the pieces yet again, she shows up at his door, distraught and miserable. And of course, he lets her in.

Clearly, when Addison flirts overtly and ridiculously with Pete at the end of the episode, she is acting out some of her fantasy. He has obviously heard about her continuing dreams at this point. But given that the entire episode has shown that living in a fantasy only leads to disaster in reality, Addison slips away unfulfilled, not allowing her fantasy to take over, but rather go "scratch her own itch." What kind of fantasy television show is this if I can't see anyone get some action? Make out already.

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