There's nothing like a nasty case of worms in the brain to bring a gang back together.
On the set of "Grey's Anatomy," a gaggle of doctors have congregated around the hospital bed of one of their own, a neurologist who's suffering from the life-threatening illness. Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) wants to perform risky surgery on the patient (Grant Show), who just happens to be the brother of his ex-wife, Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), who exited "Grey's" in 2007 for a fresh start on its spinoff, "Private Practice."
Now, just in time for sweeps, Addison is back at Seattle Grace for the first crossover between the ABC series.
"This is like our 'Big Chill,' " said Shonda Rhimes, who created both soapy medical dramas. "It's that idea of who you used to be and who you are now."
The timing of the on-screen mashup, which airs Thursday, is notable as well: "Grey's" is in the midst of a rocky fifth season, while "Private" is still regarded as its less popular kid sibling. The idea for a crossover was first floated by the network last season but, with "Private" still in its infancy, Rhimes was resistant. "I wanted to solidify the identity of what 'Private Practice' is," Rhimes explained, "both for audiences and in our minds."
Because of the writers strike, "Private" had precious little time in its first season -- nine episodes, to be exact -- to try to carve out that identity. Echoing some fans' criticism of those early installments, Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs, executive vice president of drama development, ABC Entertainment, said she thought "we sort of lost sight of Addison as the kick-ass surgeon." In her place was an Addison who danced around her beachfront home in a towel and flirted with the giddiness of an insecure teen. "We all sort of longed to see some of the swagger return," Patmore-Gibbs said.
In "Private's" more grounded second season, a stronger Addison -- and the rest of the docs in the Santa Monica-set practice, including Taye Diggs as Sam and Audra McDonald as Naomi -- have been given meatier medical cases. "I think Shonda has figured out a way to make the medical stories feel like great ethical dilemmas with [high] stakes," said Patmore-Gibbs, even without the inherent drama of "surgery every three minutes" like on "Grey's."
Still, that hasn't been "Private's" biggest challenge. Spinoffs often have difficulty establishing themselves as entities separate from the shows that launched them, particularly when that show is as hugely successful and has permeated the pop-culture consciousness as pervasively as "Grey's."
