8.4/10327 votes#1 - A Death in the Family
Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 10/1/2009
When Pete discovers Violet clinging to live following a violent attack from a patient, he rushes her to the hospital where Addison and Naomi work together to save her life. Meanwhile, the location of Violet's baby are still unknown.
Director: Mark Tinker
Writer: Shonda Rhimes
7.7/10237 votes#2 - The Way We Were
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 10/8/2009
Violet is physically recovering from her violent attack at home, but the emotional trauma she suffers from isn't going away, despite the best efforts of Pete and her other friends to help. Meanwhile, Addison and Naomi try to mend their tension-filled relationship, as Sam and Cooper treat a father, who has allegedly attacked his family, after he is stabbed by his wife.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10247 votes#3 - Right Here, Right Now
Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/2009
Miranda Bailey brings a kidney transplant patient to Los Angeles, and Addison and especially Sam is pleased to see her. Addison's consequences of her emotional affair with Noah catch up with her. Sheldon and Pete finally discover who the father of Violet's baby.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10231 votes#4 - Pushing the Limits
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/22/2009
Addison, Sam and Cooper treat the sick child of a homeless teen mother they met while volunteering. Meanwhile Violet has trouble relating to her baby when her feelings about her attack resurface during counseling of a rape victim who is now pregnant, and Cooper's financial woes catch up with him when he's asked to help buy out Naomi's share of the practice.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.9/10228 votes#5 - Strange Bedfellows
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/2009
Katie Kent is apprehended and on trial. Violet is asked to testify against her attacker, but she struggles with whether or not she can face her attacker in court. Meanwhile a serious complication threatens the fetuses of two of Naomi's former patients and Charlotte is determined to convince Addison, Sam and Cooper to let her join Oceanside Wellness Group.
Director: Steve Gomer
Writer: Kathy McCormick
7.5/10225 votes#6 - Slip Slidin' Away
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 11/5/2009
The doctors venture into controversial territory when an unexpected new hire at Pacific Wellcare causes Naomi to struggle with the idea of genetically designing babies and Violet makes a sudden decision to try electric shock therapy on a patient. Meanwhile Addison somehow finds herself alone and with a cat.
Director: Helen Shaver
Writer: N/A
8.4/10276 votes#7 - The Hard Part
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 11/12/2009
Addison and Sam go for a hike in Malibu, they come across an expecting couple trapped in their car after an accident, they then perform urgent field care. Charlotte, Cooper and Violet treat a newlywed who, on his wedding night has taken too much Viagra. Pete and Sheldon go out to a bar together and end up falling for the same girl.
Director: Mark Tinker
Writer: Steve Blackman
7.7/10232 votes#8 - Sins of the Father
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 11/19/2009
While Addison deals with the unwelcome arrival of her father, Cooper is arrested because he refused to cooperate in a case involving a longtime patient. Meanwhile, Pete will stop at nothing to keep a terminally ill patient alive for as long as it takes for him to meet his new daughter.
Director: Tom Verica
Writer: N/A
7.5/10226 votes#9 - The Parent Trap
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 12/3/2009
Addison performs a complex utero surgery, proving not only her talents to her father but giving them some common ground. Sam and Naomi deal with have a family crisis when they discover Maya is growing up way too fast. Violet does the unthinkable.
Director: Donna Deitch
Writer: N/A
8.1/10236 votes#10 - Blowups
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 12/3/2009
An explosion at Dell's house lands Betsey and Heather in the hospital. everyone is pushed to the limit in trying to save their lives. The tensions between Addison and The Captain rise even more when her mother, Bizzy, shows up and a shocking family secret is revealed.
Director: Mark Tinker
Writer: N/A
7.7/10226 votes#11 - Another Second Chance
Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 1/14/2010
Desperate to help his pregnant daughter, Mark (Eric Dane) follows Addison back to Oceanside Wellness, Dell and Naomi struggle to raise their children under the same roof, and Violet and Cooper heatedly disagree on how to treat a patient on.
Director: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Krista Vernoff, Kathy McCormick
7.6/10223 votes#12 - Best Laid Plans
Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 1/21/2010
Maya shocks Sam and Naomi, while Pete and Fife disagree on patient care.
Director: Bethany Rooney
Writer: N/A
7.7/10221 votes#13 - Shotgun
Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 2/4/2010
Addison and Cooper are counseling a couple who must pick a child to save with their newborn's cord blood. Meanwhile Dink wants to marry Maya.
Director: Karen Gaviola
Writer: N/A
7.3/10219 votes#14 - Love Bites
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 2/11/2010
When Naomi refuses to help plan Maya's wedding, Sam convinces Violet to help her. Meanwhile the tension between Addison and Sam deepens when they treat a suicidal patient and Cooper and Pete treat a girl with a questionable bite mark.
Director: Matthew Penn
Writer: N/A
7.5/10235 votes#15 - 'Til Death Do Us Part
Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 2/18/2010
It's Maya's wedding day and while Violet helps Sam prepare, a furious Naomi still refuses to take part as she works with Addison and Pete to save a premature baby. Meanwhile, Cooper becomes suspicious of Charlotte's new boyfriend and thinks that he may be abusing drugs.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10220 votes#16 - Fear of Flying
Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 3/4/2010
Things get too close for comfort when Addison, Pete and Sam must come together on a complicated case involving a dad-to-be who comes down with tuberculosis and threatens the future of his new family. Meanwhile, with Violet still gone on her Costa Rican escape, Sheldon takes over helping one of her patients, Natasha, to get over her crippling fear of flying, and Naomi finds herself in a bit of a love triangle of her own.
Director: Mark Tinker
Writer: N/A
7.7/10222 votes#17 - Triangles
Season 3 Episode 17 - Aired 3/11/2010
When Addison's patient and the life of the three unborn babies she is carrying as a surrogate hang in the balance, Sam's new girlfriend, Vanessa, and Addison are sharply divided on the course of treatment. Meanwhile Cooper seeks Sheldon's help with a young patient, but their personal quarrels over Charlotte get in the way, and Naomi has a dilemma of her own between William and an unexpectedly charming Dr. Fife.
Director: Tom Verica
Writer: Steve Blackman
7.9/10219 votes#18 - Pulling the Plug
Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 3/25/2010
A husband's decision to pull the plug on his pregnant wife is overruled by a judge, forcing the hospital to keep her on life support until the fetuses she is carrying as a surrogate are able to survive. Meanwhile, Naomi feels betrayed after learning of Sam and Addison's feelings for one another, and she turns to Dr. Fife for support while William is away on business. And unable to cope with the tension, Addison takes the day off with Pete and Lucas.
Director: N/A
Writer: Kathy McCormick
7.9/10237 votes#19 - Eyes Wide Open
Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 4/1/2010
When famed neurosurgeon Dr. Ginsberg and her team pay a visit to St. Ambrose to save the life of Kayla, Addison is shocked to see Amelia Shepherd - Derek's younger sister on the team. But Amelia's presence causes strife between Addison, Sam and Pete when she claims she can save Kayla's life after Dr. Ginsberg declares nothing can be done. Meanwhile Charlotte seeks from Cooper's with a sex education seminar for the elderly that only leads to more tension between the two, as they try to figure out how to work together.
Director: Eric Stoltz
Writer: N/A
7.6/10223 votes#20 - Second Choices
Season 3 Episode 20 - Aired 4/22/2010
After her open-ended escape to Costa Rica, Violet has finally returned home and to the practice. Everyone treads a little lightly around her, especially Pete and Addison who have mixed feelings about Violet's desire to reconnect with Lucas. Meanwhile Amelia butts into Sam's personal life, pointing out that he can mend hearts in the OR but can't seem to do that for himself; and Sheldon encourages Charlotte to reconcile with Cooper, while Cooper deals with a young patient who eats everything in sight.
Director: Jeff Bleckner
Writer: N/A
8.1/10238 votes#21 - War
Season 3 Episode 21 - Aired 4/29/2010
After Violet files for joint custody of Lucas, an embittered Pete voraciously fights back by hiring a tough attorney for the trial, forcing their fellow friends and co-workers to choose sides and have their personal lives dragged onto the stand and into the public eye.
Director: Eric Stoltz
Writer: N/A
7.8/10265 votes#22 - In the Name of Love
Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 5/6/2010
Naomi begs Fife to use his still experimental treatment to help William's advanced ALS. Violet and Amelia treat a woman with a brain tumor, while Sheldon decides to vie for Charlotte's affections.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.7/10286 votes#23 - The End of a Beautiful Friendship
Season 3 Episode 23 - Aired 5/13/2010
Maya and her unborn baby are fighting for their lives on the operating table, and Addison, Amelia and Fife try everything humanly possible to save them. Meanwhile, Sam operates on an incoming crash victim and later makes a grim discovery; Cooper makes an ill-timed but valiant effort with Charlotte, and the staff’s world gets rocked by an unexpected death.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Private Practice Season 3
Every episode of Private Practice Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Private Practice Season 3!
Having left behind Seattle Grace Hospital, renowned surgeon Addison Forbes Montgomery moves to Los Angeles for sunnier weather and happier possibilities. She reunites with her...
Genre:Drama
Network:ABC
Season 3 Ratings Summary
"A Death in the Family" is the best rated episode of "Private Practice" season 3. It scored 8.4/10 based on 327 votes. Directed by Mark Tinker and written by Shonda Rhimes, it aired on 10/1/2009. This episode is rated 0.7 points higher than the second-best, "The Way We Were".