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The Worst Episodes of Private Practice

Every episode of Private Practice ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Private Practice!

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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 friends from medical school, joining them at their chic, co-op,

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Private Practice Season 6 Episode 5 - The Next Episode
    6.6/10(239 votes)

    #1 - The Next Episode

    S6:E5

    A reality show centered around Sam sheds some light on issues in his colleagues' personal lives. Meanwhile, Sam's mother seeks his help after her boss falls ill; and the search continues for a girl who went missing from St. Ambros.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Private Practice Season 1 Episode 1 - In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl from Somewhere Else
    7.3/10(448 votes)

    #2 - In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl from Somewhere Else

    S1:E1

    Addison resigns from Seattle Grace, and heads to the Oceanside Wellness Group in LA where she was offered a job. Although, it seems that Naomi didn't consult the other doctors when hiring her. A father is frustrated with his daughter when she hides the fact that she's pregnant. When complications arise, Addison, Pete and Dell work together to make sure that the baby and the mother survive, as pain-free as possible. Jenny, a woman who has been seeing Violet, starts counting the tiles at a department store. To investigate what triggered it, Cooper and Paul, a shop assistant, assist Violet. Meanwhile, when a man dies of a stroke, Naomi, Sam and Charlotte argue over who should get his sperm - his wife or his mistress.

    Directors:Mark Tinker, Michael Grossman
    Writer:Shonda Rhimes

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  3. Private Practice Season 1 Episode 3 - In Which Addison Finds the Magic
    7.3/10(322 votes)

    #3 - In Which Addison Finds the Magic

    S1:E3

    Addison and Pete treat a recently married couple who are having sexual problems. Cooper is trying to figure out why four siblings are all suffering from the same mysterious illness. Maya tells Naomi she's been hoping her and Sam would divorce since she was in the third grade. Meanwhile, Violet is trying to convince a patient to leave her husband, even though, she is having trouble letting go of her ex-boyfriend who is now married.

    Director:Mark Tinker
    Writers:Shonda Rhimes, Marti Noxon

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  4. Private Practice Season 1 Episode 5 - In Which Addison Finds a Showerhead
    7.4/10(304 votes)

    #4 - In Which Addison Finds a Showerhead

    S1:E5

    Watch Video A flirting patient named Andrea causes a male nurse to feel uncomfortable, even though he feels the connection. Later, the same male nurse must treat a woman who is not at all pleased by the fact that she's being treated by a man. He also helps treat a runner named Nicole. A very young girl drops by the clinic because she thinks she may have an STD.

    Directors:Mark Tinker, Julie Anne Robinson
    Writers:Shonda Rhimes, Marti Noxon

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  5. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 2 - Equal and Opposite
    7.4/10(264 votes)

    #5 - Equal and Opposite

    S2:E2

    Addison and Sam form a hostile takeover in order to bring the practice out of bankruptcy, as all of the doctors look for additional clients and new income streams, while Violet's friendship with Cooper is on the brink of extinction and a married couple fight for an unethical fertility treatment at Oceanside Wellness.

    Director:Tom Verica
    Writer:Mike Ostrowski

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  6. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 10 - Worlds Apart
    7.4/10(249 votes)

    #6 - Worlds Apart

    S2:E10

    Meg returns to Los Angeles and notices that Violet and Pete have grown closer; Kevin questions where he and Addison are headed as a couple; Cooper treats a young boy with a mysterious past.

    Director:Bethany Rooney
    Writer:Steve Blackman

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  7. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 14 - Second Chances
    7.4/10(241 votes)

    #7 - Second Chances

    S2:E14

    Addison's brother, Archer, moves to Los Angeles to work at Pacific Wellcare; Cooper encourages Violet to discuss her pregnancy with Pete and Sheldon.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 21 - What You Do for Love
    7.4/10(250 votes)

    #8 - What You Do for Love

    S2:E21

    Addison sends a pregnant woman to St. Ambrose for help from Noah after she experiences heart complications. Meanwhile, Sam begins to rethink his friendship with Naomi; Pete and Lisa's relationship becomes increasingly complex; and Sheldon takes a stand.

    Director:Tom Verica
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Private Practice Season 3 Episode 14 - Love Bites
    7.4/10(230 votes)

    #9 - Love Bites

    S3:E14

    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:Unknown

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  10. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 16 - Love and Lies
    7.4/10(219 votes)

    #10 - Love and Lies

    S4:E16

    A couple wants to harvest eggs from their unborn child who is not going to survive, and the doctors cannot agree what the right path is; meanwhile, Amelia tries to comfort a friend while waiting for test results for Huntingtons disease.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Private Practice Season 1 Episode 4 - In Which Addison Has a Very Casual Get-Together
    7.5/10(309 votes)

    #11 - In Which Addison Has a Very Casual Get-Together

    S1:E4

    Sylvie, a 60-year-old who is going condo-hunting with her boyfriend, is worried that he may only be with her for her cooking. An injured soccer player named Michael is brought in by his coach. After some analyzation, Michael reveals that he thinks he is gay, but doesn't want to tell his homophobic father. Catherine, the mother of a teenager, worries when her daughter won't get out of bed or eat. After the daughter runs away, Catherine tries to track her down. Brian, a 12-year-old, punches a teen for kissing his girlfriend. Later, the teen goes missing. A mother of a toddler goes to a lawyer when she thinks the cops are after her as they believe she knows where her husband is. When a boy asks his parents to fund him to go to rehab - his mothers dismay. A man that can't stop his hands from shaking comes in, and the doctors figure out what's wrong with him.

    Directors:Tony Goldwyn, Arvin Brown
    Writer:Mike Ostrowski

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  12. Private Practice Season 1 Episode 6 - In Which Charlotte Goes Down the Rabbit Hole
    7.5/10(301 votes)

    #12 - In Which Charlotte Goes Down the Rabbit Hole

    S1:E6

    Pete treats Charlotte's insomnia, Naomi goes on her first date since college and a patient asks Addison to conceal her fertility from her husband.

    Directors:David Solomon, Arvin Brown
    Writers:Jenna Bans, Andrea Newman

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  13. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 5 - Let It Go
    7.5/10(262 votes)

    #13 - Let It Go

    S2:E5

    Addison tries to fix the financial troubles at Oceanside Wellness, but ends up doing more harm than good. Meanwhile, Violet's friend asks her to break the law to help her while Maya hopes that Sam and Naomi are getting back together for good.

    Director:Michael Zinberg
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 6 - Serving Two Masters
    7.5/10(271 votes)

    #14 - Serving Two Masters

    S2:E6

    Addison treats two pregnant women who unwittingly share the same husband; Violet confronts Charlotte about her liaison with Cooper; Dell reveals a special woman in his life.

    Director:Joanna Kerns
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 7 - Tempting Faith
    7.5/10(253 votes)

    #15 - Tempting Faith

    S2:E7

    Addison's brother makes a surprise visit, causing trouble for her, Sam and Naomi; Meg comes back to try and make it work with Pete; a patient accused of a crime angers Violet and Dell.

    Director:James Frawley
    Writer:Robert Rovner

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  16. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 9 - Know When to Fold
    7.5/10(258 votes)

    #16 - Know When to Fold

    S2:E9

    Pacific Wellcare, Charlotte's practice opens, and the competition with Oceanside Wellness starts; Dell suggests that an in-house adoption program should be created.

    Director:Jeff Melman
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 11 - Contamination
    7.5/10(256 votes)

    #17 - Contamination

    S2:E11

    When Cooper's patient contracts measles, everyone at Oceanside Wellness must be quarantined. Meanwhile, Naomi tries to talk Addison into working with her rival, Wyatt; Violet and Pete contemplate their friends-with-benefits relationship; and Dell fights for custody of his daughter.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Private Practice Season 3 Episode 15 - 'Til Death Do Us Part
    7.5/10(247 votes)

    #18 - 'Til Death Do Us Part

    S3:E15

    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:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 1 - Take Two
    7.5/10(244 votes)

    #19 - Take Two

    S4:E1

    Pete and Violet prepare for their wedding day; things take a surprising turn with Addison and Sam; despite disagreements, the doctors come together to mourn the loss of Dell.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 3 - Playing God
    7.5/10(220 votes)

    #20 - Playing God

    S4:E3

    The man responsible for killing Dell and endangering Maya's life comes to the clinic with a heart condition; news of Addison's new romance is not received well.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 4 - A Better Place to Be
    7.5/10(228 votes)

    #21 - A Better Place to Be

    S4:E4

    Emotions are stirred up at the practice when Dell's daughter arrives; a pregnant woman experiences chronic pain.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 15 - Two Steps Back
    7.5/10(221 votes)

    #22 - Two Steps Back

    S4:E15

    Charlotte and Cooper look to forgive each other after revealing secrets during couples therapy, Violet seeks the forgiveness and approval of her fellow doctors after they learn her novel-in-progress will make all of their personal lives public, Sheldon treats a patient who claims to have multiple personality disorder, and Sam and Naomi team up on a case involving a pregnant teen with Down's Syndrome.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 19 - What We Have Here...
    7.5/10(216 votes)

    #23 - What We Have Here...

    S4:E19

    Katie threatens to take legal action against Violet for "breach of confidentiality," and although Violet feels that she hasn't done anything wrong, she soon realizes she'll have to defend her actions to more people than just Katie. Meanwhile, Cooper suspects that Charlotte may be hiding some lingering feelings for ex-husband Billy, only to find out that Billy has been hiding some feelings of his own.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Private Practice Season 5 Episode 2 - Breaking the Rules
    7.5/10(218 votes)

    #24 - Breaking the Rules

    S5:E2

    While interviewing potential replacements for Naomi, the doctors at Oceanside Wellness don't understand Addison's resistance to hiring Jake Reilly; Cooper disregards the law as he tries to help a young, sick patient.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Private Practice Season 5 Episode 3 - Deal with It
    7.5/10(217 votes)

    #25 - Deal with It

    S5:E3

    A woman without a uterus asks Jake and Addison to help her have a baby; Amelia treats a woman with Parkinson's disease who is habitually unfaithful; Violet struggles with her life as a stay-at-home mom.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"The Next Episode" is the worst rated episode of "Private Practice". It scored 6.6/10 based on 239 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/13/2012. This episode scored 0.7 points lower than the second lowest rated, "In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl from Somewhere Else".