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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(231 votes)

    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:Jeannot Szwarc
    Writer:Zahir McGhee

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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(462 votes)

    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(335 votes)

    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 4 - In Which Addison Has a Very Casual Get-Together
    7.4/10(322 votes)

    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:Arvin Brown, Tony Goldwyn
    Writers:Andrea Newman, Mike Ostrowski

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  5. Private Practice Season 1 Episode 5 - In Which Addison Finds a Showerhead
    7.4/10(315 votes)

    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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  6. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 2 - Equal and Opposite
    7.4/10(273 votes)

    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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  7. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 10 - Worlds Apart
    7.4/10(255 votes)

    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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  8. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 14 - Second Chances
    7.4/10(242 votes)

    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:Craig Turk

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  9. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 21 - What You Do for Love
    7.4/10(253 votes)

    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:Ayanna Floyd Davis

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  10. Private Practice Season 3 Episode 14 - Love Bites
    7.4/10(232 votes)

    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:Dana Baratta

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  11. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 1 - Take Two
    7.4/10(252 votes)

    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:Mark Tinker
    Writers:Steve Blackman, Craig Turk

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  12. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 16 - Love and Lies
    7.4/10(215 votes)

    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:Ann Kindberg
    Writer:Moira McMahon

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  13. Private Practice Season 1 Episode 6 - In Which Charlotte Goes Down the Rabbit Hole
    7.5/10(311 votes)

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

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  14. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 5 - Let It Go
    7.5/10(271 votes)

    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:Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

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  15. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 6 - Serving Two Masters
    7.5/10(279 votes)

    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:Emily Halpern

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  16. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 7 - Tempting Faith
    7.5/10(258 votes)

    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
    Writers:Robert Rovner, Jon Cowan

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  17. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 9 - Know When to Fold
    7.5/10(268 votes)

    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:Elizabeth J.B. Klaviter

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  18. Private Practice Season 2 Episode 11 - Contamination
    7.5/10(263 votes)

    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:Kate Woods
    Writer:Fred Einesman

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  19. Private Practice Season 3 Episode 6 - Slip Slidin' Away
    7.5/10(240 votes)

    S3:E6

    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:Fred Einesman

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  20. Private Practice Season 3 Episode 9 - The Parent Trap
    7.5/10(238 votes)

    S3:E9

    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:Craig Turk

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  21. Private Practice Season 3 Episode 15 - 'Til Death Do Us Part
    7.5/10(231 votes)

    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:Kenny Leon
    Writer:Craig Turk

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  22. Private Practice Season 3 Episode 16 - Fear of Flying
    7.5/10(232 votes)

    S3:E16

    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:Ayanna Floyd Davis

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  23. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 2 - Short Cuts
    7.5/10(235 votes)

    S4:E2

    Violet and Cooper make amendments to their friendship in order to please their significant others; Pete and Cooper get in an argument involving marijuana use by a patient (guest starring Justine Bateman as Sydney); Addison is conflicted about going public with her new romance, and Sheldon's decision to deny approval for a patient's sex change backfires.

    Director:Mark Tinker
    Writer:Sonay Hoffman

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  24. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 3 - Playing God
    7.5/10(225 votes)

    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:Donna Deitch
    Writer:Sheila R. Lawrence

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  25. Private Practice Season 4 Episode 4 - A Better Place to Be
    7.5/10(234 votes)

    S4:E4

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

    Director:Tom Verica
    Writer:Barbie Kligman

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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 231 votes. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc and written by Zahir McGhee, 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".