Derek. I need you.

So last night I watched "the first ever cross over episode" of Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Grey's Anatomy was not as all about Meredith as is typical, as they let Yang develop her relationship with the studly red head, but much of the focus was Derek's intention to propose to Meredith, so I guess it was really all about her anyway. Thankfully, they seem to be pushing both George and Izzy off of the show, since their story lines (especially now that Izzy's dead stalker boyfriend is finally gone) seem to have fizzled down to nothing.

But I really want to talk about Private Practice. What do I NOT hate about this show? It's certainly not the constant drama in their one-patient-a-week private practice, in which every episode is two-to-three "issues" which, predictably, divide the doctors in half. It's definitely not judgemental Dell, who, since coming out as anti-abortion a few episodes ago, needs to make sure to be both sensitive and condemning in his dealings with all of the female characters on the show. I know it's not how spastic and insecure and nutty (but in a cute way!) all of the accomplished, beautiful women are on the show, and how they spend most of their time (which there is plenty of since they have only one patient a week) agonizing over their love lives and how much sex they're having. And it's clearly not the over the top ridiculousness of the fact that they run a practice that sees one patient a week and yet they all live next door to each other in huge (but comfy!) houses Right On The Beach In Malibu.

I guess what I don't hate is the fact that Shonda Rhimes, the creator of both shows, has populated Private Practice with an ethnically diverse cast, like Grey's. Unfortunately, that diversity doesn't extend to any other social feature, as there are apparently no gay people in Santa Monica, and definitely no fat people. There are, however, a surprising number of poor people as patients, who drive (or take the bus?) from Working Classville to have their children tended to and their fertility needs met, evidently for free, by the doctors of Oceanside Wellness Center. I also don't hate the fact that Violet, played by Amy Brenneman, appears to be refreshingly free of plastic surgery.

Last night's show was a predictable mix of polarizing "issues" like Addison's brother having a brain tumor (which turned out to be parasites, perhaps earwigs, he picked up in some Latin American country)--should Naomi (or NeNe as Addison calls her) tell Addison or keep Archer's secret? Should Addison call her ex Derek, the best brain surgeon in the universe, to come help?; like judgemental Dell's worrying over whether he may have harmed the new baby he helped deliver; like Cooper's contining problems with the blond harpie (with a heart of gold!) who runs the practice upstairs; and like Violet's adolescent angst over whether to tell the potential fathers of her baby (the good looking guy and the older troll) that she's pregnant.

It was a two-parter so we can look forward to the continuing of last night's issues next week, when:
1. Derek will save Addison's brother, but could put his relationship with Meredith in jeopardy
2. Cooper will continue to beg Blondie to take him back, yet will not be man enough to give her any good reason to
3. Violet will continue to agonize over whether or not she will be a good mother
4. Dell will have another patient to judge an unfit parent

I can't wait!