‘Private Practice’ episode plot shows depth

I love "Grey's Anatomy."

But somehow my enthusiasm for Grey's never really transferred to the spin off "Private Practice."

It's not that I don't like the actors or the plot. I mean it's essentially Grey's in LA and there is Taye Diggs. The potential

for shirtless moments alone should've held my attention but for some reason it never did.

"Private Practice" just played in the background as my friends and I discussed what had just happened on Grey's.

But recently the writers came up with a storyline that warranted my attention.

One that isn't rare, but in my opinion rarely done correctly. They actually followed through with a believable

rape plot.

Now I'm not excited by that but I am excited to say that the acting, the writing, even the camera work served to make

me feel anxious and sad. I was scared and angry for and with the characters.

The character, Charlotte, played by KaDee Strickland didn't bounce back immediately. She wasn't superwoman brave. She got angry and mean.

Covered her fear with her trademark harshness multiplied by one hundred, and she refused to even mention that she had been raped at first.

This was more believable to me. More true to life. Most shows have the character attacked, grieving and pointing out the offender all in the space of one hour. The story doesn't get any real meat to it. But I have to applaud Shonda Rhimes for showing how this incident affected every life around Charlotte. For taking the viewers through every step.

Even though I knew who did it from the beginning,\ they still managed to keep me watching which isn't easy to do.

And in addition to that, let me just say that I would never have thought to cast Nicholas Brendon as the attacker.I mean its Xander. Sweet, nice Xander. Buffy's sidekick. But apparently Xander had a dark side because this character was creepy. Perfectly played.

I know there were a lot of fans that were upset with the story spanning three episodes but I think that's what made it

better. It didn't just go away.

Charlotte wasn't some over night heroine, it took time and it's clear that this won't just go away. I'm usually a fan of

TV characters moving on because I don't want my favorite shows too close to life but we can't erase the important stuff.

I don't know if this will make me an every week fan of "Private Practice" but it definitely makes me want to pay

more attention to what is happening on the screen while I go over Grey's.