New Series:
Franklin & Bash – Series premiere Wednesday, June 1, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 1: 10 episodes
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue) and Breckin Meyer (Road Trip) star in this light-hearted legal drama as two fly-by-the seat-of-their-pants lawyers working for a button-down law firm. Malcom McDowell (Heroes, Entourage) also stars as the head of their firm.

Falling Skies – Two-hour series premiere Sunday, June 19, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT); regular timeslot Sundays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 1: 10 episodes
Noah Wyle (ER) stars in this gripping drama series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg about the aftermath of an alien invasion and the resistance movement formed by the survivors.

Returning Series:
Men of a Certain Age – Premiere: Wednesday, June 1, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 2 continues: Six summer episodes
Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond), Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap) and Andre Braugher (Homicide: Life on the Street) star in this acclaimed drama series about three men facing the challenges of midlife.

Memphis Beat – Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 2: 10 episodes
Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl) stars as a Memphis police detective with an intimate connection to the city, a passion for its music and a very demanding boss. Alfre Woodard (True Blood) and DJ Qualls (Hustle & Flow) also star.

HawthoRNe – Premiere: Tuesday, June 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 3: 10 episodes
This powerful drama series stars Jada Pinkett Smith (The Matrix trilogy) as Christina Hawthorne, the impassioned Chief Nursing Officer at James River Hospital, with Michael Vartan (Alias) and new cast member Marc Anthony (El Cantate) also starring.

Leverage – Premiere: Sunday, June 26, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 4: 10 summer episodes
Timothy Hutton (Ordinary People) stars as the head of television’s coolest gang of thieves, grifters and con artists out to help everyday people get even against the big shots who have destroyed their lives.

The Closer – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 7: 10 summer episodes
TNT’s record-breaking series returns this summer with 2010 Emmy winner Kyra Sedgwick as Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson.

Rizzoli & Isles – Premiere: Monday, July 11, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) – Season 2: 10 summer episodes
Last summer, Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander proved two heads are better than one in this drama series based on the crime novels by best-selling author Tess Gerritsen. As Boston detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles, the pair share a quirky chemistry and put away some of Boston’s most notorious criminals.

Technorati Tags: Men of a Certain Age, Leverage, HawthoRNe, Rizzoli & Isles, Falling Skies, Franklin & Bash, Memphis Beat, TNT Summer Lineup

Release Info:
Episodes Original Air Date: October 1, 2009-May 13, 2010
DVD Release Date: September 14, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $32.99

I have never watched Private Practice regularly. Heck, it took me three seasons to start watching Grey’s Anatomy. By the time I started watching, Addison had long left the series and I had no attachment to her or her character. On the other hand, I have friends who’d been watching Grey’s since the beginning and when Private Practice came on, they switched over (some exclusively). I, liking Grey’s had no idea why they would stop watching Grey’s. I think the characters are interesting, and maybe I don’t have biases towards Addison and her ilk because I never got to know Addision in the first place. Still, there is a sect of Grey’s defectors that are Private Practice loyalists, and honestly, my curiosity as to why they converted to the new show exclusively has been piqued since this show started.

What I knew about Private Practice prior to watching this season of episodes included the following things:

1. Addision is the ex-wife of Derek Shepherd aka McDreamy.
2. The show is about doctors in a private practice set in Los Angeles
3. Amy Brenneman and Taye Diggs rock

That’s about all I knew. I am a fan of the latter two actors. I considered watching Private Practice for that reason, but it did clash with another television show I used to watch, that is no longer on the air, so I never really got the chance to watch Private Practice. Now that it is in it’s Third Season, I kind of feel like a stranger walking in on the middle of a show I know nothing about. The good news is that the show is relatively easy to catch up on, even if some stories overlap from episodes and seasons. The show follows a format similar to Grey’s in which many of the specific medical cases encapsulate one episode, but the personal lives of the primary cast members are affected over certain arcs of episodes.

I have to admit, I kind of like Private Practice. The acting is strong and the characters are dynamic and multilayered. The storylines aren’t as similar as I thought they’d be. Frankly, I was expecting a “Grey’s goes to California” type scenario where every episode was similar to one that already aired on Grey’s, but that isn’t what you get here. This is a new address, new locale, if you will, and therefore the show lends credo to this fact that being unique pays off. At least, in the case of this spinoff show, it just gets better and better.

I do have one complaint about this third season box set, and it is the same gripe I have with the sixth season box set for Grey’s Anatomy. There are some crossover episodes where Sam and Addison go to Seattle and Mark and Bailey go to Los Angeles. It would be nice if the episodes from the other series that go with the ones on this disc were also included. The only way to watch these two part episodes in their entirety is to own both box sets. Fans of Private Practice who do not watch Grey’s will have to waste their money on the Grey’s set if they want to own the full, two-part crossover episodes.

Private Practice Third Season Episode Synopsis’
Private Practice: The Complete Third Season features 23 episodes from the show, which airs on Thursdays after Grey’s Anatomy. The episodes are split across five discs. I have included information on what is available on each disc and a short recap of each of the episodes included. Just a note: There may be spoilers included in this recap, so if you do not want this season spoiled for you, then skip this section. Otherwise, read on.

DISC ONE

Episode #3.1 – “A Death in the Family”
Original Air Date: October 1, 2009
Violet has been left to die on the floor of her home, after her patient, Katie, attacks her and cuts out her baby. Pete finds her and takes her to the hospital. Addison and Naomi operate on her to save her life. In the meantime, finding her baby and whether it survived becomes a high priority. Violet’s precarious condition causes Pete to reflect upon his first meeting with Violet preceding the death of his wife.

Episode #3.2 – “The Way We Were”
Original Air Date: October 9, 2009
The members of the practice are worried about Violet, who is recovering physically, but is a mental and emotional wreck. Pete tries to ease the burden she feels, to no avail. Addison and Naomi contime to be at odds. Sam and Cooper try to get to the bottom of an odd case when a patient comes in with a stab wound. The man allegedly attacked his family and his wife stabbed him, but they aren’t sure this is really what happened.

Episode #3.3 – “Right Here, Right Now”
Original Air Date: October 15, 2009
In the first crossover of this season, Dr. Bailey comes from Seattle to Los Angeles with a kidney transplant patient and her donor sister, seeking Addison and the Oceanside Wellness staff’s help. Despite the girl having only 72 hours to get her transplant, Addison is not very happy that Bailey has come to ask for her help, and she is not alone. Sheldon and Pete find out who Violet’s baby daddy is, and Addison must deal with her relationship with Noah.

Episode #3.4 – “Pushing the Limits”
Original Air Date: October 22, 2009
When Addison, Sam and Cooper are volunteering, they meet a homeless teen mom and agree to treat her sick child. Violet struggles to connect with her baby, Lucas, but when she is counseling a rape victim who is pregnant, she has a meltdown, as her own attack resurfaces in a nasty way. Cooper is asked to buy out Naomi’s share of the practice, but he is having financial problems.

DISC TWO

Episode #3.5 – “Strange Bedfellows”
Original Air Date: October 29, 2009
When two of Naomi’s patients, Zoe and Amelia (who had their embryos switched) return to Oceanside Wellness it is Addison who must deal with them. She soon realizes this isn’t going to be easy to deal with, especially when complications arise that affect both women and their babies. Katie goes to trial and Violet is unsure she is ready to face her attacker. especially since she has been asked to testify against her. Charlotte attempts to woo Addison, Sam and Cooper into letting her join the clinic team.

Episode #3.6 – “Slip Slidin’ Away”
Original Air Date: November 5, 2009
The issue of genetically modified (designer) babies arises when there is a new hire at Pacific Wellcare. It is Naomi who must deal with this controversial issue. Addison gets a cat, which surprises her as much as anyone. She is flying solo for now, so a cat makes a great companion. Violet must wrestle with the idea of whether to use electroshock therapy on a patient.

Episode #3.7 – “The Hard Part”
Original Air Date: November 12, 2009
When Addison and Sam head into Malibu on a hiking trip, they must perform care to a couple they stumble upon. The woman is expecting and they have been stuck in their car following an accident. Back at the office, Charlotte, Cooper and Violet team up to treat a newlywed with quite the problem. Anxious about his wedding night he took too much Viagra and must deal with the consequences. When Pete and Sheldon go out to the bar, they end up falling for the same girl.

Episode #3.8 – “Sins of the Father”
Original Air Date: November 19, 2009
When Addison’s father, the Captain, arrives in Los Angeles unexpectedly, she isn’t exactly thrilled. Cooper refuses to cooperate with the authorities when it comes to a longtime patient. As a result, he is arrested. Pete attempts to help a man who is going to die, due to a terminal illness, stay alive just long enough for the man to welcome his new daughter into the world.

Episode #3.9 – “The Parent Trap”
Original Air Date: December 3, 2009
This is the first part of a two-hour episode that aired. The Captain realizes just how talented a surgeon/doctor his daughter is when she performs a very difficult surgery that goes in utero. They are able to relate to one another a little better after the experience. Sam and Naomi must deal with their daughter, Maya, who is attempting to act older than she is. Addison is shocked to learn about Violet’s indiscretion with her father.

DISC THREE

Episode #3.10 – “Blowups”
Original Air Date: December 3, 2009
In part two of this two-hour long episode, Addison initially believes that the Captain is sleeping with Susan, a family friend close in age to her, who runs the family clinic. When Addison’s mother, Bizzy, arrives, the truth about who Susan is with is revealed when she admits to Addison she is a lesbian. When an explosion occurs at Dell’s house, Betsy and Heather are injured and the clinic team must work to treat them.

Episode #3.11 – “Another Second Chance”
Original Air Date: January 14, 2010
In the second Grey’s crossover episode, the second part of a two hour special that had Addison and Sam in Seattle, Mark follows Addison back to Los Angeles in a desperate attempt to get her help in treating a problem with her pregnant daughter. Dell and Naomi struggle to raise their children together. Violet and Cooper have a major disagreement concerning the treatment of a patient.

Episode #3.12 – “Best Laid Plans”
Original Air Date: January 21, 2010
Maya tells Sam and Naomi that she is pregnant. Considering she is a teenager this announcement is rather shocking, and Naomi takes it to mean she has not been a very good mother to Maya. Pete gets up in Fife’s grill over a patient who has a bionic arm. Sam is left to deal with the aftermath of Maya’s announcement because Naomi is irrational about the entire matter.

Episode #3.13 – “Shotgun”
Original Air Date: February 4, 2010
Maya and Dink make plans to marry, which is upsetting to Sam. Naomi refuses to discuss the matter with anyone, especially Sam. Sam also wants to talk to Addison about what is going on between them, but Addison believes things are better left unsaid. Violet offers Charlotte her home, not knowing that Cooper and Charlotte have had a falling out, so Violet unwittingly is placed in the middle of their drama. Parents of twin girls, who are both ill, must decide which one can be saved by their newborn brother’s cord blood.

Episode #3.14 – “Love Bites”
Original Air Date: February 11, 2010
Sam supports Maya and her decision to marry Dink. When Naomi refuses to take part in planning the nuptials, Sam convinces Violet to help. Sam and Addison’s sparks cause tension between them as they attempt to deal with a suicidal patient together. Addison turns to Pete to deal. Cooper and Pete must treat a girl who has a strange bite mark on her neck.

DISC FOUR

Episode #3.15 – “Til Death Do Us Part”
Original Air Date: February 18, 2010
Violet and Sam work together with Maya to help her have the perfect wedding. Naomi continues to refuse to help in the planning process for a wedding she does not believe should happen. Naomi, Pete and Addison must team up to try to save a premature baby, who has been born at 25 weeks and is fighting for life. Charlotte has a new beau and Cooper suspects he has a drug problem.

Episode #3.16 – “Fear of Flying”
Original Air Date: March 4, 2010
Violet has escaped to Costa Rica, for a much needed break from her life, so Sheldon takes over some of her caseload. One of the patients he must help is Natasha, who is deathly afraid of flying. Naomi finds herself the third in a love tryst while Addison, Sam and Pete must work together to take care of their latest patient, a man with TB, whose wife is pregnant.

Episode #3.17 – “Triangles”
Original Air Date: March 11, 2010
Addison and Vanessa, Sam’s new girlfriend, disagree about how Addison should treat a patient who is the surrogate mother of three unborn fetuses inside her. The woman and all three babies are facing impending death if the right course of action is not taken. Cooper and Sheldon have trouble consulting together on a patient, due to their problems that concern Charlotte. Naomi feels torn between William and Fife.

Episode #3.18 – “Pulling the Plug”
Original Air Date: March 25, 2010
When a man decides to pull the plug on his dying, pregnant wife, the surrogate mother, he is forced to keep her alive and on life support after a judge rules he and the hospital must do so until her babies are born. Naomi is furious at Sam and Addison when she learns they have feelings for one another. Since William is out of town dealing with business matters, she turns to Fife. Addison takes a day off work and spends it with Pete and Lucas.

Episode #3.19 – “Eyes Wide Open”
Original Air Date: April 1, 2010
Addison gets a shock when she runs into Amelia Shepherd, the younger sister of her ex-husband Derek (aka McDreamy), who is on the team of top neurosurgeon, Dr. Ginsberg. Amelia is there to help save Kayla’s life, claiming to be able to do so after Ginsberg dismisses the case, saying nothing can be done. This causes tension between Pete, Sam and Addison. Charlotte convinces Cooper to help her with a sex ed seminar for the elderly, but their problems resurface when they attempt to work together.

DISC FIVE

Episode #3.20 – “Second Choices”
Original Air Date: April 22, 2010
Violet makes her return after escapades in Costa Rica. She is ready to reconnect with her son, Lucas, even though Pete and Addison aren’t sure it is a very good idea. Amelia gets up close and personal with Sam when it comes to matters of the heart. Sheldon pushes Charlotte back to Cooper to at least attempt to make up. Cooper must deal with a patient who eats anything and everything.

Episode #3.21 – “War”
Original Air Date: April 29, 2010
Violet files for joint custody of her son, Lucas. Pete, having raised the boy while Violet dealt with the trauma of his birth, fights back, refusing to give her custody. When he hires a tough as nails attorney, their personal lives are dragged into the public and their friends and co-workers are forced to choose sides.

Episode #3.22 – “The End of a Beautiful Friendship”
Original Air Date: May 6, 2010
Naomi puts her two “men” in a precarious situation. Having learned about William’s ALS, she begs Fife to help him by using an experimental treatment. Violet and Amelia work together to treat a woman with a brain tumor who must make a difficult decision concerning her life (can she live life with less quality) or death. Sheldon attempts to woo Charlotte.

Episode #3.23 – “The End of a Beautiful Friendship”
Original Air Date: May 13, 2010
Addison, Amelia and Fife work together to save the lives of Maya and her unborn baby. Sam is stunned when he works on a victim of a crash who comes in to be treated. Cooper attempts to make things right with Charlotte but his efforts are for naught, as the team is shocked by the death of one of their dear friends.

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
If you have seen previous ABC television series releases before then you should already have a good idea of what to expect when it comes to the Private Practice: The Complete Third Season box set. The episodes are presented in anamorphic widescreen at a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, and they look great. You can expect the type of quality you see when the show airs on ABC. I would expect nothing less of a television show that aired in 2009 and 2010. It would be a sad day to see a poor transfer for a show like this one. Because this is a newer show, there are no discernible visual errors that hamper the viewing experience.

The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track is your standard audio track for a show of this caliber. It’s a newer show so the most standard audio is used. Since this is a dialogue driven show, don’t expect a dynamic surround experience. While the soundtrack makes use of various channels that round out the sound, the dialogue is fairly flat. That’s just the kind of show it is, so this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If this was an action flick, it’d be disappointing, but for a medical drama, this audio track fits.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Though Grey’s had far more bonuses in their latest box set release, the third season box set for Private Practice has a few goodies fans of the show can sink their teeth into. Like on the Grey’s first disc, the first disc of Private Practice includes an “ABC Starter Kit”. This is almost five minutes of recaps leading up to what has happened prior to the start of this season. If you are new to the series or need a refresher, this is great, but don’t expect to watch it very often after the initial viewing.

Disc Five features the bulk of the bonuses. Here is what is included:

“Kate’s Top 8″ – Over 12 minutes explore Private Practice star, Kate Walsh’s top eight moments from season three. These are the best parts of the season according to Addison herself. A cute bonus, this is worth a watch at least once. The featurette includes interviews with stars Kate Walsh, Audra McDonald, Taye Diggs, KaDee Strickland, Amy Brenneman, Paul Adelstein, Chris Lowell, Tim Daly, location manager Brian Haynes, creators/writers Shonda Rhimes & Betsy Beers, and costume designer Cynthia Bergstrom.

“Private Practice Deleted Scenes” – There are 13 deleted scenes that have been included minus audio commentary. They are organized by episode title.

“Private Practice Bloopers” – A little less than five minutes of fun gags and screw ups are included in these bloopers.

While there is not much here, the few bonuses are worth the watch…at least once!

Bonus Features: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The third season of Private Practice is actually pretty good. This is a nice set with some fun bonuses and it looks good to boot. If you are a fan of this show, you are definitely going to want to pick up a copy of Private Practice: The Complete Third Season. I am not usually an advocate of starting a series in the middle of its run on television, but I must be honest and say that I did not have much trouble figuring out who these people were and what their stories were. While I always advise people to start watching at the beginning of a series, starting now isn’t bad either. Pick this one up. It’s fun to watch.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Private Practice, TV Box Set, TV Show Review, The Complete Third Season, Season Three, Doctor Drama, ABC, Primetime, Box Set Review

Release Info:
Episodes Original Air Date: September 24, 2009-May 20, 2010
DVD Release Date: September 14, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $38.99

I came into the Grey’s Anatomy game a little later than most. Ash and I started watching in season three. I did it because my girlfriend’s mom kept bugging us both to watch it. Ash and I were both fans of ER, so we like a good doctor drama. It is hard to really compare ER to Grey’s Anatomy, especially considering the cast in the early days of ER. Grey’s is also more central to the life of one character, Meredith Grey, and the events that happen at Seattle Grace, as seen through her eyes, while ER didn’t really have a focus point as far as characters went. Regardless, Ash and I started watching Grey’s. While it is not our favorite show on television by any stretch of the imagination, we continue to watch it because it does have some entertainment value.

The sixth season of Grey’s Anatomy had it’s ups and downs. There were stories that were enjoyable and others that seemed to be a major waste of time. The merger story, for example, was fairly lame. However, the story involving Owen Hunt and his war trauma (PTSD) was interesting, especially since Kevin McKidd is such a talented actor. In fact, as a fan of Rome I have to wonder why he is wasting his time and talent on a show like Grey’s? I am not saying Grey’s is horrible, but when you see a man in awesomeness that was the first season of Rome it almost seems like a step backward. Throughout this seasons of Grey’s there continued to be this sense of mediocrity. Stories we loved were balanced by pointless stories we hated. Derek taking over as Chief and the former Chief’s drinking problem seemed pointless, especially when his drinking problem seemed brushed over and just thrown in for dramatic effect.

The sad part is that the final episode of Grey’s was good (the final two). No, it was OUTSTANDING. It was enough to keep us watching next season, because it has made us hope that season seven will be better than the last. It has made us realize that good writing still exists for the show. If next season does not pick up on the action and interest, then perhaps it is time to retire Grey’s before it becomes too redundant. That is the problem with dramas, who outstay their welcome, and nobody wants this for Grey’s. For now, the show seems to be okay, but that is only if the stories continue to generate the interest they did at the end of the sixth season. The finale was a step far above all of the other episodes in this season, so here’s hoping that momentum continues.

I do have one major beef with the Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Sixth Season set. It involves the crossover episodes with Private Practice. When watching the shows on television, viewers who do not usually watch Private Practice could continue watching the crossover episodes when Private Practice aired. Considering they are technically not Grey’s episodes, they have not been included in this set…not even as bonus episodes. So, to see what happens during the crossover, which began during the Grey’s episodes, you will have to buy the Third Season set for Private Practice and vice versa for PP fans with the Grey’s set. It’s kind of a pain in the rear, especially with these sets as costly as they are, for 2-3 episodes that should have been included in the subsequent shows’ sets. This may be a relatively minor beef, but it made me annoyed, nonetheless.

Grey’s Anatomy Sixth Season Episode Synopsis’
There are 24 episodes split across six discs in the Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Sixth Season set. Here is a list of the episodes, with a brief description of each of them. Fair warning, these synopsis’ do include spoilers, so read at your own risk.

#1.1 – “Good Mourning”
Original Air Date: September 24, 2009
Following the end of the last season, where Izzie was ill due to her cancer and George was in a terrible accident after being a good Samaritan, the Seattle Grace staff try to save them both. At first, they do not realize it is George, and when they do and he dies, they are shocked. Alex tries to keep George’s death from Izzie, who has a miraculous recovery. Despite their sadness, Owen must deal with a patient who is a double amputee, and Arizona must find out why a teen is suffering from immense muscle pain.

#1.2 – “Goodbye”
Original Air Date: September 24, 2009
The Seattle Grace residents attempt to come to terms with the loss of George. Cristina and Owen fight the urge to have sex, because his therapist, Dr. Wyatt, feels it will be best, under the circumstances. Meredith and Derek, who have had their own faux marriage, have no problem in the sex arena. Owen must deal with his amputee patients, depression and Arizona must fight to diagnose her teen patient. Richard announces that Seattle Grace and Mercy West will be merging due to budget cuts.

#1.3 – “I Always Feel Like Somebody’s Watchin’ Me”
Original Air Date: October 1, 2009
Bailey and Alex work together to try and convince a woman with a severe aneurysm, to have surgery. However, she is afraid that she will not make it through, leaving her son, who has schizophrenia, on his own. The staff of Seattle Grace compete in an attempt to keep their jobs. This leads to many problems between all of the doctors and interns. Izzie returns to work early in order to keep her job.

#1.4 – “Tainted Obligation”
Original Air Date: October 8, 2009
Meredith and Lexie’s father, Thatcher, ends up at the hospital. His liver is failing and he needs a new one. Lexie is not a match, but Meredith is, so she must decide between letting him die or putting aside her anger at him and saving his life. Izzie interferes with Owen’s patient, in a case that hits close to home, when she tries to help a patient with multiple tumors. Mark must decide to help an 80 year old who wants a better sex life, despite his children’s objections. He ends up tricking Cristina into helping him with this surgery.

#1.5 – “Invasion”
Original Air Date: October 15, 2009
As day one of the merger begins, doctors from Seattle Grace and Mercy West fight over surgeries and further job cuts. Callie’s father brings a priest to attempt to convince her that her relationship with Arizona and her bisexuality are immoral. Izzie is fired. Hurt and angry she leaves Alex a farewell letter and disappears, leaving him hurt and devastated. Dr. Bailey must head over to Private Practice when a potential kidney donation goes wrong.

#1.6 – “I Saw What I Saw”
Original Air Date: October 22, 2009
After an accident that leaves the ER in chaos leads to a burn victim’s death, which should have been prevented, the higher ups at Seattle Grace must interrogate all of the doctors to determine who is responsible for the patient’s death. In the end, they determine it was April, a Mercy West implant, and she is subsequently fired.

#1.7 – “Give Peace A Chance”
Original Air Date: October 29, 2009
Derek goes against Richard’s orders when he decides to perform a risky surgery. A lab tech at Seattle Grace, Isaac, has an inoperable tumor wrapped around his spine. His last chance of survival is a successful surgery with Derek. However, success may come at too high a price.

#1.8 – “Invest In Love”
Original Air Date: November 5, 2009
When the parents of Arizona’s 10 year old patient make a $25 million dollar donation, everything seems peachy-keen. However, when his condition deteriorates she must find a way to save him or face the wrath of the hospital. Owen and Cristina have problems. She kisses Jackson Avery, a Mercy West implant, at a party for Arizona and performs an unauthorized procedure against Owen’s wishes. Alex is charged with Izzie’s hospital bills since she is gone and they were married. He turns his anger into energy spent caring for a newborn. Arizona and Callie move forward in their relationship.

#1.9 – “New History”
Original Air Date: November 12, 2009
Owen’s surprise recruitment of a fellow Iraq War Veteran and doctor, which he does for Cristina, has the potential to backfire in his face. When Cristina sees Dr. Teddy Altman, a cardiothoracic surgeon who can offer Cristina the guidance she’s been dreaming of having, she not only questions Teddy’s skill, but also her relationship with Owen. Izzie returns, not to come back to Alex, but to get help for a high school teacher who was her mentor, who is suffering from severe dementia. Richard turns to the bottle due to all the stress he is facing.

#1.10 – “Holidaze”
Original Air Date: November 19, 2010
As the holidays pass, Cristina begins to realize that her original suspicions, about the attraction between Teddy and Owen, are very real. Mark and Lexie’s relationship hits a snag when Mark’s practically grown daughter, he never knew he had, appears at their door. Bailey’s dad, William, shows up and criticizes every move she has made in her life, much to her chagrin. Thatcher tells Meredith about his suspicions concerning Richard’s drinking habits, though Meredith defends Richard to him.

#1.11 – “Blink”
Original Air Date: January 14, 2010
Addison, from Private Practice, is brought to Seattle Grace by Mark. She is there to help perform a procedure on his daughter, Sloane, who is pregnant. Mark and Lexie further distance themselves and end up breaking up. Teddy pleases Cristina, when she allows her to lead on a complicated surgery, which upsets Owen, as he questions her motives. Derek suspects that Richard is drinking again, especially when he has Meredith help him perform a surgery.

#1.12 – “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked”
Original Air Date: January 21, 2010
After an exhilarating surgery experience, Cristina realizes that she wants Teddy to be her mentor. When she tells Teddy that if she stays she will give her Owen, it creates problems between the three. Derek confronts Richard about his drinking problem. Izzie tries to win Alex back, when she returns again, but he realizes he does not need her and tells her to leave. Lexie confesses that she had sex with Alex. Despite having sex with Addision, Mark dismisses any attempt at reconciliation.

#1.13 – “State of Love and Trust”
Original Air Date: February 4, 2010
Derek is given the job of interim chief. He gives Richard an ultimatum. Richard can sign something that will make it so he can no longer practices medicine or he can sign a form that has him going to rehab and sobering up and he will have a job waiting for him. This pisses Richard off. The hospital faces a potential lawsuit when Bailey and Meredith’s patient wakes up mid-surgery. Teddy pages Cristina, which Owen begs her not to answer, creating drama between the two women and Teddy refuses to place Cristina on her service. Mark ignores Lexie who is devastated, and Alex gets his first taste of peds.

#1.14 – “Valentine’s Day Massacre”
Original Air Date: February 11, 2010
Mark and Callie try to convince Sloan to let them raise her baby, but she insists she wants to give the baby up for adoption….to a stranger. Lexie gets a new hairdo and Mark hits on her until he realizes it is her. Bailey goes on a date with Ben. The hospital is swamped with people when the roof of a romantic restaurant collapses. Some of the patients give Meredith a new perspective on being Derek’s wife and her duties as the wife of the Chief of Staff.

#1.15 – “Time Warp”
Original Air Date: February 18, 2010
It’s time for a blast from the past, when all of the residents must go listen to a lecture, as Derek has reinstated the lecture series. Bailey, Richard, and Callie discuss defining moments in their careers that changed them, and also emphasized specific, innovative surgical procedures they used in these situations. Callie’s are the most recent memories, and she looks at a polio case. Bailey remembers being a shy intern who stands up to the mouthy resident who isn’t looking out for her patients. In the most heartbreaking story, Richard explains how he and Ellis Gray treated a patient diagnosed with GRID (later known as AIDS). Next to the finale this is the BEST episode of the season.

#1.16 – “Perfect Little Accident”
Original Air Date: March 4, 2010
When reputable and famous surgeon, Dr. Harper Avery, is brought to Seattle Grace, the residents are abuzz with awe. When they learn that he is Mercy West implant, Jackson Avery’s grandfather, they are surprised to learn he isn’t quite in awe of his grandfather, the way they are. When Dr. Avery requests to have his surgery while awake, and he requests that Richard (who has just returned to the hospital) makes the decision/leads the surgery, it causes tension between Richard and Derek. Callie and Arizona attempt to hook up Teddy and Mark, to try and get them to move on from Lexie and Owen, but when Teddy just wants a fling and Mark wants a relationship, things become tense.

#1.17 – “Push”
Original Air Date: March 11, 2010
Lexie is distraught as Mark appears to be moving on with Teddy. The two (Teddy and Mark) go on a date, when Mark decides to take her out to lunch, after admitting he is ready to settle down and start a family. Ben and Bailey also go on another date, which ends better than both expected. Derek makes Owen and Richard compete for a difficult surgery and when Owen wins it, Richard is bitter about the situation.

#1.18 – “Suicide is Painless”
Original Air Date: March 25, 2010
A woman wants to end her life, due to a debilitating illness. Teddy turns to Owen to help in assessing the situation, but it just makes him have flashbacks about Iraq and some comrades who died there, despite him trying to save them. This also makes his feelings for Teddy resurface. Callie and Arizona have a serious discussion concerning their future.

#1.19 – “Sympathy for the Parents”
Original Air Date: April 1, 2010
Alex receives divorce papers from Izzie. The Seattle Grace crew is surprised to learn that Alex has a brother, when he shows up with a hernia he is hoping Alex can treat. Alex must get permission from Bailey to perform pro bono surgery on his brother, but their relationship is complicated, as it is revealed Alex hasn’t been home in years and his past isn’t as rosy as he’d like to pretend. Teddy and Cristina have a disagreement about how Owen should deal with the problems lingering from his time in the military. Arizona and Callie have a fight concerning parenthood. Sloan arrives at Mark’s in labor.

#1.20 – “Hook, Line and Sinner”
Original Air Date: April 29, 2010
Mark, Teddy, Callie and Arizona help Sloan deliver her baby, a son. Mark must deal with his grandson’s adoption. A boat captain with a shark hook through him comes to the hospital for treatment. When cardiothoracic surgeon Tom Evans arrives at Seattle Grace, Teddy freaks out, believing he will be taking over her chance at getting a permanent contract through the hospital. She turns to Owen for comfort. Arizona and Callie continue to have problems concerning Callie’s desire to have children.

#1.21 – “How Insensitive”
Original Air Date: May 6, 2010
Owen and Derek get in a fight when Meredith reveals to Teddy that Owen put in a good word for her, and she thanks Owen for it. Alex signs his divorce papers. Arizona leaves Callie because she does not want children and can’t keep Callie from that. A cute patient gives Callie her number. The Seattle Grace staff must undergo sensitivity training in order to deal with a patient weighing 700 lbs. Alex and Lexie turn their booty calls into a potential relationship at Meredith’s urging.

#1.22 – “Shiny Happy People”
Original Air Date: May 13, 201
Owen asks Cristina to move in with him, but Meredith has other plans when she tells Owen that he must tell Cristina that he tried to get Teddy fired, and she believes it is because he still has feelings for her. Teddy walks in on Mark with another woman in his bed. Bailey and Ben have a good time together, but he makes it clear he is serious about pursuing her. Callie urges Mark to go back to Lexie, whom he still has feelings for, but Lexie has decided she needs to move on with Alex.

#1.23 – “Sanctuary”
Original Air Date: May 20, 2010
Meredith learns she is pregnant with Derek’s baby. Both Teddy and Cristina don’t want to talk to Owen, and Callie is ignoring Arizona. Arizona must take out a little girl’s appendix. A woman who carries a colostomy bag is about to get her surgery. A man who was in a car accident and was shot while trying to give his insurance information is rushed to the OR. All this chaos is going on, as a disgruntled husband who lost his wife after Lexie, Richard and Derek pulled the plug on her at the hospital, shows up with a gun. Casualties occur as drama ensues.

#1.24 – “Death and All His Friends”
Original Air Date: May 20, 2010
As the shooter wanders around the hospital aimlessly picking who lives and dies, Christina is forced to operate on Derek to save his life. Mark sees Lexie with Alex after they must keep him alive, having been one of the shooter’s first victims. Bailey and her patient fight to keep Percy alive and Arizona and Callie find a common ground when they get stuck together in the Peds Unit.

Storyline/Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 3 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer looks great. Since this debuted in 2009 and 2010 it should look stellar. It looks as good as it did on television, if not better. This is a new show, so do not expect to see the problems that older shows face visually. There is no visible grain or fuzz. The color palette utilized is vibrant with bright colors. The black levels have depth to them and there is just the right amount of saturation. None of the shows run too dark. Overall, this is as good as it gets for a television show.

The audio is as good as the visual presentation for Grey’s in its sixth season. The English, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound has decent leveling with consistent sounds that ensure no need for volume toggling is necessary. The audio utilizes the back channels, with limited sound effects and a brilliant score that eclipses each episode. Everything from the music to the dialogue is easily heard. Speaking of dialogue, everything the actors say is clear and crisp; just the way audio should be. Subtitles are available for the hearing impaired in English, Spanish, and French, so everyone can enjoy Grey’s.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
This set features plenty of bonus features. ABC usually does not leave its fans high and dry when it comes to its dramas, and this season of Grey’s does not disappoint. I’ve compiled a list of all of the goodies included in this set.

“ABC Starter Kit” – On disc one and coming in at just under five minutes, this is a great refresher that will lead in to the sixth season of the show. Fans can watch this recap to get up to speed on what has happened on Grey’s prior to the start of this set.

“Seattle Grace: On Call” – On disc four, this is a series of six webisodes, which were originally featured on abc.com. These shorts focus on some of the lesser seen, background characters and run, on average, 5-6 minutes in length. The last episode features a special appearance by Owen (Kevin McKidd) with a guitar.

“The Making Of Seattle Grace: On Call” – On disc four, once you watch the webisodes, you can watch the making of featurette, which explores the making of this web series. This featurette offers interviews with stars Mark Saul, Brandon Scott, Nora Zehetner, Steven Bailey, Joseph Williamson, Robert Baker, Gloria Garayua, Molly Kidder, Kevin McKidd, and associate producer Chris VanDusen.

“Chandra Wilson: Anatomy of Talent” – On disc five, this profiles the actress who has directed two episodes of Grey’s this season. Discussed are these episodes, Chandra’s Broadway career, and her win at the NAACP Awards, for directing. It also contains interviews with Chandra Wilson, Sara Ramirez, Patrick Dempsey, Justin Chambers, Chyler Leigh, Jessica Capshaw, Shonda Rhimes, Brian O’Brien, Shawn Emamjomeh, Gabriela Garcia, Leslie Stifelman, Amra-Faye Wright, and Melissa Rae Mahon. It runs almost 15 minutes in length.

“Dissecting Grey’s Anatomy: Unaired Scenes” – On disc five, there are 21 unaired scenes that are shown from this season.

“In Stitches: Season Six Outtakes” – On disc five, this is one of the funnier sets of outtakes we’ve seen.

Finally, there is the option to check out the Extended Finale Episode: “Death and All His Friends” and two extended scenes from “Time Warp”. In all, this is not a bad set of offerings and there is not anything that is too cheesy, either, which can be common in bonus features.

Bonus Features: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
In being truthful, Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Sixth Season had its ups and downs. Some storylines, like the Arizona-Callie relationship have grown on me (in large part due to the dynamic Jessica Capshaw), while others, such as the Sloane pregnancy, left a bitter taste in my mouth. With a powerful season finale and great episodes like “Time Warp”, the show has redeemed my hope that it can rebound from an overall lackluster sixth season. If you have seen all the episodes when they aired on television, you will already know if you want to pick a copy of this up. However, for those who are new to the series and want to sink their teeth into Grey’s Anatomy this is NOT the season to start watching. Try the first three seasons, which have better stories and more interesting character developments. Here’s hoping next season lives up to season six’s amazing finale.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: TV Box Set, Television, DVD, Box Set Review, Grey’s Anatomy: The Complete Sixth Season, ABC, Primetime, DVD Review, Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Doctors, Seattle Grace, Hospital, Drama

The Nominees:
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Glee
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie
The Office
30 Rock

The Winner:
Modern Family

Our Thoughts: What an upset over Glee. While we love Glee this was a BRILLIANT show. Way to go Modern Family.

Technorati Tags: 62nd Primetime Emmys, Outstanding Comedy Series, 30 Rock, Modern Family, Nurse Jackie, Glee, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office

The Nominees:
Breaking Bad
Dexter
The Good Wife
Lost
Mad Men
True Blood

The Winner:
Mad Men

Our Thoughts: We don’t watch this show. However, with The Good Wife, Breaking Bad, True Blood, and and Dexter nominated, it is hard to believe these shows were not as good as Mad Men. It is disappointing this won.

Technorati Tags: 62nd Primetime Emmys, Outstanding Drama Series, Breaking Bad, Dexter, The Good Wife, Lost, Mad Men, True Blood

The Nominees:
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
Dexter

Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
House

Kyle Chandler as Eric Taylor
Friday Night Lights

Matthew Fox as Jack Shephard
Lost

Jon Hamm as Don Draper
Mad Men

Bryan Cranston
Breaking Bad

The Winner:
Bryan Cranston
Breaking Bad

Our Thoughts: Bryan Cranston has won this award before and with good reason. When we saw him on Malcolm in the Middle we had no idea he was such a prolific actor, but he is outstanding.

Technorati Tags: 62nd Primetime Emmys, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Breaking Bad, House, Dexter

The Nominees:
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
Breaking Bad

Andre Braugher as Owen Thoreau Jr.
Men of a Certain Age

Michael Emerson as Benjamin Linus
Lost

Terry O’Quinn as John Locke/The Man in Black
Lost

Martin Short as Leonard Winstone
Damages

John Slattery as Roger Sterling
Mad Men

The Winner:
Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman
Breaking Bad

Our Thoughts: Breaking Bad is one of the greatest dramas on television. Aaron Paul has proven to be one of the most versatile actors in the industry. Congrats to him!

Technorati Tags: 62nd Primetime Emmys: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Breaking Bad, Damages, Lost, Mad Men

The Nominees:

Michelle MacLaren
Breaking Bad

Steve Shill
Dexter

Jack Bender
Lost

Lesli Linka Glatter
Mad Men

Agnieszka Holland
Treme

The Winner:
Steve Shill
Dexter

Our Thoughts: Not surprising considering how good Dexter is and the last season especially was amazing.

Technorati Tags: 62nd Primetime Emmys, Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series, Treme, Dexter, Mad Men, Breaking Bad

The Nominees:
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma
The Good Wife

Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart
The Good Wife

Rose Byrne as Ellen Parsons
Damages

Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen
Burn Notice

Christina Hendricks as Joan Harris
Mad Men

Elisabeth Moss as Peggy Olson
Mad Men

The Winner:
Archie Panjabi as Kalinda Sharma
The Good Wife

Our Thoughts: We are so happy with this award. We love The Good Wife and Archie Panjabi makes the show so much better. We were hoping she would win.

Technorati Tags: 62nd Primetime Emmys, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, The Good Wife, Mad Men, Burn Notice, Damages

The Nominees:

Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester
Glee

Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy
Modern Family

Jane Krakowski as Jenna Maroney
30 Rock

Holland Taylor as Evelyn Harper
Two and a Half Men

Sofia Vergara as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett
Modern Family

Kristen Wiig as Various
Saturday Night Live

The Winner:
Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester
Glee

Our Thoughts: This is no big surprise. We knew and were hoping that Jane Lynch would win this award. She is brilliant as Sue Sylvester.

Technorati Tags: 62nd Primetime Emmys, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy, Glee, SNL, Saturday Night Live