Mini-makeover for 'Private Practice'

0 Comments | USA TODAY, August, 2008 | by Bill Keveney

For Private Practice, second-season alteration is more an elective procedure than major surgery.

The three-month strike by writers gave creator Shonda Rhimes a chance to reflect on where the ABC drama was strongest and how to make it better. This season, which begins Oct. 1 (9 ET/PT), her thinking comes to fruition as:

*Medical stories fraught with dilemmas, and a little more surgical work to show off the skills and strength of the central character, neonatal surgeon Addison Forbes Montgomery (Kate Walsh).

*The potential financial failure of the Santa Monica medical practice overseen by Addison's fertility specialist friend (Audra McDonald).

*Greater exploration of romantic possibilities (and their effects on friendships), including...