Private Practice - Pros and Cons

In Which We Meet Addison, a Nice Girl From Somewhere Else

So is this the second episode or the first? What counts anyways?

Alright, so the first REAL episode of Private Practice, the Grey's Anatomy spinoff has been shown... now what? I gave the original "pilot" a somewhat nice review, though mainly at the time it was because at that point, it was far better than the dreck that was happening at Seattle Grace.

What does everybody think now? I'll break down my opinion in a pros and cons list. Seems like something somebody on that show would do:

The Pros:
-The Cast - seriously, putting together Tim Daly, Taye Diggs, Paul Adelstein, Chris Lowell, Audra McDonald, (uh, I guess Amy Brenneman but I've never been a huge fan), and Kate Walsh is great, and individually, each are great
-Chris Lowell was super cute as a midwife in training. His "midwifery" skills need to be shown! -Replacing Merrin Dungey is sad, but replacing her with Audra McDonald shuts me up because Audra ROCKS. Seriously, google Audra singing. It's scary good. She brings an authority to her yet without being a bitch. LOVE HER! Her delivery of that final line "that's why" made it fresh despite the cliché.
-Paul Adelstein finally has a lead that can show off his charms (instead of being scary (Prison Break)) after losing the role of Burke on Grey's Anatomy due to scheduling conflicts. Oh how things might have been so different...

The Cons:
-Why are the the female characters in such shambles and such softies?
-Why did this first episode devolve into such a boring hour? It started well enough and then just got kind of tedious.
-In theory a clinic could work but somehow the way it is set up on the show, it seems like such a weak setting, especially in comparison to Grey's Anatomy. I get that they want to portray a fresher, more relaxed, more LA vibe but do shows set in LA ever REALLY work anymore? I'm sorry but The Hills has ruined it all for me (and yes, I know it's technically Orange County but it's all the same to us east coasters).
-Could that Department store clerk with the crazy sister be more annoying and unaccomodating? To the point of unrealness? I didn't buy it (even though he kept telling Amy Brenneman's Violet she had to).
-I'll let Amy Brenneman off the hook for now but KaDee Strickland was already annoying even though that's her role. Plus we know she's somehow going to hook up with someone from the clinic after a lot of fighting and I'm already bored. Plus her name is KaDee. Big K, small a, big D, small e, small e. Steve Martin got LA right.
-The episode title.
-The emergency birth didn't work, trying to be Grey's Anatomy and yet not. Make up your mind.
-The sperm up for grabs on the dead guy was supposed to be shocking and funny but just seemed sad. Sperm jokes already?

Results: Strong cast, as we knew before, but they really need to tweak it all with a better story. I think Shonda Rhimes is spreading herself too thin between Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice and both are hurting because of it. Sigh, I hope it get's better, cause I'd like to see Audra McDonald, Paul Adelstein and Chris Lowell in a hit. (Not to mention recent showkillers Taye and Tim).

Did I miss anything on the list?

Kate Walsh

Paul Adelstein

Audra McDonald

Chris Lowell

Amy Brenneman

Taye Diggs

Tim Daly

KaDee Strickland