Grey's Anatomy-Private Practice Crossover is Ratings Hit
The ongoing Grey's Anatomy-Private Practice crossover event, which continues tomorrow with "An Honest Mistake," has been called a much-hyped ratings ploy by some.
If that's the case, well, it's definitely working.
ABC struck gold with the highly-anticipated crossover of the twin medical dramas, in which the main story line intertwined, by earning top ratings last Thursday.
Both Private Practice and Grey's Anatomy ratings averages were up from the week before, and the two handily beat out the competition on Thursday night, with Private Practice surprisingly having the easier time accomplishing that, according to reports:
- Grey's Anatomy's 5.8/14 rating trumped perennial rival and typical ratings winner CSI's 4.9/12 and a strong showing from The Office with 4.6/11.
- On the other hand, Private Practice's competition was a total non-factor, with Eleventh Hour and ER posting modest 2.7/7 and 2.6/7 numbers.
Private Practice, of course, is a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy, starring Kate Walsh as Addison Montgomery, ex-wife of Patrick Dempsey's Derek Shepherd (seen above last week).
Walsh left to pursue her own show after Season Three of Grey's Anatomy.
After all the hype, how did last week's episode actually stack up with the previous few episodes in Grey's Anatomy Insider readers' minds? Follow the jump to see how each of the past three weeks polled in our (unscientific) Friday morning surveys...
Steve Marsi is the Managing Editor of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Google+ or email him here.
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February 20th, 2009 12:33 PM
it keeps getting worse
all the rating keeps dragging the show is dragging WTF??
February 19th, 2009 6:04 AM
Will be any continuation of the crossover in L.A.?
While Meredith is going to flirt with Sadie,Derek could do the same with Addison.
Oh,and she petted his hair on that photo!
Meredith never touches his hair.
February 19th, 2009 12:03 AM
Grey didn't win the ratings war, it won the demo war. 4.9 is the 18 to 49 demo. In total numbers, CSI won over Grey like it always does. BuddyTV did the smae mistake. Grey always win the demo, but CSI always win the ratings, nothing that amazing. CSOI still had 2 millions viewers more.
PP now was impressinve as it was just one million below Grey.
February 18th, 2009 8:59 PM
does anybody else not think that addison and derek that episode had amazing chemistry...i almost wanted derek to go to private practice and be with addy!
Rank: Guest Star
February 18th, 2009 6:54 PM
Well... I hate Grey's turning into the Addison show for people to get interested in Private Practice. I like Grey's more without her and the rest of the LA people in it. I love Grey's for Meredith Grey. Can someone find her? Cos she was missing for most of last weeks episode. Sure, when she was in it... her lines were amazing!!! "I want to be here!" Gosh YEY! Her talking about how she doesn't really know Derek before he came to Seattle. How it kinda freaks her out. How, she isn't running... because she's so in love with him and has grown so much that she wants to be there. Hehe. SQUEEEE!
But yeah. I can't wait till this cross over thing is over. Thank gosh it's the last one this week! BAH! That said. This episode looks mighty intense and I can't wait for it! I just hope that Mer is in it a whole heap more. Poor Mer... Derek yells like crazy @ Addy.. and Mer jumps! EEP!
I also was watching Private Practice before they did this cross over anyways. I watched it cos it's not like G
Rank: Guest Star
February 18th, 2009 6:38 PM
I've watched ga from the first episode and I have to say that the 2nd and 3rd seasons were the best (addison). I'm not saying that other characters are bad-they're awesome but she was my favourite and since she left I kept watching ga in hope that I'll see her one day so I think that crossovers rock!
And I was probably the happiest person on the world when I fond out that kate walsh is gonna have her own show (ok maybe she was the happiest person, but I was second :D)
my point is...pp addison and kate walsh rule :) and for that-crossovers are great idea!
and the picture above...lovely ;)
Rank: New User
February 18th, 2009 5:20 PM
With all these issues going on, I pray to Shonda Rhimes to bring back Amy Madigan for more episodes. She was spectacular and especially with all the drama in the cross-overs... she could prove very useful, practical and fun to send zipping through.. or unzipping the emotional baggage of the characters, so to speak. :) I love the cross-over, I love Grey's, I always will be a loyal viewer, but I think some of the secondary characters that served as a sort of glue for the main cast should be revived. Amy Madigan, people. Amy Madigan.
February 18th, 2009 5:09 PM
Why would we have seen grey's characters in the private practice part? The second part wasn't a grey's episode it was private practice. I love the crossover and I love private practice more than grey's. Kate Walsh rocks!
February 18th, 2009 5:00 PM
Well, i thought the episode was okay, but there was a weird vibe to it. And it was weird that you didn't see any of the Seattle people in the second part except Der and Bailey. It made it feel less crossovery and more...WEIRD! Cant wait for tm's ep! i hope pregnant lady lives!
Rank: Guest Star
February 18th, 2009 4:51 PM
Wow - I am totally surprised by the fact that people didn't love the crossover. Then again, I love Private Practice, but still. I love the crossovers since I love seeing Addie in Seattle and I love how she interacts w/the Seattle Grace doctors. That's the only downside of PrPr - she doesn't get to talk to Mark and Callie and Alex and even Derek anymore.
I do think this was a ratings thing, and I think it worked well. Personally, I liked the crossover more than I liked Stairway to Heaven - but maybe that's because I was kind of annoyed with the PDR thing - it seemed way over-dramatic and - well, frankly, I think that was done for a ratings boost and it wasn't that great. And personally I think Addison makes everything better!
Bottom line: Kate Walsh rocks and this crossover was a great idea, and a success.