photo: abc

Original Air Date: Nov 21, 2012

Karen Belgrad – Senior Editor
karenbelgrad@thetwocentscorp.com

Welcome to night two of the two-night Private Practice Event! Otherwise known as “the show was preempted for a few weeks so we need to air two episodes this week in order to keep our finale schedule.” But you know what… I liked both episodes this week.

In fact, I think this hour might have even been stronger than the Addison-centric episode. While Jake is newer to the Private Practice family, we know enough of his character’s history to be invested in his feelings. But unlike, say Violet, we’re not sick of his dramatics and character nuances. And better yet, the episode wasn’t crowded with a bunch of characters we’ve never seen before, so it felt like old home night.

Jake has five issues running parallel this episode. He’s got to prove to social worker Mildred (played by Days Of Our Lives’ Aloma Wright) that he’s a fit father for Henry. His stepdaughter Angela (played by Emily Rios) is dating her college human sexuality professor (played by Christopher Cousins). His patient Megan (played by Missy Yager, last seen in ) is pregnant for the fifth time and having a hard time dealing with possibility that she might yet again miscarry. He’s having daily conversations with his dead wife Lily (played by Marisol Nichols). Oh… and there’s that little issue of Addison proposing at the end of the last episode.

Jake’s initial answer to Addison’s proposal is …no answer. He doesn’t say yes or no, prompting the ever-stable Addison to lock herself in the bathroom. He insists he loves every aspect of her, be it brilliant, bitchy, or crazy. He’s not saying no, just not right now. Addison is mortified, but he stays outside of the bathroom, promising not to go anywhere.

We fast forward two weeks, where Addison has declared a moratorium on all thing proposal related. Luckily for them, they have enough going on to keep them mightily distracted. First and foremost, is running into Angela and her 50 year old boyfriend, Eli Wilson. Jake tries to get Angela to end the relationship, but she is adamant that she is an adult. Jake humorously points out that she isn’t an adult if she has to say it. But Angela is insistent that she loves Eli. Ghost Lily (with whom he talks to every day at “their” spot) and Addison both tell Jake that he has to back down or he’ll just drive Angela further into the relationship. At Addison’s suggestion, they have Eli and Angela over for dinner and it goes as well as one would expect. Despite Eli’s admission that he’s never dated a student before and that he loves Angela, Jake offers up a thinly veiled threat of physical violence if Eli doesn’t stop seeing his daughter.

Meanwhile, Megan is constantly calling Jake for every little cramp she feels. He tries to reassure her that it’s natural and that she’s just scared of losing the baby, but she remains nervous. After spending six hours at her bedside, Addison admonishes him to draw better boundary lines between him and his patients. And Ghost Lily tells him that unlike in their marriage, when he was afraid of her drug abuse, he no longer needs to avoid coming home. When he answers a late night phone call from Megan and pays her a home visit, it turns out that Addison was right. A brazen Megan puts the moves on him, which he immediately kiboshes. The next day he gives her a list of doctor referrals, saying that she crossed the line. She tries to tell Addison that Jake made a pass at her, but Addison sees right through her lies. Addison lectures her that she doesn’t have the right to blame the one made trying to help make her dream come true, just because her husband is absent and she’s afraid of what might happen.

As for meeting with Mildred, Jake comes across a bit cocky and Mildred makes sure he knows that raising a child before doesn’t mean he should be so overconfident in his parenting ability. He also stresses because his background check will show that he was arrested and received probation for beating up Lily’s drug dealer. Mildred shows up for the home visit just as Angela is ranting at him for threating Eli and Jake is sure he’s blown it. But Addison is nonplussed, sure that because he’s the love of her life (sorry Mark Sloan!) and they are meant to be a family.

When he doesn’t show up for one of his meetings with Ghost Lily, she visits him on the (horribly green-screened) beach and tells him it’s time to let go. He loves Addison, and doesn’t need her anymore. She tells him to accept the proposal, even if it was the traditional man-asking-woman version. So Jake litters the house with rose petals and puts candles on the deck, and asks Addison to ask him again. She repeats her proposal verbatim from last episode, Jake pulls a ring out of his pocket, and the two say “Let’s get married.” And… awwww… after so many seasons of the back and forth with Sam, it’s nice to see Addison so confident and secure in a healthy relationship.

Elsewhere…
-Violet counsels Sarah’s numb parents. The father is in anguish and the mother is numbed on medication. And after six weeks, it’s no longer being covered in the media. Violet isn’t sure how to tell them to move on with their lives without knowing Sarah’s fate. She eventually advises them to keep living, but not forget. They don’t have to give up, but they can’t stand still.
-Charlotte is beginning to look uncomfortable/pained in her pregnancy.
-James keeps trying to talk to Amelia who keeps shooting down his attempts. But after Jake advises her she deserves to be happy, she finally concedes and meets up with him for “date fries.”

And that’s it for this hour. We’ve got next week off, but we’ll be back on December 4th with an intense-looking Charlotte-centric (yay!) hour. You’ve got my TwoCents, now share your TwoCents, comments, and feedback below! And have a happy Thanksgiving!