The BEST episodes of Private Practice season 3

Every episode of Private Practice season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Private Practice season 3!

Seattle fades into grey as renowned surgeon Dr. Addison Montgomery aims to reinvent herself. The promise of a simpler golden state of mind has her working alongside medical school friends at California's Oceanside Wellness Center. But is the new life prescription her cure? Join Addison newly-divorced-but-professionally-bound Naomi and Sam Bennet the kissable Pete Wilder and Violet Turner -- a psychiatrist with her own issues -- as affairs of the heart bring on symptoms of love lust and high drama in a journey worth taking.

Last Updated: 11/18/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
The End of a Beautiful Friendship
star
7.90
1133 votes

#1 - The End of a Beautiful Friendship

Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/13/2010

Maya and her unborn baby are fighting for their lives on the operating table, and Addison, Amelia and Fife try everything humanly possible to save them. Meanwhile, Sam operates on an incoming crash victim and later makes a grim discovery; Cooper makes an ill-timed but valiant effort with Charlotte, and the staff’s world gets rocked by an unexpected death.

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A Death in the Family
star
7.90
766 votes

#2 - A Death in the Family

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/1/2009

When Pete discovers Violet clinging to live following a violent attack from a patient, he rushes her to the hospital where Addison and Naomi work together to save her life. Meanwhile, the location of Violet's baby are still unknown.

Directors: Mark Tinker
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War
star
7.68
1072 votes

#3 - War

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/29/2010

After Violet files for joint custody of Lucas, an embittered Pete voraciously fights back by hiring a tough attorney for the trial, forcing their fellow friends and co-workers to choose sides and have their personal lives dragged onto the stand and into the public eye.

Directors: Eric Stoltz
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The Way We Were
star
7.68
647 votes

#4 - The Way We Were

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/8/2009

Violet is physically recovering from her violent attack at home, but the emotional trauma she suffers from isn't going away, despite the best efforts of Pete and her other friends to help. Meanwhile, Addison and Naomi try to mend their tension-filled relationship, as Sam and Cooper treat a father, who has allegedly attacked his family, after he is stabbed by his wife.

Directors: Donna Deitch
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The Hard Part
star
7.64
611 votes

#5 - The Hard Part

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/12/2009

Addison and Sam go for a hike in Malibu, they come across an expecting couple trapped in their car after an accident, they then perform urgent field care. Charlotte, Cooper and Violet treat a newlywed who, on his wedding night has taken too much Viagra. Pete and Sheldon go out to a bar together and end up falling for the same girl.

Directors: Mark Tinker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
In the Name of Love
star
7.58
1098 votes

#6 - In the Name of Love

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/6/2010

Naomi begs Fife to use his still experimental treatment to help William's advanced ALS. Violet and Amelia treat a woman with a brain tumor, while Sheldon decides to vie for Charlotte's affections.

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Right Here, Right Now
star
7.58
639 votes

#7 - Right Here, Right Now

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/2009

Miranda Bailey brings a kidney transplant patient to Los Angeles, and Addison and especially Sam is pleased to see her. Addison's consequences of her emotional affair with Noah catch up with her. Sheldon and Pete finally discover who the father of Violet's baby.

Directors: Rob Corn
Writer: Dana Baratta
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Pushing the Limits
star
7.53
664 votes

#8 - Pushing the Limits

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/22/2009

Addison, Sam and Cooper treat the sick child of a homeless teen mother they met while volunteering. Meanwhile Violet has trouble relating to her baby when her feelings about her attack resurface during counseling of a rape victim who is now pregnant, and Cooper's financial woes catch up with him when he's asked to help buy out Naomi's share of the practice.

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Pulling the Plug
star
7.40
1190 votes

#9 - Pulling the Plug

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/25/2010

A husband's decision to pull the plug on his pregnant wife is overruled by a judge, forcing the hospital to keep her on life support until the fetuses she is carrying as a surrogate are able to survive. Meanwhile, Naomi feels betrayed after learning of Sam and Addison's feelings for one another, and she turns to Dr. Fife for support while William is away on business. And unable to cope with the tension, Addison takes the day off with Pete and Lucas.

Directors: Ann Kindberg
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Triangles
star
7.39
1144 votes

#10 - Triangles

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/11/2010

When Addison's patient and the life of the three unborn babies she is carrying as a surrogate hang in the balance, Sam's new girlfriend, Vanessa, and Addison are sharply divided on the course of treatment. Meanwhile Cooper seeks Sheldon's help with a young patient, but their personal quarrels over Charlotte get in the way, and Naomi has a dilemma of her own between William and an unexpectedly charming Dr. Fife.

Directors: Tom Verica
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Blowups
star
7.36
701 votes

#11 - Blowups

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/3/2009

An explosion at Dell's house lands Betsey and Heather in the hospital. everyone is pushed to the limit in trying to save their lives. The tensions between Addison and The Captain rise even more when her mother, Bizzy, shows up and a shocking family secret is revealed.

Directors: Mark Tinker
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Eyes Wide Open
star
7.33
1148 votes

#12 - Eyes Wide Open

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/1/2010

When famed neurosurgeon Dr. Ginsberg and her team pay a visit to St. Ambrose to save the life of Kayla, Addison is shocked to see Amelia Shepherd - Derek's younger sister on the team. But Amelia's presence causes strife between Addison, Sam and Pete when she claims she can save Kayla's life after Dr. Ginsberg declares nothing can be done. Meanwhile Charlotte seeks from Cooper's with a sex education seminar for the elderly that only leads to more tension between the two, as they try to figure out how to work together.

Directors: Eric Stoltz
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Strange Bedfellows
star
7.24
576 votes

#13 - Strange Bedfellows

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/2009

Katie Kent is apprehended and on trial. Violet is asked to testify against her attacker, but she struggles with whether or not she can face her attacker in court. Meanwhile a serious complication threatens the fetuses of two of Naomi's former patients and Charlotte is determined to convince Addison, Sam and Cooper to let her join Oceanside Wellness Group.

Directors: Steve Gomer
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Another Second Chance
star
7.24
827 votes

#14 - Another Second Chance

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/14/2010

Desperate to help his pregnant daughter, Mark (Eric Dane) follows Addison back to Oceanside Wellness, Dell and Naomi struggle to raise their children under the same roof, and Violet and Cooper heatedly disagree on how to treat a patient on.

Directors: Michael Zinberg
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Best Laid Plans
star
7.22
770 votes

#15 - Best Laid Plans

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/21/2010

Maya shocks Sam and Naomi, while Pete and Fife disagree on patient care.

Directors: Bethany Rooney
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Second Choices
star
7.21
986 votes

#16 - Second Choices

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/22/2010

After her open-ended escape to Costa Rica, Violet has finally returned home and to the practice. Everyone treads a little lightly around her, especially Pete and Addison who have mixed feelings about Violet's desire to reconnect with Lucas. Meanwhile Amelia butts into Sam's personal life, pointing out that he can mend hearts in the OR but can't seem to do that for himself; and Sheldon encourages Charlotte to reconcile with Cooper, while Cooper deals with a young patient who eats everything in sight.

Directors: Jeff Bleckner
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Sins of the Father
star
7.21
691 votes

#17 - Sins of the Father

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/19/2009

While Addison deals with the unwelcome arrival of her father, Cooper is arrested because he refused to cooperate in a case involving a longtime patient. Meanwhile, Pete will stop at nothing to keep a terminally ill patient alive for as long as it takes for him to meet his new daughter.

Directors: Tom Verica
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Slip Slidin' Away
star
7.20
611 votes

#18 - Slip Slidin' Away

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/5/2009

The doctors venture into controversial territory when an unexpected new hire at Pacific Wellcare causes Naomi to struggle with the idea of genetically designing babies and Violet makes a sudden decision to try electric shock therapy on a patient. Meanwhile Addison somehow finds herself alone and with a cat.

Directors: Helen Shaver
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Parent Trap
star
7.15
760 votes

#19 - The Parent Trap

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/3/2009

Addison performs a complex utero surgery, proving not only her talents to her father but giving them some common ground. Sam and Naomi deal with have a family crisis when they discover Maya is growing up way too fast. Violet does the unthinkable.

Directors: Donna Deitch
Writer: Craig Turk
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Fear of Flying
star
7.12
988 votes

#20 - Fear of Flying

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/4/2010

Things get too close for comfort when Addison, Pete and Sam must come together on a complicated case involving a dad-to-be who comes down with tuberculosis and threatens the future of his new family. Meanwhile, with Violet still gone on her Costa Rican escape, Sheldon takes over helping one of her patients, Natasha, to get over her crippling fear of flying, and Naomi finds herself in a bit of a love triangle of her own.

Directors: Mark Tinker
Watch Now:Apple TV
Love Bites
star
7.03
877 votes

#21 - Love Bites

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/11/2010

When Naomi refuses to help plan Maya's wedding, Sam convinces Violet to help her. Meanwhile the tension between Addison and Sam deepens when they treat a suicidal patient and Cooper and Pete treat a girl with a questionable bite mark.

Directors: Matthew Penn
Writer: Dana Baratta
Watch Now:Apple TV
Shotgun
star
6.98
880 votes

#22 - Shotgun

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/4/2010

Addison and Cooper are counseling a couple who must pick a child to save with their newborn's cord blood. Meanwhile Dink wants to marry Maya.

Directors: Karen Gaviola
Watch Now:Apple TV
'Til Death Do Us Part
star
6.95
906 votes

#23 - 'Til Death Do Us Part

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/18/2010

It's Maya's wedding day and while Violet helps Sam prepare, a furious Naomi still refuses to take part as she works with Addison and Pete to save a premature baby. Meanwhile, Cooper becomes suspicious of Charlotte's new boyfriend and thinks that he may be abusing drugs.

Directors: Kenny Leon
Writer: Craig Turk
Watch Now:Apple TV