'Private Practice' Has Its Prescription Refilled by ABC

ABC has picked up the so-called back nine episodes of its "Grey's Anatomy" spinoff, "Private Practice," after seeing ratings on just two new episodes -- and less than stellar ratings at that.

In recent months, ABC spent the gross national product of some Third World countries on the re-launch of its entire Wednesday prime-time lineup: "Pushing Daisies" at 8, "Private Practice" at 9 and "Dirty Sexy Money" at 10.

All three sophomore series ran out of episodes early in last season's writers' strike. When the strike ended, ABC decided not to bring them back right away but instead shelved the series, intending to resuscitate them this fall. This may have been a mistake, judging by their ratings performance so far this season, though it did give the producers time to fix things that were not working, and all three series are the better for it.

Which just goes to show you how much better broadcast TV could be if the series development cycle wasn't so insanely short and producers had all the time in the world to get it right. You know, like cable. Only, then you might have to wait a year and a half for the next season of "Grey's Anatomy" or "The Office." Like cable.

Anyway, when ABC hit the reset button on its Wednesday night in the second week of this TV season, the results were not spectacular. Nor has that changed much since then. Last week two of the three shows were preempted to make way for the third and final presidential debate.

In both weeks that it aired, doc-soap "Private Practice," about a, um, private practice in Southern California, managed to build substantially -- as in, by more than 2 million viewers -- on its "Daisies" lead-in, which is good.

"PP" so far is averaging about 8 million viewers -- nothing great. But, the network notes, it's the No. 1 show on the night among 18-to-34-year-old chicks. Which is to say it's a total young-chick show. Which is to say it's a total ABC show, ABC being the girliest network on broadcast TV (ahead of even CW, by virtue of the fact that CW's audience is teensy). Not that there is anything wrong with that. Except that advertisers are prejudiced against women. Yes, they really are. Because women watch so much TV. So advertisers naturally pay a premium to reach young guys. Because they don't watch TV.

Yes, in case you missed our earlier treatise on the subject, the TV business is exactly like dating in high school -- if you ignore them, they want you all the more.

Anyway, where were we? Oh, yes: "Private Practice," loved by young chick viewers, beats Wednesday night's second-highest-rated show among the 18-34 chicks, "America's Next Top Model," by 44 percent. Hence, full-season pickup.

As for the show that precedes it, ABC is hoping Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will save "Pushing Daisies." Good plan. The network is the only major broadcaster that has not agreed to sell Obama's campaign the 8 p.m. time slot next week.

Word is, ABC hopes viewers normally drawn to other scripted series in that time period will sample "Daisies" rather than watch Obama's message to the voting public.

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