The Standing Eight Count is the eleventh episode of the fifth season and the 87th overall episode of Private Practice.
Short Summary
Pete, Violet, Sam, and Addison adjust to their new, singles lives in different ways. Addison questions how much she wants a baby and confides in Jake, Violet considers an offer to go on a date with a young, hot paramedic, and Sam and Pete have a bachelors' night at a local bar. Meanwhile, Charlotte faces a personal, ethical dilemma when Amelia uncovers a secret about Mason's mom, Erica, and Sheldon refuses to bend to the pressure when an old friend from the police force wants him to rubber stamp a fellow cop suffering from PTSD.
Full Summary
Addison tells her therapist she couldn't sleep. It's because of Sam, now that her bed is half empty. It's his space. He belongs there. To sum up, she was flipping through the channels and came across a documentary about the history of shin-kicking. She doesn't know what was so captivating about it.
Addison gets out on her balcony. Sam is out on his, too. They look at each other, and Sam walks back inside.
Jake finds Addison struggling to make coffee in the kitchen. She tells him she and Sam broke up. She lost her boyfriend and her baby in one day. She hasn't been sleeping much. Jake says she'll get her baby. Adoption's always on the table, but she's not looking for that. She also doesn't want to think about surrogacy. Jake reminds her she's got options. Addison feels like she's jumped through a 1,000 hoops and she doesn't want to do that again. She wants Amelia to take her mind of this. Amelia says she's sober, but she doesn't miss Ryan any less. Addison says he'd be rpoud of her, and so is she.
Cooper arrives at work late. Charlotte turned his alarm off because she heard him and Mason giggling in front of the TV past midnight, as Mason was off school. Mason is in his office. She served him breakfast and already quizzed him for his spelling bee on the way in. Erica will be by in a little bit to pick him up. Charlotte tells Cooper not to get used to this.
Sheldon is talking to Aaron, who was a cop who shot and killed a robbery suspect, who ended up being unarmed. Sheldon asks how he feels about what happened. Aaron says it's part of the job. Sheldon asks if he's sleeping at night. Aaron appreciates that he wants to help, but he just wants to get back to work. Sheldon says that's tricky after something like this. He wants to know how Aaron is handling it all. Aaron says in his job, he sees things that he can't describe to his wife. At home, it's still in his head, and he can't talk about it to his colleagues either. Sheldon knows this from his experiences with other cops, and he says Aaron can talk to him. Joe comes in as he's on a clock and has to take Aaron home. Aaron walks out and Sheldon says he's not sure Aaron is ready to go back, as you don't get over what happened in a week. Joe says he did his job. Sheldon says killing someone while doing his job isn't the same. Joe says the IA investigation is not over yet and if they catch wind of Sheldon not signing off right away, it could look bad for Aaron. So, Joe wants to restore Aaron on active duty and then make sure that Aaron visits Sheldon once a week. Sheldon isn't sure if he's comfortable doing that. Joe gives him the documents and leaves.
Amelia is quizzing Mason and Cooper for the spelling bee. Erica comes in and says they're drinking milkshakes, made with Cooper's secret recipe. Erica tastes it. It's sweet. Cooper says it's delicious and spells "delicious". Erica suddenly drops her glass and cuts open her hand as she wants to clean up. Amelia takes her to get stitches and asks Cooper to clean up.
Addison talks to Violet about how Sam is ignoring her and how she can't sleep. Violet says sleeping sideways helped her after Pete left. Addison wonders what to do now that she can't talk to the one person who can make her feel better. Violet's patient arrives in the ER. Hank Bauer keeps on screaming as the paramedic tries to calm him. Hank tells Violet he's got two knives and he'll stab everyone in here. Violet says he should know better than to talk that way as he's scaring everybody, and asks how his mother would react. After she orders a drug, Violet promises she'll be the only one who'll come near him. She wants to help him. She knows it's frustrating, but she'll give him some medicine to make him feel better. She tells the others to go back to work. Hank takes the pill and the paramedic looks at Violet with admiration.
Amelia finishes up stitching Erica's hand and she says it seemed like Erica couldn't grip the glass. Erica says it slipped because it was wet. Amelia wants to do a neuro work-up. Erica says she doesn't have the time and she doesn't want it. She tells Amelia to let it go and thanks her for the stitches.
The paramedic finds Violet and introduces himself as Scott Becker. He says he was impressed by what she did. He sees a lot of doctors here but she's different. He was wondering if she'd like to go out sometime. He guarantees she'll have a good time, but she says it's not a good time for her and passes.
Jake tells Sam he's sorry about him and Addison. It was amicable, Sam says. It made sense. Sam dreamed he rode her over. Jake says the healthy way is to untangle and move on. Sam says he did that before with his ex-wife. He and Addison broke up over a baby that doesn't even exist. Sam says they should go out and have some drinks. They make a deal not to talk about Violet, Addison, or babies.
Amelia tells Charlotte she noticed how Erica was flexing her hand before she dropped the glass, as if it were weak. Also, her right eye was lagging behind the left. There are serious neurological symptoms. Since Erica declined to be examined, Amelia was hoping Cooper could convince her. Charlotte says it'll only make Cooper think the worst, but Amelia points out she could stroke out while driving with Mason on the PCH.
Sheldon and Violet are talking about Aaron. Violet thinks Aaron isn't ready. Without Joe's pressure, Sheldon would advise Aaron to get help first. Violet says he has an opportunity to step up for Aaron where Aaron can't do it himself. Sheldon says keeping him off the force could destroy his career and Joe promised him he'd make sure Aaron got help. Violet asks if he believes the police is an environment where therapy is encouraged. Sheldon insists he's not naive. He can trust Joe, or he can put Aaron in a position where can lose everything. Violet wonders if Aaron isn't losing more by going back to work too soon.
Amelia has encouraged Charlotte to do something that is against the law and unethical. Charlotte picks up the phone and calls a clinic, asking for Erica Warner's medical records. Just her more recent head CT and MRI. She pretends Erica is in a medical induced coma without any next of kin. She says they can debate this or do the right thing and save Erica's life. The person on the other line consents and Charlotte says courier's fine.
The men are out. Sam can't help but talk about Addison. As they are talking, a hot waitress comes over to ask Jake if he needs anything, but he tells her he's fine. The men say that was impressive. Jake says she was. Cooper then sees a blonde woman looking at him, but Jake thinks she's looking at Sam. Sam decides to go over, even though he hasn't really picked up a woman since middle school. Pete leaves to get the next round.
At the bar, he starts chatting with a woman over her drink. She says she's in town for a conference and wanted to go out, but she's already regretting it. She describes her perfect place to go out and he says places like that do exist, if she has time. She suggests they just go to her room.
Meanwhile, Sam's date can't believe he is a heart surgeon. She's met guys who lie about their profession before, so she doesn't trust him. She touches his upper arm and asks what muscle that is. He says the biceps brachii. She touches his chest. He says pectoralis major. She touches his belly and he says transverse abdominis. She says she could play this game all night, and he says he knows all the muscles. He then realizes that was too far.
Pete and Nina are making out in the elevator to her room. He takes off her panties and hides them behind his back when another couple gets on. When they get off, they resume. Pete says that was also the floor they were supposed to get off, but Nina stops the elevator so they can continue there.
Addison's on her balcony, looking for any sign of Sam, but soon goes back inside.
Sam and his date just had breakfast. She jokes about getting married as he's getting dressed. She asks if he wants to hang out again. He says yes, but then changes hid mind. He says he just got out of something and she's still in his head. He's not to guy to leave and not call, but he wanted to know what would happen if he were to do things differently because what he usually does doesn't seem to work.
Charlotte and Cooper both have to tell each other something. Cooper asks if she would hit on him in a bar if he weren't her husband. She says yes. Cooper says he didn't receive any attention last night. Charlotte says that without a ring, he'd have to fight off the ladies. Charlotte wonders if they have enough space at the loft for Mason, as it may become more than a weekend thing in the future. She saw some partitions they could install in the living room. Cooper says Mason would love his own mancave. Cooper notices she's pretty into Mason. She kisses him.
Sheldon is at Aaron's home. His wife Sissy says they received threats. Aaron says they'll be fine. Sissy says that the night before the shooting, Aaron drove from corner to corner with a kid to find its mother, who left in the middle of the night to buy drugs. That didn't make the papers. He's a good man and doesn't deserve this. Aaron asks for a moment alone with Sheldon. Aaron asks what he's decided. Sheldon says Aaron is not ready to get back on the force. Aaron begs him to let him go back to work. Sheldon says he can't worry about anyone else. It's important to keep talking about the trauma. Aaron says he could be a better cop than the jerks he came across in his youth. He doesn't know how to sit around the house, but he does know how to be a good cop. Sheldon wants to get to the point where he can do his job and still find a healthy outlet for his emotions. Aaron says all he does at home is replay that night. He keeps saying the victim's face. Sheldon says that's natural. It's okay to let himself off the hook. Aaron says he told the investigators that the guy drawed, but he was scared. Now Aaron can't get his face out of his head. He's really sorry.
Joe walks into Sheldon's office. He just spent two hours trying to convince Aaron not to quit. Joe thought Sheldon would do right by him, but Sheldon says he just thought he'd rubber stamp Aaron while he knew Aaron's story was bogus. Joe talks about the victim of the shooting, who'd committed his first of many crimes at the age of 11. Joe thinks the only way to help Aaron get over it is to put him back on the street, but Sheldon says he's not doing well. Joe says none of them are. That's the joke. They do the best they can, but if they try to think about what they do, Sheldon would have a line outside his door. Sheldon insists Aaron doesn't go back to work until he says so.
Charlotte and Amelia are looking at Erica's scans. Amelia diagnoses a gliosarcoma. They're very aggressive and nearly inoperable. Erica only has a few months to live, Amelia guesses. The specialist gave her 6 to 9 months. There's nothing Amelia can do. Charlotte walks out of her office.
Violet meets Pete in the kitchen. Lucas left something at his place, but Pete wasn't home. Pete talks about the night out and she notices he did something. She realizes he was with someone and congratulates him. He asks if she's okay with seeing other people. She says they're seperated. Pete says he'll bring Lucas's stuffed toy by tonight.
Violet walks into her office and starts crying.
Violet enters Addison's office and tells her about the night out. Addison deducts that's why Sam didn't come home last night. Violet feels like Pete is using the seperation to have the bachelor party he never had. She pretended not to care, but she does. She gets where he's coming from, but she wonders if he truly considers their marriage to be over. Addison thinks he may think differently about what seperation means. A part of Addison hopes that Sam moves on. She wonders if she held him hostage with her baby stuff. Violet says she was just trying to be happy. Addison says maybe Pete is, too.
Charlotte is at Erica's house and tells her she knows about the tumor. She says Erica needs help. Erica says she needs time and she's not gonna waste it chasing some cure that doesn't exist. Charlotte says she has to tell Cooper. Erica says she doesn't have any control over the tumor, but she does control when she destroys Mason's childhood. Charlotte says Cooper won't tell Mason, but Erica says Mason will derive it from Cooper's face. Charlotte understands, but Erica is family to Cooper now, so he needs time to prepare. Erica threatens to disappear with Mason if Charlotte tells Cooper, and then closes the door.
Sheldon arrives at Aaron's house, where Aaron is playing with his kids. Sheldon wonders if keeping silent will allow Aaron to be the man and cop that he wants to be. Aaron says he'll let everyone down when he rats himself out. Sheldon says his father was a brilliant surgeon and he wanted to be that too, but he failed. Fact is he wasn't going to be the person his father wanted him to be, but he's better for it. Aaron wouldn't know how to do that. Sheldon does. If Sheldon doesn't sign off, he's off the force for a while, and that means it might be very hard to get back on. If he signs off, it's not the best way, because at the end of the day, Aaron has to live with it. Aaron doesn't reply and goes back to his kids.
Jake finds Addison in her office and says she's sulking, but she says she's too much past exhaustion for that. Addison says he's a baby peddler, expecting a peptalk to tell her to get back on the horse. Jake smiles and asks if she's getting back together with Sam. She gave him up because she wants a baby and if they're not getting together, that means she still wants one. Until she has a baby, he considers her his patient. He takes her hand and tells her she's not even close to throwing in the towel. If she wants this, they can make it open. She doesn't have to feel alone anymore, because he'll always be there for her. Addison wonders of he says that to all of his patients. He says not all of it and they stare into each other's eyes for a moment.
Sheldon's at the police station and finds Aaron in a conference room. Joe comes outside and tells him he's done enough. Aaron's giving himself up, which means that if he can avoid prison, he's losing his badge, his pension, and everything he's ever worked for. Sheldon screwed Aaron and Joe. Joe says their friendship is over. Sheldon says this was the right thing to do, but Joe won't listen.
Violet finds Scott in a supply closet and confesses she was hoping to find him. He says that's very sweet. She was wondering if it's too late for her to take him up on his office. Scott asks for an hour to finish putting supplies in his rig and to shower. Violet says okay.
Addison goes to Jake's office and asks if he'll help her find a surrogate. He says absolutely.
Violet and Scott are in the mountains, overseeing the city. He tells her how a game of tackle football gave him the nickname Bus and how he broke his collar bone. He shows her the scar from the surgery. She asks him how old he is. He leans in and kisses her. He's 29. She kisses him back.
Charlotte is lost in her thoughts as Mason is still practising his spelling. Cooper can't handle it anymore tonight and tells Mason to get washed up. Cooper asks Charlotte what's up. She says she's tired, but he sees through that excuse. She says she loves him and kisses him. Someone knocks on the door. It's Erica, who asks Cooper to talk out in the hall. Mason comes back and he asks Charlotte where his dad is. Charlotte says he'll be back in a minute and gives Mason another word to spell: acceptable. He spells it correctly.
Addison's out on her balcony when Sam steps onto his. He asks her how she's been. She says okay and asks him the same. He doesn't know. She says she hasn't been sleeping. Him either.
Addison tells her therapist the winner was hobbled by the end, all for 50 bucks and a boot filled with beer. The guy is either a glutton for punishment or he really likes drinking beer out of a boot. She thinks maybe both. She guesses that when you really want something, getting your shins pummeled is a fair price. She says she really wants a baby. She's gonna have a baby.
Cast
Main Cast
- Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery
- Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder
- Benjamin Bratt as Dr. Jake Reilly
- Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman
- KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King
- Brian Benben as Dr. Sheldon Wallace
- Caterina Scorsone as Dr. Amelia Shepherd
- Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett
- Amy Brenneman as Dr. Violet Turner
Guest Stars
- A.J. Langer as Erica Warner
- Stephen Amell as Scott Becker
- Edwin Hodge as Aaron
- Blue Deckert as Joe Price
- Brianna Brown as Sam's Date
Co-Starring
- Scott Alan Smith as Therapist
- Griffin Gluck as Mason
- David Ury as Hank
- Natalie Avital as Sissy
- Ajarae Coleman as Hot Waitress
- Holly Gagnier as Nina
- Jared Williams as Boy
Medical Notes
Addison Forbes Montgomery
- Diagnosis:
- Doctors:
- Therapist
- Jake Reilly (reproductive endocrinologist)
- Treatment:
- Talk therapy
Addison talked to her therapist about her breakup from Sam. She also talked to her therapist about a documentary she'd watched on shin kicking. She said if you want something badly enough, you'll put up with the pain it takes to get it. When Jake said she hadn't reached the end of the road yet, she asked him to help her find a surrogate.
Aaron
- Diagnosis:
- PTSD
- Doctors:
- Sheldon Wallace (psychiatrist)
- Treatment:
- Talk therapy
Aaron was a cop who had shot and killed a robbery suspect who ended up being unarmed. He said he just wanted to get back to work, but Sheldon asked him about his feelings about what he had done. When their session was interrupted by Aaron's boss, Sheldon said he wasn't sure that Aaron was ready to go back to work. Joe pressured Sheldon to sign off on it, saying he'd have Aaron continue to see a therapist. Sheldon later went to Aaron's house and spoke to him and his wife. Aaron asked his wife for a moment alone with Sheldon and said that without work, he keeps replaying that night. He keeps seeing that man's face and he's sorry that he killed him. Sheldon later made the decision not to sign off on Aaron returning to the force.
Erica Warner
- Diagnosis:
- Hand laceration
- Gliosarcoma
- Doctors:
- Amelia Shepherd (neurosurgeon)
- Treatment:
- Stitches
Erica came to pick up Mason and dropped a glass, cutting her hand. Before she dropped the glass, Amelia saw her hand shaking. Amelia took her to get stitches in her hand. While she fixed up Erica's hands, she asked her about the weakness in her hand and wanted to get Erica an MRI, but Erica brushed off her concerns. Amelia went to Charlotte with her concerns and Charlotte lied and contacted a clinic to get Erica's medical records. Amelia looked at her scans and diagnosed a gliosarcoma. She said that type of tumor was nearly inoperable and there was nothing she could do. Erica only had a few months left to live. Charlotte confronted Erica about it and Erica later told Cooper about the tumor.
Hank Bauer
- Diagnosis:
- Doctors:
- Violet Turner (psychiatrist)
- Treatment:
- Haloperidol
Hank was brought to the ER. He'd been found yelling at a fire hydrant. He threatened the doctors with a knife. Violet spoke to him for a moment and then ordered haloperidol, which Hank took.
Music
| Song | Performer | Scene |
|---|---|---|
| "The Best Things in Life" | The Silver Seas |
|
| "5678!" | Butterfly Boucher |
|
| "Guiltfree" | Bootstraps |
|
| "Oh Lies" | Piney Gir |
|
| "The Thread" | Admiral Radley |
|
Notes and Trivia
- This episode scored 6.55 million viewers.
- This episode's title originated from the term Standing Eight Count, which is a boxing judgment call made by a referee during a bout.
- Goof: Sam says his date is touching his transverse abdominis, but that muscle lies in fact in the deepest layer of abdominal muscles, so she is in fact touching the obliquus externus abdominis.
Gallery
Episode Stills
Quotes
- Jake: If you want this, we can make this happen. I know that you felt alone in this before, but you don't need to feel that way anymore because you've got me. I will always be there, Addison.
- Violet: I feel like Pete is using this separation to have the bachelor party he never had. You know he wants to sow his wild, old oats.
See Also
|
A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here. |
| Private Practice Season 5 | |||||
| #01 | "God Laughs" | #09 | "The Breaking Point" | #17 | "The Letting Go" |
| #02 | "Breaking the Rules" | #10 | "Are You My Mother?" | #18 | "It Was Inevitable" |
| #03 | "Deal With It" | #11 | "The Standing Eight Count" | #19 | "And Then There Was One" |
| #04 | "Remember Me" | #12 | "Losing Battles" | #20 | "True Colors" |
| #05 | "Step One" | #13 | "The Time Has Come" | #21 | "Drifting Back" |
| #06 | "If I Hadn't Forgotten..." | #14 | "Too Much" | #22 | "Gone, Baby, Gone" |
| #07 | "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough" | #15 | "You Break My Heart" | ||
| #08 | "Who We Are" | #16 | "Andromeda" | ||
| << Season 4 | Season 6 >> | ||||