Wait and See is the seventeenth episode of the second season and the 26th overall episode of Private Practice.
Short Summary[]
As Naomi and Archer grow closer as a couple, Addison suspects that her brother may have returned to his old, bachelor ways. Meanwhile, Dell, Addison and Naomi heatedly debate the pros and cons of gender reassignment surgery when their patients' newborn child is born with both male and female sex organs, and Violet and Sheldon settle some of their own issues when they co-lead a couples' therapy group.
Full Summary[]
Addison and Naomi are sitting on Addison's deck overlooking the beach, both relieved that Archer is better over a bottle of wine. Naomi thinks Archer may actually be her boyfriend, which makes Addison and Naomi happy as he is committing. As Addison goes to get another bottle of wine, she finds Archer finishing a date with another woman. She scolds Archer, but is interrupted by Dell who has a woman in labor which he's having difficulties with.
At the practice, Dell is trying his best but is unable to handle this one on his own. Addison takes over when she and Dell notices something unusual about the baby's genitalia, which has both "something" of a penis and a vaginal opening.
Sonya and Sam are in bed, when Sonya asks Sam why he went to Seattle, and he admits it was more for Naomi than Archer, and Sonya is fine with that idea.
Back at the office, Violet is approached by Sheldon and asked to help with a group couples session, as his partner is taken sick. As Sheldon tries to talk about the baby, Violet feels uneasy and does not want to talk about it. Pete walks by, ignoring Violet, and notices Sheldon's "I cannot decipher Violet" look, where he admits he's now just given up on Violet, and is playing it cold.
Naomi and Addison, who is a little distracted, look over the baby's test results with Dell. Naomi diagnoses the baby has an enzyme deficiency, which causes more testosterone to be produced, which would cause the formation of a penis. The tests also confirm XX chromosomes - the baby, genetically, is a girl, but it is not as simple as that: 30% of these cases, the child will orient towards male. Naomi wants to have the sex decided now and have the genitalia surgically corrected, but Addison and Dell are uncomfortable with the 30% chance of error, with Naomi defending her view through psychological effects of a child with ambiguous genitalia. They are interrupted by Archer, who provides his own brief opinion and agrees with Naomi.
Charlotte asks Cooper to move in with her, but Cooper declines, defending and explaining why he moved in with Violet, but as usual, Charlotte has none of it and leaves.
Addison, Dell, and Naomi break the news to the family and the father is distraught, but the mother wants what's best for her baby.
Addison and Archer argue over Archer's infidelity, and Addison will not keep his secret and they argue until Charlotte walks in.
Pete treats Beverly, who asks him to work his magic again.
Sheldon and Violet run the group couples therapy, unsuccessfully. Violet later catches two from the therapy, but not a married couple, kissing in the stairwell. Violet talks to Sheldon, and Sheldon suggests that he gets the people involved to reveal the affair.
Addison talks to Mitch and Leanne about their baby's gender and they've decided to go for surgery, but as a boy. Naomi asks if she can steal Archer for a few days, but senses Addison's hesitation. Her hesitation is only made worse when she goes to collect Archer for dinner and walks on him having sex with Charlotte and promptly leaves.
At the dinner, Addison covers for Archer and confides in Pete, and she cannot cover for him any more.
The next morning, tension between Addison and Archer are obvious, and they argue again. Archer admits he's become their father, "like father like son".
Violet and Sheldon talk to the participants of the affair, and tell them to confess to their partners. Eleanor wants them to be together, but Ryan does not look as sure, which angers Violet and she vents to the other Oceanside staff. In the next session, Ryan's wife, Sasha, reveals he worked on his relationship and has got back together, to Eleanor's horror. Eleanor blurts out she had an affair, and her husband, Paul, is extremely upset over this. Sheldon and Violet tell them that sometimes an affair is not what it seems to be, but more of a crutch and a push towards someone they think they really love, and Eleanor believes she made a mistake, but Paul still leaves her anyway. All this prompts the third couple in the group to finally start talking and being honest with each other.
Beverly returns to Pete again, and this time he is not as polite as he has been before. He tells her she has cancer, and she needs to see an oncologist. He loves that she comes to see him, and she's one of his favorite patients, but he really wants her to try to get better, to be the one that survives this cancer.
In surgery, Addison stands over the baby while Naomi scrubs in. As Naomi talks about Archer, Addison finally cannot take the pressure and leaves. She goes to Mitch and Leanne and tells them she cannot do the surgery. Mitch is unhappy and reiterates Naomi's original point about the child's psychological state, as a 6 year old boy with a vagina would likely not have an easy life, until Addison asks what if he were a 20 year old woman without a vagina. This strikes a cord in Leanne and declines the surgery. Mitch cannot handle the situation and leaves, the hospital, Leanne and his child. Addison then reveals to Naomi privately that Archer has been cheating on her.
Naomi storms into Archer's office to find it empty, and to be told by Charlotte that he's gone. Addison also returns home to find Archer's bags packed, where he reveals he is going back home, to New York. He kisses her on the cheek, tells her he loves her and then leaves.
Dell checks in on Leanne and the baby, where Leanne admits she cannot cope on her own, without Mitch. Dell comforts her, telling her he believes she is doing the right thing. Naomi goes to Mitch's work at a restaurant, and shouts at him in tears in front of all the patrons, telling him he has a healthy baby and a wife that loves him, and to grow up and be a man.
Cooper chases down Charlotte, but Charlotte keeps avoiding him, until she finally goes and sees Cooper and admits she slept with Archer. Cooper is frustrated and shouts at her, but forgives her as she is trying to push him away and he will not let that happen.
Sheldon goes and thanks Violet for the therapy session, and she opens up to Sheldon about the baby, being unexpected and how she does not know what to do.
Sonya and Sam end the day in bed, until Sam calls Sonya by Naomi.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
- Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery
- Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder
- Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett
- Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman
- KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charlotte King
- Chris Lowell as Dell Parker
- Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett
- Amy Brenneman as Dr. Violet Turner
Guest Stars[]
- Brian Benben as Dr. Sheldon Wallace
- Sharon Leal as Dr. Sonya Nichols
- Marin Hinkle as Beverly
- Erik Palladino as Mitch Thompson
- Emma Caulfield as Leanne Thompson
- Leonard Roberts as Ryan
- Alexandra Lydon as Eleanor
- Grant Show as Dr. Archer Montgomery
Co-Starring[]
- Bob Jesser as Paul
- Erica Luttrell as Sasha
- Jon Powell as Greg
- Renee Faia as Woman
- Wendy Douglas as Carol
Medical Notes[]
Leanne Thompson[]
- Diagnosis:
- Pregnancy
- Doctors/Medical Personnel:
- Addison Forbes Montgomery (OB/GYN)
- Dell Parker (student midwife)
- Treatment:
- Vaginal delivery
Leanne labored and delivered a baby at the practice.
Matthew Thompson[]
- Diagnosis:
- 11-Beta hydroxylase deficiency
- Doctors:
- Naomi Bennett (reproductive endocrinologist)
- Addison Forbes Montgomery (medical geneticist)
- Treatment:
- Surgery
Leanne and Mitch's baby was born with both a penis and a vaginal opening. They ran chromosomal and hormonal tests on the baby which revealed 11-beta hydroxylase deficiency, which caused on overproduction of testosterone in utero and an XX karyotype. Naomi wanted them to choose and surgically modify the genitals based on their choice, but Addison said they should let them choose, but not modify the child's genitals until adolescence because of the 30% margin for error. Despite only having a 30% chance the child would identify as male, the parents wanted Addison to operate to give the baby fully masculine genitalia. Addison agreed, but when she went to operate, she decided she couldn't do it. She went to the parents and told them that the baby was perfectly fine and had no problems with the situation. The adults were the one with the problem. They could still raise the baby as a boy, but with the current ambiguous genitalia. After Mitch left her, Leanne chose to name the baby Matthew and raise the baby as a boy.
Beverly[]
- Diagnosis:
- Stage II lymphoma
- Doctors:
- Pete Wilder (alternative medicine specialist)
- Treatment:
- Alternative therapies
Beverly was a patient of Pete's who was persistent in seeking his care, even when he told her they couldn't continue like they were. She wanted him to try a procedure he wasn't licensed to perform. She had stage II lymphoma and was using alternative therapies to run away from the diagnosis. She refused to see the oncologist he had referred her to.
Couples[]
- Diagnosis:
- Marital conflict
- Doctors:
- Violet Turner (psychiatrist)
- Sheldon Wallace (psychiatrist)
- Treatment:
- Couples group counseling
Violet and Sheldon ran a group couples therapy session together. Two of the members, not married to each other, were having an affair, possibly affecting the integrity of the group. When one of them, Ryan, decided to stick with his wife, Sasha confessed about her affair in front of the group and her husband left. Him leaving caused the other members of the group to open up more about the problems they had within their marriages.
Music[]
Song | Performer | Scene |
---|---|---|
"Keep Me Hanging On" | Bonnie & Sheila |
|
"Young and Lovestruck" | Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly |
|
"Be Here Now" | Ray LaMontagne |
|
"I Love You More Than Words Can Say" | Otis Redding |
|
Notes and Trivia[]
- This episode scored 11.16 million viewers.[1]
Quotes[]
- Addison: I'm sure you're a very nice person, but a little old to be getting felt up in the foyer. But now, it's all the best. Bye-bye now.
- Addison: Naomi sat by your side while you had surgery. She held your hand. You're upstairs sticking your tongue down her throat, seeing her every day, letting her believe that you two have something together.
- Archer: Well, I thought I was dying.
- Addison: You are asking me to lie for you. You are making me feel dirty and cheap, and I'm 10 years old again, telling mother that I went out with ice cream with Daddy, when really I'm sitting in his office while he's screwing his secretary down the hall.
- Archer: I'm too much of a snob to screw secretaries.
- Addison: You think this is funny?
- Archer: No. I think that you're one to talk. I remember something. You doing your husband's best friend behind his back.
- Addison: That was once. I slipped once.
- Archer: Okay, so you're like an alcoholic. You're on a program now. God, grant me the serenity.
- Addison: You're so mean when you know I'm right.
- Archer: You know what? I am mean when I want you to mind your own business.
- Addison: I won't keep your secret for.
- Archer: Yes, you will. Montgomerys look the other way when it is none of their business.
- Addison: Don't be this guy, Archer. Don't be this limited, short-sighted, not-good-enough guy. Please.
- Archer: Look, I like Naomi. I really do. It's just... I'm sorry.
- Addison: Don't apologize to me. Apologize to her.
- Archer: You know, I hated him. I hated Dad for years.
- Addison: Past tense. Hated. Do you love him now? Now he's your hero?
- Archer: I am him, Addison. I am him. Like father, like son. Whatever he passed down to me. I'm missing a gene. You don't think I wanna be better? You don't think I wanna be a good man in a storm? I don't have it in me.
- Addison: That's a cop-out.
- Archer: Maybe it is. But it's honest.
- Addison: I thought that he could be a different person. After everything he went through, after almost dying. I thought he could be a different person. I wanted to believe that so much that I almost cut into a baby to convince myself that people can change. That I can change them. But I can't. Archer's cheating on you. And I'm sorry, Nai.
- Sheldon: This may be hard to hear, Paul, but sometimes an affair isn't moving away, it's reaching out. For the wrong thing.
- Violet: It's reaching out towards someone who seems like an answer. But they're not. They're a crutch, a way to fill the void of something that's missing. The person that you really love.
- Naomi: You do not get to cut and run because you're afraid of not knowing what comes next. There are people that love you and that need you.
- Mitch: Why are you here yelling at me?
- Naomi: Because it is not okay to just walk away and pretend like it doesn't matter. I mean, to have something incredible and not even see what is right in front of your face. Your wife loves you. And you have a healthy child who, yeah, has some issues, but so what? Everybody has issues. You need to be there for them. Love them.
- Mitch: Well, I don't know if I can.
- Naomi: Grow up. God, be a man. You need to not hurt the woman who loves you.
- Charlotte: I slept with Archer Montgomery. I just thought you should know.
- Cooper: No. No. You don't get to just walk away from me after telling me that. How dare you? How dare you do this?
- Charlotte: That's just the way I am.
- Cooper: Oh, that's crap. You did the one thing you could to push me away. To make me make the choice and not you. Guess what, Charlotte? That's not gonna work. I'm not going anywhere. You wanna sleep with some guy to hurt me? To make me back off? Too bad. I'm here. I'm storming the freaking castle for you. And you so underestimated me. What? You thought I was so weak that I'm gonna walk away because my pride got wounded? You are mine. And I'm not walking away because you're scared.
- Charlotte: God, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.
- Cooper: This one, I can overlook. This one. But you have to think long and hard about testing me because next time, I'm gone. You'd better dig deep, Charlotte. Dig deep in your soul and grow the hell up and be in this relationship. Right now.
- Violet: It was a shock. I mean, the pregnancy. It was unplanned. And I don't often do unplanned. So this whole thing is unfamiliar territory for me. And I'm just trying to roll with it the best way I can.
- Sheldon: I know, Violet. And I don't expect you to confide in me. But if you do need me, I'm here for you.
See Also[]
A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here. |
Private Practice Season 2 | |||||
#01 | "A Family Thing" | #09 | "Know When to Fold" | #17 | "Wait and See" |
#02 | "Equal and Opposite" | #10 | "Worlds Apart" | #18 | "Finishing" |
#03 | "Nothing to Talk About" | #11 | "Contamination" | #19 | "What Women Want" |
#04 | "Past Tense" | #12 | "Homeward Bound" | #20 | "Do the Right Thing" |
#05 | "Let It Go" | #13 | "Nothing to Fear" | #21 | "What You Do for Love" |
#06 | "Serving Two Masters" | #14 | "Second Chances" | #22 | "Yours, Mine & Ours" |
#07 | "Tempting Faith" | #15 | "Acceptance" | ||
#08 | "Crime and Punishment" | #16 | "Ex-Life" | ||
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