It's easy to see why Kate Walsh's character, neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery, was spun off from the hugely popular Grey's Anatomy to her own series, Private Practice. It's not just her looks--beautiful but accessible, silent movie eyes, and a forthright jaw--or her obvious intelligence. Her acting has flashes of an uncommon freshness, a sense of unbridled spontaneity. This quality isn't always there, though her performances are never less than capable. But when you catch that moment, that sly twinkle or a flicker of sadness, Walsh is remarkably charismatic. Standing out like that is no small feat when surrounded by such sterling TV and film veterans as Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman, Taye Diggs, Paul Adelstein, and Audra McDonald.

Montgomery works at Oceanside Wellness Centre, a cooperative medical clinic in Los Angeles, where private lives and medical cases collide on a regular basis. In the second season of Private Practice, financial ruin looms over the team as they grapple with such hot-button cultural issues as abortion, teen pregnancy, vaccination, and the right to die, as well as more esoteric issues like accidental incest and a hermaphroditic baby. The doctors engage in vigorous ethical debate and even more vigorous sex as they bounce off each other romantically and professionally. After an uneven first season, the show's skilled writers, producers, and directors have found a tone that smoothly balances moral debate, personal drama, and light comedy. Maybe it's a little too smooth; sometimes the characters' quirks seem overly packaged, their private needs too easily gotten around when the plot demands it. But the show's writers have a gift for swift acceleration. Each episode leaps forward, scenes building on each other until every issue--and every personal complication--has been squeezed for maximum effect. Though moments may push credulity--the season cliffhanger is a jaw-dropper--Walsh and the rest of the charming cast will keep you engaged. --Bret Fetzer