It was a pretty good season premiere, IMHO. I suppose it helped that my expectations were lowered. I didn't like Izzy's plot line, but I found the other stories quite engaging. I was pleasantly surprised, since I had actually given up on this show already.
I wish I could say the same about Private Practice. It's the opposite in this case - I had high hopes for the show, and it really didn't live up to my expectations. It feels too much like a Lifetime drama, and a very poorly written one, at that. I wonder if Kate Walsh has a "return to Grey's Anatomy in case of failure" clause in her contract - the opening sequence seemed to imply that.
It would be a shame if Private Practice fails, though, since this show has a very stellar cast - good television pedigrees all around. I'd say it's the second best TV cast at present - Brothers & Sisters is an easy first. I wonder why they replaced the actress who played Addison's best friend/Taye Diggs' ex-wife on the Grey's episode last year. I like the new girl, but from the get-go, the change already bothered me, and maybe placed me in a different mood.