Audra McDonald To Replace Merrin Dungey on Grey's Anatomy Spin-off

Michael Ausiello over at tvguide.com is reporting that four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald will replace Alias star Merrin Dungey as Dr. Addison Montgomery's (Kate Walsh) best friend on the Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice. Apparently the decision was made after Dungey didn't "pop" with the audience. As much as I loved Dungey on Alias, I can't say I disagree with the decision -- she didn't work for me.

I love Audra -- I've seen her in shows and in concerts and I have no doubt she is going to be fantastic playing Taye Digg's ex-wife on Private Practice. With her, Walsh, Diggs, Tim Daly, Amy Brenneman, Paul Adelstein, and Chris Lowell, not to mention Shonda Rhimes, there are certainly enough reasons to watch this show. My only fear is that we will have lost Audra to TV-land, and it will be awhile before she returns to the Great White Way. I had heard rumblings that she was considering returning to Broadway as early as this fall, but I'd imagine that is now impossible.

Take Hollywood by storm, Audra - but don't forget about New York and the theater!

Click for more Television News/Commentary

Grey's Anatomy Spin-Off Adds Additional Cast Members

When it was announced a couple of weeks ago that ABC was planning a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy (or, as the network likes to refer to it, a 2-hour episode with the "potential for an afterlife"), centered around Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), I was a little skeptical. Well, more than a little...I thought it sounded like a terrible idea. Wouldn't removing Addison from the rock-solid ensemble of Grey's upset the show's chemistry? Would the new show seem like a carbon copy of the original, just set in a different city? And if so, what would the point of that be?

Now, though, they have announced several actors who have been cast in the potential spin-off and it reads like a who's-who of beloved television actors. They include:

• Taye Diggs, late of Kevin Hill and Daybreak


• Amy Brenneman, a multiple Emmy Award nominee for Judging Amy


• Tim Daly, late of Wings, Eyes, and The Nine


• Merrin Dungey, who played Francie on the cult fave Alias


• Paul Adelstein, who currently plays Secret Service Agent Kellerman on Prison Break


• Chris Lowell, who currently plays Piz on Veronica Mars

The last time there was a collection actors this accomplished in one show was, well, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and we all know how that turned out. Still, though, I gotta be honest...with this kind of talent involved, I'm starting to warm up to the idea of this spin-off.

What do you think? Should ABC leave well enough alone, or does this spin-off sound like a good idea?