ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy' spin-off series 'Private Practice' has always had a bit of trouble moving forward in the ratings, and with its upcoming sixth season likely to be the last, there's a bit more bad news for fans of the Shonda Rhimes series.  Season five left lead character Pete Wilder in a rather sticky situation behind bars, but what will become of the character next season, and how will the latest behind-the scenes turmoil affect the show?

According to TVLine, the upcoming sixth season of 'Private Practice' will have one less "P" to its name, as the series returns absent its male lead character Pete Wilder.  Reportedly, series creator and show-runner Shonda Rhimes opted not to renew actor Tim Daly's contract for an additional season, effectively firing him and canning the character.

The series, which itself was somewhat surprisingly renewed for an additional (and possibly final) 13 episodes, will reportedly face a number of budget cuts, which could explain Daly's dismissal.  'Private Practice' is also undergoing a change behind the scenes as co-executive producers Jennifer Cecil and Barbie Kligman have been promoted to executive producers/co-head writers, replacing Steve Blackman and Craig Turk.


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