This just in: Despite a season that culminates in a controversial birth for Amelia and a Sophie’s Choice of sorts for Addison, it’s not all doom and gloom on tonight’s PRIVATE PRACTICE season finale! Case in point, Charlotte and Cooper will finally get to bask in the glow that is the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel following one helluva roller-coaster ride of a season. At least according to actor Paul Adelstein (Cooper), who was only to happy to take some time to fill fans in on what’s in store for what has arguably become the show’s most popular couple. See for yourself, after the jump.
With tonight’s PRIVATE PRACTICE season finale being very Amelia and Addison focused, is it safe to assume that Cooper, Charlotte and Mason might get a much-deserved moment of happiness following this season’s harrowing loss of Mason’s mother Erica?
Paul Adelstein: There’s definitely not as many fireworks in the Charlotte/Cooper/Mason storyline tonight, especially in comparison to that of Pete and Violet , Amelia, and the Addison love triangle involving Sam (Taye Diggs) and Jake (Benjamin Bratt). But we’re all pretty well served in the finale seeing as though Shonda [PRIVATE PRACTICE showrunner Shonda Rhimes] does a really good job of weaving story lines together. But in the finale when you go to Charlotte, Cooper and Mason, it’s a little bit of a respite from all the upheaval.
Sounds good! After-all, if there is one couple that deserves a bit of a break following an emotionally gut-wrenching season it’s Charlotte and Cooper.
I think so. They’ve weathered the season pretty well, there’s been ups and downs obviously with Erica’s death being horrible and horrible for Mason primarily who’s been really struggling. But I think that what you’ll see in the finale is that Charlotte, Cooper and Mason start to come through the other side of it. They start to bond, form a family unit and begin the healing process. And you see Charlotte, who we’ve already seen develop really deep feelings for Mason and vice versa, you see that emerging into the light more as well. Which I think does at least hint at some happiness for them, seeing them become a cohesive family unit that’s healthy and running along smoothly.
One of the things PRIVATE PRACTICE showrunner Shonda Rhimes is so adept at is ending off her seasons on a doozy of a cliffhanger. How would you say tonight’s stacks up in comparison to the time Violet was left on the floor to die following Katie’s horrifying attempt to steal her baby out of her belly in the second season finale?
It’s emotionally equivalent. There are a lot that hangs in the balance and there are a couple of cliffhangers here. I don’t want to say anything beyond that for fear of getting in trouble. But once what Amelia is planning to do with the baby is revealed to everybody it really throws the practice into an upheaval. There’s some “Come to Jesus” moments for a bunch of different characters on a bunch of different fronts.
Having weathered so much adversity, what challenges would you like to see Charlotte and Cooper face next season?
Gosh. There’s a lot of stuff to be mined with them raising this boy and seeing that they’re going to become biological parents to their own child, and how they’re going to adjust to this new family unit. It’s a big adjustment to them and right now they’re focused on the grief that comes with losing Erica and Mason losing his mother. But then how it moves forward there are a lot of land mines there that could go in many different directions.
And lastly, seeing as though your real-life wife is SCANDAL star Liza Weil, I’m just curious how you reacted when you found out that PRIVATE PRACTICE was being moved off its cushy post-GREY’S ANATOMY timeslot to Tuesday to make room for SCANDAL?!
She became really friendly with a bunch of people on SCANDAL, I’ve hung out with them and I thought the move was exciting. It gave SCANDAL a great opportunity and I think we’re [PRIVATE PRACTICE] strong enough that we can hold our own slot. It was fun to have her in the family and everybody kind of rooting for one another. There was no real competition, other than me giving her a hard time for having an affair with the President of the United States! I get to kiss Kadee Strickland but she’s you-know-what-ing the President of the United States! 
PRIVATE PRACTICE airs Tuesdays at 10PM on ABC (CityTV in Canada)