'Private Practice' scoop: Burning season finale questions answered!

I repeat, if you have yet to watch last nightsPrivate Practicefinale, stop reading now.

For the last time, if you have yet to watch last nightsPrivate Practicefinale, stop reading now.

Everyone else, onward and downward… What, you say?

The episode already aired?

Well, its the thought that counts.

Need help making sense of all the developments?

Good news series creator Shonda Rhimes is here with answers to all your burning Qs.

Whyd you kill Dell?

SHONDA RHIMES:[Sigh] It was a hard choice to make.

Chris and I had talked a while ago about him exiting the show at the end of the season.

This has been something weve been planning for all season long.

I said to him, I think you should go off happy.

And he said, I want to go out with abang.

I want to go out in the worst, most painful way possible.

Which is how we came up with this story line.

And Dell is so much more grown-up than he was when we first met him.

You saw so much growth in his character.

Was it Chris decision to leave?

RHIMES:We came to the decisions together.

We both felt for a while that Dell didnt have enough to do.

Hes a midwife, so there are only so many babies that can be delivered on the show.

Hes too good of an actor to just be handing people charts.

And so finally one day I called him and said, What do you think?

And he was like, I totally agree.

Why not kill him off at thebeginningof the season?

RHIMES:We had a story we wanted to tell.

Hes too important a character in everyones lives.

Dont you feel guilty about making Betsy an orphan?

RHIMES:That was the hardest part.

And itwashard for me.

Betsy is my daughters age.

Its pretty devastating, and I was really worried about what we were going to do with Betsy.

Whatareyou going to do with Betsy now?

RHIMES:I havent decided yet.

Lets discuss some of the happier developments in the episode.

Cooper and Charlotte got engaged.

RHIMES:ThePrivatefinale last year left the audience fairly devastated.

Theyre one of my favorite couples, and I wanted you to feel like they were together.

Not that its going to be easy, but theyre going to be together.

Addison chose Sam over Pete.

Theyloveeach other, but theyre bothin lovewith other people.

And we watched her really grow.

And I wanted her to have a chance to be happy.

She finally deserves happiness.

And Naomi says, I would never leave you alone.

And by the end of the season Naomi kind of left her alone.

And the only person whos been there the entire time through thick and thin has been Sam.

And I like them together.

Do you view them as a long-term couple?

RHIMES:I have no idea whats going to happen next season.

We do it every year.

There was a rumor going around that Chris might not be the only cast member leaving the show.

RHIMES:There are no plans for anyone else to leave the show.

Are you going to replace Dell?