<P> Charlotte is one of the few series regulars not to have appeared in the backdoor pilot episode "The Other Side of This Life". Strickland was added to the cast in July 2007, prior to the commencement of the first series . She did not have to audition for the role, but was cast after a meeting with series creator Shonda Rhimes . Strickland was drawn to Charlotte's hardworking nature and "strong moral code". She has stated that the role is challenging as she does not "necessarily agree with her way of handling people or what she stands for" and is "shocked at how her point of view just really takes over for her and that's kind of it ." Strickland grew up in a medical environment as her mother is a registered nurse, something she has deemed useful for the role as it presents her with a "phenomenal resource for (...) research material". </P> <P> Prior to the broadcast of the first season of Private Practice, Lynette Rice of Entertainment Weekly described Charlotte as the show's "Tough - as - nails hospital administrator who disapproves of Oceanside Wellness' New Age attitude toward medicine ." Matt Mitovich of TV Guide stated that a season later, Charlotte seemed "less shrill", observing that: "She originally came across as a character simply designed to be the thorn in everyone else's side . But I think they've worked her in better this season ." Strickland agreed with this assessment, commenting: "I think that's what Shonda and the writers always sought for her, without even telling me where it was going . I clearly never saw the Cooper thing coming . I knew from what I had learned of Shonda's writing for Grey's that I would eventually get some justification for why I'm a kick in the pants . It's wonderful to have layers get peeled off . She's a Southern girl, and us Southern folks tend to have a lot of Southern gothic strangeness behind us ." </P> <P> Part of Charlotte's evolving characterization in the second season revolved around her relationship with Cooper . The season placed greater focus on the characters' love lives and the subsequent pressure placed on their personal and professional relationships . Rhimes explained: "I look at this sort of like a family business . I wanted the stories to challenge the family and how they deal with one another ." Korbi Ghosh of Zap2it opined that the relationship between Charlotte and Cooper was interesting as it "came out of left field", something which Strickland agreed with, stating: "it just goes to show that life is very unpredictable, I think . The truth is that people end up in the most unlikely situations . You can be around someone for years and not know you have chemistry with them . Charlotte and Cooper have been in this professional environment, never knowing that they have a similar proclivity, if you will . And where that's leading is really just wonderful . I'm really thrilled ." The season also saw Charlotte in more of a central role, as the show's main protagonist Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) spent more time working at St. Ambrose Hospital . Walsh assessed that: "All the doctors at Oceanside Wellness need Charlotte, and yet they resent needing her, because she's a pain in the ass to deal with ." With regards to the development of Charlotte and Cooper's relationship in the show's third season, Strickland has said: "I think I'm perfectly well - placed with Cooper . Other characters are going to have more of a triangle than me and Violet ." By the sixth season, executive producer Barbie Kligman said the pairing was "real" while Walsh said it was "one of the best relationships", citing the example of Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton in Friday Night Lights, and that it was rare to see that on television . Strickland described her character's relationship with Cooper as "honest" and "steadfast". </P> <P> Isabelle Carreau of TV Squad is critical of Charlotte's character . In October 2007, she noted that of 306 respondents to a TV Squad poll on viewers' favorite Private Practice character, only one had selected Charlotte . Following the episode "In Which Charlotte Goes Down the Rabbit Hole", she opined: "I'm not sure that this somewhat Charlotte - centric Private Practice episode will have viewers relate more with the character ." She wrote that she was indifferent towards Charlotte, and saw her as more of a recurring than regular character, whose lack of screen time made her hard to relate to . When Charlotte slept with Cooper in "In Which Cooper Finds a Port In His Storm", Carreau opined: "I'm not sure I like the port Cooper found in his storm and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone thinking this (...) It's clear they are trying to make Charlotte more meaningful but for me, it's too little too late ." She wrote that Charlotte was as poorly introduced as unpopular Lost characters Nikki and Paulo, and suggested that the relationship had the potential to ruin Cooper, who was in her opinion the show's best character . Carreau would have preferred for Cooper's online date to turn out to be Violet . She did find Charlotte's nickname of "CanYouHandleMe441" interesting, and noted that: "It sure shows a side of her that we didn't know existed ." When Charlotte was fired from her position as Director of Pacific Wellcare, Carreau wrote: "Someone finally told Charlotte that she doesn't have a heart . Okay, she does have one but it must be made of stone or ice or something similar ." </P>

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