Does Kate Walsh's Exit Mean the End of Private Practice?

Private Practice kicks off its sixth season Tuesday (10/9c, ABC) with a sense of foreboding: The series was only renewed for 13 episodes, after which Kate Walsh will say farewell to Addison Montgomery and exit Seaside Wellness. Could the series go on? There is still a possibility, but executive producer Shonda Rhimes and the Private writers aren’t pulling any punches in what could be the final season.

“I consider this to be our no-holds-barred season,” Rhimes tells TVGuide.com. “Anything that we have ever wanted to do, we’re going to do. There are no rules…