Starved

Pilot

Season 1, Episode 1, Aired 8/4/05

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Episode Summary

Sam, Billie, Adam and Dan are four New Yorkers who are dealing with their individual eating disorders together. All four of them lean on one another for support and are good friends. They attend Belttighteners, which is a recovery program that approaches their issues extremely ruthless ways. Sam is trying to shape his date into a woman from a hot TV commercial, which horrifies Billie. Dan struggles with his choice for a gastric bypass surgery and Adam chases down a deliveryman for food.moreless

8.3

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Fan Episode Reviews (3)

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Say what you want but...

8.0

"Great"

By drewshack, Feb 28, 2008 Report Abuse

Even from the beginning, the show has a twinkle of promise, food advertising everywhere as well as a recurring theme that these people are trying to better themselves, even if they don't always succeed. The cast is full of "Oh them!" players. People who have been in works by Stephen King and John Waters among others. The coordinator of Belt Tighteners, the group to which they all belong, is especially well-cast as she can play the tough-as-nails coordinator who is sadly absent for much of it.

They're social awkwardness and unwillingness to really attempt to quit, only divert themselves, makes them an interesting cast that deserves more than one viewing.moreless

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Edgy, daring, humourous and not afraid to speak the truth.

10

"Perfect"

By Cordurory, Sep 30, 2005 Report Abuse

Starved is one of the most original and daring shows to air on tv in a long time. America is a nation with unhealthy and seriously disorted eating habits. Yet until now, no one has addressed it or if they have, it has been in the same tired old melodramatic format of \'movie of the week\' replete with teenage ballerina/gymnast who develops eating disorder and oh the humanity, let\'s all wallow in the pathos. Ending characterized usually with a public fainting spell followed by quick hospitalization and even quicker recovery. Oo-rah. I\'m sure .5% of people who see that sort of thing can even relate and it\'s their story. Unfortunately the other 70% who also have distorted eating habits but aren\'t quite dropping like flies in public and don\'t wear lanugo as a winter coat can\'t.

This show admits to the existence of the place in-between: where we aren\'t quite at death\'s door and what we do is perhaps sad and bizarre and yet sadly common... rather than the equivalent of Greek tragedy.

I don\'t doubt this will get some panties in a wad, particularly for the people who have developed their identities around their own personal drama and \'tragedy\' of an eating disorder yet somehow keep lingering on, year after year (usually at stable weights too! Doh!)

Kudos to Eric Schaeffer for not being afraid to take a fresh and HONEST approach, and keep his sense of humour and perspective about it all. Perhaps tragedy is a subtle thing and the truest tragedy is always laced with humour because that\'s the way LIFE is. This show doesn\'t need to hit anyone over the head with it\'s message and it\'s not afraid to expose the genuine weaknesses and flaws of it\'s characters either which is true brilliance and honesty. I\'m a fan and have recommended it to all my friends and co-workers and will continue to do so.

Best regards,
Marlenemoreless

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Was this show supposed to be funny or a sad drama? I wasn't sure what reaction this show was supposed to get, but after 15 minute opener it was time to turn to something else.moreless

4.0

"Poor"

By Angus_Mac, Aug 08, 2005 Report Abuse

I was expecting a Sex and the City type comedy but with food, and not seeing that, expected Fight Club, but ended up with a bleh excuse to use plenty of that four letter word that rhymes with spit because it airs after 10pm.

The opening segment: guy gets dumped by some internet girl, and predictably goes to the trash to scarf on a moldy cupcake, and later reasons that it's okay since the frosting blocks the bacteria.

The dysfunctional support group. Showing some promise there as well. Will the coordinator bring out some goofy principle for the gang to try out?

The bulimic policemen barfing on the streetside and hitting a homeless guy...okay that might work once, but who's gonna look forward to a potential "embarrassing barf of the week" segment? Is that meant to gather the Fear Factor audience or put people to sleep? At least with the house cleaning shows, you can go "ewwww" and then expect a "wow" when someone else does the work to clean it up.

Are the characters supposed to develop, or will it be like Gilligan's Island following where you wonder if they'll ever get rescued?

And for someone who struggles with eating disorders and diet fads, will this show be their Desperate Housewives spokesmodel?

The show served its purpose in raising lots of questions, but without an early hook of a Dr. Phil or Richard Simmons it'd be difficult to want to sit around and come back for more.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Starved drew in 1.5 million viewers in it's opening episode. Edit
- Dan, the biggest member of the cast, was supposed to be BIGGER! Del Pentecost (who has also had roles on Stephen King's "Kingdom Hospital", Law & Order's Criminal Intent and The Job) was the actor chosen to fill the BIG role even though the character was intended to be much larger. Edit
- The song in the scene where Sam buys the four fudges is by A Band of Bees, called "Chicken Payback." Edit
Notes
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- 1.5 million watched this show's series premiere. Edit
- The name of the group they all belong to is Belt Tighteners. Edit
- Sam is a broker. Adam is a NYPD cop. Dan is a writer. Billie is a singer/songwriter. Edit
Quotes
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- Therapy Group: IT'S NOT OK! Edit
- Sam: I ate chocolate cake out of the trash this morning. Therapist: If you were a dog I would kick you in the face! Sam: Thank you. Edit
- Adam: I ate 212 almonds last night really fast and then puked them back up so they were kinda still whole. I just washed them off and ate them again. I've seen dogs do it. Edit
Allusions
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