The "Los Angeles Times" found the show "vexing" for being "at once assured and shallow, accomplished and unconvincing, well-acted and empty." The review singles out Schaeffer's character Sam as "especially unappealing" and points to Schaeffer's roles as creator, producer, writer and director as "an object lesson in the wisdom of a system of checks and balances." Perhaps most damningly, in noting Schaeffer's experiences with addiction, the reviewer writes that "just because you’ve had an experience doesn’t mean you have anything interesting to say about it or are able to articulate whatever interesting thing you have to say." New York Magazine called it the Best Show You Probably Never Watched. NBC used a clip from the second episode in "The Most Outrageous TV Moments". FX canceled "Starved" in October 2005. FX president John Landgraf told "Variety", "The show had a lot of fans, so it was tough to choose [between it and "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"]. Ultimately, we felt that we're just not in a position to spread our resources. We launched our dramas one at a time, and launching two [comedies] like we did this summer just didn't work out as well."