What if the characters on "Seinfeld" were all food addicts in a recovery group run by the soup Nazi? That's not a bad description of the premise for the new comedy "Starved" (9 p.m., FX).
Sam (Eric Schaeffer) is a neurotic Wall Street type who sprints from commitments and seems helplessly hooked on snack cakes. His pals include Billie (Laura Benanti), a recovering bulimic songwriter who may only be pretending to be gay; Adam (Sterling K. Brown), a tough New York cop who's known to shake down Chinese-restaurant deliverymen just to eat the food; and Dan (Del Pentecost), an overweight writer who loathes intimacy, particularly with his wife.
This odd quartet meets often in a diner booth (a la "Seinfeld") and attends recovery meetings that are the funniest part of the show. Actress Jackie Hoffman is brilliant as the drill sergeant head of Belttighteners, an eating support group that's anything but nurturing. When members introduce themselves and their problems, the group shouts out "It's not all right!" as Hoffman's character berates them in a brutal deadpan manner that all but steals the show. In one scene, Dan is strapped to a chair and buzzed with an electrical current every time he reaches for a donut.
Unfortunately, outside of therapy, all of these characters - particularly Sam - lurch into areas of petty self-absorption that cross the line between quirky and distinctly unlikable. And while any show on FX with a TV-MA rating is expected to "push the envelope," much of the prurient material on "Starved" seems more juvenile than adult.
Tonight's other highlights
¢ "Medal of Honor" (7 p.m., Military Channel) includes interviews with some of the 129 living recipients of the most distinguished military award.
¢ Homeowners who have made clever use of small homes are showcased on "Small Space, Big Style" (7 p.m., HGTV).
¢ "Garden Police" (7 p.m., Discovery Home) offer advice and admonition for the crabgrass afflicted.
¢ Suits and lawsuits on "The Law Firm" (8 p.m., NBC).
¢ True tales from the cyber-dating scene on "Hooking Up" (8 p.m., ABC).
¢ "Teachers" (9 p.m., BBC America) takes a funny look at the less-than-perfect lives of young teachers.
¢ Four friends take on the big issues of the day in the new comedy "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (9:30 p.m., FX).
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