Important Things with Demetri Martin
# Important Things with Demetri Martin

Important Things with Demetri Martin was a sketch-variety show that aired on Comedy Central starring comedian Demetri Martin. Each episode examined a single theme, the "important thing", such as timing, power, control and money. All sketches, short vignettes, animated segments and stand-up comedy were loosely related to the theme of the episode. The show was produced by Jon Stewart's Busboy Productions, and contained stand-up, prop comedy and musical comedy by Martin, as well as taped sketches. Jon Stewart took an active role in editing the first few episodes. H. Jon Benjamin appeared in eight episodes and had a writing credit on seven as well.

## Recurring segments

In addition to Demetri's unconventional style of stand-up comedy, which he has performed for many years, there are several recurring segments on the show including:

Opening Act – In the opening of the show, Demetri Martin greets the audience and brings up the theme/topic of the show. This is followed with a short joke via flashcards. The card generally has play-buttons with a caption under them, which Demetri then reads and decides which one he will choose, usually "Jokes".

Good, Bad, Interesting – Demetri presents a good, a bad and an interesting reaction to topics based on everyday life situations.

This is... – Often used as a transition, this segment features a single humorous concept related to the show's topic in which one or more cast members will act out.

Important Things Things – An infomercial narrated by Demetri in which imaginary products related to the show's topic are advertised for sale. The products are often comically impractical or unnecessary like the "Burning-Hand Potholder" featured in the Strategy episode.

Demetrocles/Da Mici – In this segment, Demetri presents a humorous concept related to the show's topic as an ancient philosopher much like Socrates or Plato or an inventor like Da Vinci.

Other Jokes – This segment consists of other jokes about the topic that weren't included in the Opening Act.

New Expressions – In this segment Demetri is approached by a series of people that talk about different situations. Demetri responds to each person with an original saying/expression that applies to the situation.

## Episodes

### Season 1 (2009)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date | Prod. code |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | "Timing" | February 11, 2009 (2009-02-11) | 101 |
| Sketch: Rookie Cop Sketch: A guy who is still way too early for a rave Sketch: "What" Slam Poet Champion Sketch: Jerry Pappas: Time Gigolo Other Jokes about Timing Dungeon Boys Demonstration of Timing (music, drawing and jokes) Guest Star: Amanda Peet |||||
| 2 | 2 | "Power" | February 18, 2009 (2009-02-18) | 102 |
| Jokes about Power Sketch: Parking War (with guest star Jon Benjamin as the other driver) Sketch: A yellow belt opens a new pair of headphones Sketch: A yellow belt prepares some boxes for recycling Sketch: The Revenger (with guest star Jon Benjamin as the therapist) Other Jokes About Power Sketch: A yellow belt fights depression Music Situation: "Me vs. You" Sketch/Animation: Creedocide Sketch: Dungeon Boys 2 Sketch: Demetrocles (with guest star former Rockapella bass singer Barry Carl as the announcer) Sketch: "Hear" Folk Singer Credit sequence: Trying to smash a car |||||
| 3 | 3 | "Brains" | February 25, 2009 (2009-02-25) | 103 |
| Jokes about brains Sketch: Dinner with Heroes (with Jon Benjamin as Benjamin Franklin and guest star John Oliver as William Shakespeare) Sketch: "What" Slam Poet Champion 2 Sketch: Dadz (New Dads) (with Jon Benjamin as the other dad) Some Data about Brains Sketch: DaMici Animation: Mountains vs. Wizard Looking at Mountains Equations about Brains Sketch: A genius & an idiot listening to smooth jazz Sketch: When you donate your brain to science Other Brains Jokes Sketch: Fairly Important Fairy Tales: The Prince and the Pauper: Five Years Later (with guest star John Oliver as the Prince) Sketch: "Hear" Folk Singer Sketch: Demetrocles 2 Credit sequence: A genius & an idiot at a monastery |||||
| 4 | 4 | "Chairs" | March 4, 2009 (2009-03-04) | 104 |
| Jokes about Chairs Sketch: Urinal Talk (with guest star David Cross as Demetri's co-worker) Sketch: A Yellow belt tries to relax in a beach chair Large Pad: Sitting (Analysis) Sketch: Table 8 Sketch: A yellow belt fights gravity Sketch: "Hear" Folk Singer Sketch: Demetrocles Sketch: Who Puts Gum Under a Chair? Credit sequence: An audience member breaks a chair |||||
| 5 | 5 | "Safety" | March 11, 2009 (2009-03-11) | 105 |
| Jokes about safety Sketch: New Spring Haven Home for the Elderly Sketch: An S&M couple whose safe word is: Bill Pullman (with guest star Jon Benjamin as the S&M man) Sketch: Pube-Safe Sketch: Health Class - 1231 A.D. Large Pad: Safety Analysis Sketch: A guy with a neck brace (with guest star Jon Benjamin as another guy with a neck brace) Sketch: An S&M couple whose safe word is: the correct pronunciation of gnocchi Important Things things Sketch: "Hear" Folk Singer Sketch: An S&M couple whose safe word is: heteronym Sketch: Dr. Elliot Nussbaum - Physicist More jokes about safety Sketch: Fairly Important Fairy Tales: The Royal Food Taster (with guest star John Oliver as the King) |||||
| 6 | 6 | "Coolness" | March 18, 2009 (2009-03-18) | 106 |
| Jokes about coolness Sketch: Hoodwinkers (with guest star Jon Benjamin as one of the Hoodwinkers and Melissa Fumero as April) Sketch: Dadz (cool dadz) (with guest star Jon Benjamin as the other dad) Sketch: A DJ who gets up to pee in the middle of the night Some data about coolness Sketch: The Dragon Man (with guest star Jon Benjamin as the other dragon man) Sketch: "What" Slam Poet Champion Important Things things Sketch: Da Mici Other jokes about coolness Sketch: Dungeon Boys Song: Cool Ways to Propose Sketch: Da Mici Sketch: A green beret vs. a yellow jacket Coolness challenge Credit sequence: Trying to be cool with a yo-yo |||||
| 7 | 7 | "Games" | March 25, 2009 (2009-03-25) | 107 |
| Jokes about games Sketch: Devon Cottenfield: Emotional Escape Artist (with guest star Ellie Kemper) Greater than or equal to Sketch: The Annihilator Another joke about games Sketch: 2009 M Games (with guest stars Jon Benjamin, John Mulaney and Eric Drysdale as themselves) Sketch: A tiny guy at a country club Sketch: A tiny guy on campus Other games jokes Sketch: Bird-Pranked Sketch: Da Mici Sketch: A tiny guy cheats at golf Important Things things Demonstration: Putting on socks and shoes using only my feet |||||

### Season 2 (2010)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Original air date | Prod. code |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 8 | 1 | "Attention" | February 4, 2010 (2010-02-04) | 201 |
| Jokes about attention Sketch: The Henchman (with guest star Alan Dale as the Evil Boss) Some data about attention Sketch: Bruce the Funny Dog Getting a girl's attention (with guest Levi Macdougall) This is: a guy who had a one night stand on Halloween Good, Bad, Interesting Song about forgetting someone's name Important Things things The Short Attention Span Library |||||
| 9 | 2 | "Ability" | February 11, 2010 (2010-02-11) | 202 |
| Jokes about ability Sketch: The Castaways This is: a traffic wizard Another joke about ability Sketch: Giving birth on a plane This is: a blind cowboy Some data about ability Sketch: Demetri's Notebook's Diary "Hear" Folk Singer: Zombie vs. Dracula More jokes about ability Sketch: Demetrocles Crazy Eyebrows (with guest Robert Newman) Talking to a girl This is important: unicycles |||||
| 10 | 3 | "Strategy" | February 18, 2010 (2010-02-18) | 203 |
| Jokes about strategy Sketch: First Contact Date at the movies Good, Bad, Interesting Sketch: Property Court Song about strategy Sketch: Second slice of pizza Sketch: Sherlock Holmes - Victorian Bachelor More jokes about strategy Important Things things This is: a retired general planning his day Seduction strategies |||||
| 11 | 4 | "Money" | February 25, 2010 (2010-02-25) | 204 |
| Jokes about money Sketch: Robot 326 prototype (with special guest Fred Willard as the scientist) This is: a toll booth attendant at a strip club Sketch: Loan shark cyclists, Part 1 Some data about money Sketch: Pizza delivery Sketch: Asshole Roommate from the Future New expressions about money Sketch: Loan Shark Cyclists, Part 2 This is: a creep at an ATM A song about money |||||
| 12 | 5 | "2" | March 11, 2010 (2010-03-11) | 205 |
| Jokes about 2 Sketch: Ladies Room A song about 2 Sketch: Competing Uncles Sketch: Déjà vu Sketch: Robot and Talking Tools Sketch: Max & Mintz - Two Straight Men Song: Sames and Opposites Continued |||||
| 13 | 6 | "2 Part 2" | March 18, 2010 (2010-03-18) | 206 |
| Re-show Pete Jokes about 2 Animated sketch: The Adventures of Duperman Sketch: The Job Interview Animated sketch: The Adventures of Duperman Drawing: Life Story Animated sketch: The Adventures of Duperman 2 Guests The Forgotten Civil War: East vs. West Pad: Doing 2 Things at Once |||||
| 14 | 7 | "Lines" | March 25, 2010 (2010-03-25) | 207 |
| Jokes about Lines Sketch: Search for the Skull of Lhasa Drawing: Adding Lines Sketch: Conference Call Important Things things: Personal Finish Line This is: a referee washing his car Quotes (In Context) Demetri's Notebook's Diary Song: Break-up Lines |||||
| 15 | 8 | "Nature" | April 1, 2010 (2010-04-01) | 208 |
| Jokes about Nature Sketch: Gayfoot New Expressions about Nature Sketch: The Naturalists Sketch: Demetrocles Good, Bad, Interesting The Forbes 100 Richest Wild Animals Demetri's Notebook's Diary Song: Ruminations |||||
| 16 | 9 | "Space" | April 8, 2010 (2010-04-08) | 209 |
| Jokes about Space Sketch: Near death experience group Drawing: Half-staff type flags Sketch: Armrest Word Spaces Guys arguing with their girlfriends in beautiful places Sketch: New warp speed Sketch: Peterson's plan Airplane sleep positions Sketch: A cocky realtor Constellations' shapes |||||
| 17 | 10 | "Control" | April 15, 2010 (2010-04-15) | 210 |
| Jokes about Control Sketch: Secret Agent James Steel Sketch: Asshole Roommate from the Future Good, Bad, Interesting Sketch: Gobo and Human Treaty New Expressions about Control Sketch: Order Court Sketch: Idol of Osar Music Situation |||||

## Reception

### Ratings

The Comedy Central show premiered on Wednesday February 11, 2009 and attracted 2.4 million viewers, making it the best cable series show since Chappelle's Show drew 2.5 million views in 2003.

### Critical reception

The show has received generally positive reviews from critics, and currently has a 71/100 rating on Metacritic, based on 8 reviews.

## Cancellation

During a comedy show at College Park, Maryland on October 28, 2010, Demetri Martin confirmed that Comedy Central had not picked up the show for a third season. The first season was released on DVD in 2009, while the remaining 10 episodes (the entire second season) have yet to see a release date as of 2020.

