# Important Things with Demetri Martin (2009)

> Comedian Demetri Martin hosts a Comedy Central sketch-variety show in which each episode unpacks one abstract theme through stand-up, prop comedy, music and vignettes.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/6646

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 17
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: comedy
- Network: Comedy Central
- Cast: Demetri Martin, Brian Berrebbi, John Oliver, H. Jon Benjamin, David Cross, Amanda Peet, Tom Virtue, Paul Zies
- TMDB rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1118038/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: deadpan, wry, playful, whimsical

## What critics say

Critics broadly found it a clever, playful showcase for Demetri Martin's wordplay, though its sketches were uneven and the run was short.

## Synopsis

Important Things with Demetri Martin (2009-2010) is an American sketch-variety series created for Comedy Central and produced by Jon Stewart's Busboy Productions. Comedian Demetri Martin hosts and performs as himself, moving between stand-up routines, prop comedy, musical numbers and taped sketches. Each episode of its two seasons is built around a single abstract theme, such as timing, power, control or money, and every bit, short vignette and animated segment loosely orbits that idea. Supporting performers including John Oliver, David Cross, H. Jon Benjamin and Amanda Peet pop up in recurring characters and quick absurd scenarios. The engine is pure conceptual play: Martin takes a familiar notion and turns it inside out with wordplay and visual gags, so the format feels like a series of tidy, clever puzzles. The show is deadpan, wry and playful, with a gentle intellectual edge and an easygoing rhythm. Fans of Key & Peele, Mr. Show with Bob and David and Little Britain will find resonance in its blend of character sketches and offbeat comic invention. Its half-hour episodes make it easy to dip into, and its run ended early, leaving the format unfinished.

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- [Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995)](https://ember.film/tv/576)
- [The Man Show (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/5279)
- [W/ Bob & David (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/56788)
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- [Adam Ruins Everything (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/57093)

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