Laughing About Important Things

A show entitled Important Things in today’s world would most likely have one thinking about recessionary economics and foreign relations and not so much about a mop-topped 35-year-old making doodles on an easel and offering up minimalist deadpanned one-liners. But what Demetri Martin deems “important” might not equate with what everyone else does.

The comedian launched his new show Wednesday night on Comedy Central. It was a fast-moving jumble of sketches, animations, and stand-up delivered in the stream-of-consciousness style fans have come to love.  The sketches ranged from the irreverent (Martin plays a lethargic actor in the middle of a break-up scene who can only get into character when the cameras stop rolling) to the absurd (he travels back in time and seduces famous women throughout history as a “time gigolo”).

The show drew 2.4 million viewers, according to Comedy Central; the highest-rated premiere for the network since Chappelle’s Show in 2003. The 1.5 rating was the highest in the 18-49 demo also tied Lewis Black’s Root of All Evil for best premiere in six years.

Here’s Demetri in action: