Wednesday, February 11, 2009

episode: important things with demetri martin, "timing"


Overall, I really enjoyed the premiere of Important Things with Demetri Martin, though I think the sketches are not nearly as well constructed or timely (ha) as the quick punchlines or drawings. But I'm a sucker for ironic comedy, and no one's better at it than him. Each episode will focus on a different topic/theme, and the premiere looked at timing.

Sketches:

Amanda Peet did a brief guest appearance during the first sketch in which Martin plays an actor who can only act angry off camera. The scene paid off at the end when, after the producer secretly filmed Martin's genuine frustration, Martin goes after the cameraman, screaming, "That was a personal moment!"

The "guy who is too early for a rave" went on for too long. This is one of those sketches that could benefit from a page from Trigger Happy and Robot Chicken; sight-gags should only last 5-10 seconds long, especially for that shock value. This scene lasted for maybe thirty seconds (forty-five?), and that was too long.

The De Beers mock commercials were funny ("Engagement Appreciation" ring, "We are Deep Into Ring Debt" ring), mostly because the thought of a "Just Do It to See What Happens" ring is amazing.

The sketch were the rookie cop enters the wrong apartment and opens fire... not funny. Even with the ice cream bit at the end. I also didn't particularly like Timeline Gigolo sketch. Mary Magdalene? Black Tuesday? A potato famine? Betsy Ross? Surely there are funnier events in history he could have explored.

Drawings:
Millisecond
Millivanillisecond -- amount of time Milli Vanilli was popular
Millenivanillium -- amount of time during which you can make Milli Vanilli jokes

I bought a clock, and the big hand broke off it. I didn't want to throw it away, so I added "ish" to every number. (2ish... 3ish... 4ish...)
Unfortunately, I didn't find the multi-tasking song-and-drawing number to be interesting. The visual jokes weren't very good... and is it just me, or did Martin skip a couple of pages? It certainly showcased his talent (a guitar, harmonica, keyboard, and bells?), but the jokes themselves weren't that funny.


Jokes:
I wonder if there were any Goths in Gothic times. It would be like, "You look completely appropriate. You don't look sad or lonely at all."

I hate meeting babies. [There was more to this joke, but this line alone was hilarious.]

I think a good place to be during an earthquake would be in bed with somebody. If you timed it right, you would seem like the biggest stud in the world. "How was it?" "He ruined my apartment."

[On onion rings] I hate it when I take the first bite and the onion's like, "Fuck it, I'm going!" "Be patient, onion!"

[my favorite joke from the show] "Timing is everything." That's a cliché... now. But if I said that a long time ago, I would've been original. Think about it.

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