On Cinema

Played by Tim Heidecker as a fictionalized version of himself, Tim is the creator and host of On Cinema. Despite being host, he appears to know very little about the films he is discussing, although he is an avid fan of Tom Cruise and Jack Reacher. Tim often uses his show to discuss his conservative views and personal problems, or to promote his other projects, like his action series Decker, his band Dekkar or his company HEI Inc. Tim is an aggressive egomaniacal alcoholic, constantly drinking and berating his costars during the Oscar specials.

Tim has faced multiple family problems throughout the show. Tim has an estranged teenage son from his first marriage, which ended after he underwent brain surgery against the wishes of his wife. He then met Ayaka while she was staying with his family as a foreign exchange student. The two hook up and eventually marry, birthing a child named Tom Cruise Jr. Heidecker. Tom Cruise Jr. died shortly after birth after Tim refused to have him vaccinated, and his death led to their marriage rapidly spiraling apart. After they divorced, Tim married Juliana, the sister of fellow Dekkar band member Axiom, which was short-lived. Tim then began a relationship with Toni Newman, the sole juror who refused to find Tim guilty and Tim's aide for his political campaign. They married twice, but following an affair and a trip to rehab, a newly sober Toni divorced Tim.

Played by Gregg Turkington as a fictionalized version of himself, Gregg is a frequent guest of On Cinema, sometimes acting as host when Tim is away. Gregg is a film buff and self-described movie expert, with a large amount of unimportant and uninteresting trivia to share about films discussed on the show. Despite his obvious lack of critical insight Gregg believes that On Cinema should be devoted exclusively to "the movies" rather than Tim's personal life and views. Gregg has an extensive collection of VHS cassettes located in Victorville, California which he refers to as the Victorville Film Archives, boasting that it's one of the largest film archives in America, though its exact size is unknown and has been destroyed on multiple occasions by Tim. Gregg's favorite film is The Hobbit and he describes himself as a "Hobbithead", campaigning every year for the Academy Awards to recognize Peter Jackson and give the Best Picture award to The Hobbit trilogy, believing that the Academy has "a write-in section". Gregg produces many of the show's recurring segments, including "Popcorn Classics" and "On Cinema On Location", and plays Special Agent Jonathan Kington on Decker. Despite his clear antipathy towards Tim, as well as the constant abuse he suffers under him, Gregg repeatedly returns to On Cinema in the hopes that he will be made co-host.

Almost nothing is known about Gregg's personal life. He is mainly quiet and withdrawn, actively avoiding confrontation, redirecting almost every conversation into a movie reference and regarding real-world events and documentary films as pointless distractions. Though not as openly hostile as Tim, Gregg is often stubborn and passive-aggressive, insisting on his incorrect knowledge when challenged and quietly criticizing Tim when he steals the limelight. As the series progresses, Gregg has shown himself to be almost as sociopathic as Tim.

The On Cinema podcast was produced independently by Tim and Gregg. The podcast consists of Tim, along with Gregg as a "special guest" for every episode, covering movies poorly and with little insight, and often engaging in arguments. Gregg later developed a more pretentious "film buff" persona, and Tim took a turn to being obnoxiously political, sometimes devoting entire episodes to conspiracy theories, much to the chagrin of Gregg.

A running joke that was carried over to the video series is Gregg's confusion between Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, stubbornly insisting that Tim is the one with the movies reversed, rejecting any evidence to the contrary.

The video series debuts on Thing X, a parody website created by Adult Swim, having changed its name to On Cinema at the Cinema. The series is similar to the podcast, taking place on a set meant to look like a movie theater. Gregg is still never acknowledged as more than a guest, and begins his recurring segments "Popcorn Classics", where he brings in forgotten VHS movies to showcase, and "On Cinema On Location", where he travels to filming locations of obscure movies, respectively.

Tim reveals he has blood clotting in his brain but rejects surgery because of "side effects, the whole medical industry, and Obamacare", while Gregg pushes for him to get surgery. Late in the season, Tim introduces the first special guest other than Gregg: Ayaka Ohwaki, a foreign exchange student from Japan staying with Tim's family.

The first On Cinema Oscar Special airs, where Tim and Gregg livestream the Oscars and drink champagne. Tim gets very drunk and vomits on some of Gregg's VHS tapes which causes Gregg to walk off the set.

Thing X merges with Adult Swim's website, and the series moves with it. The season begins with Tim in a head bandage and in pain, as he went through with the brain surgery, although his wife divorced him for this choice. Gregg begins his goal of watching "500 movies in 500 days", hoping to make the Guinness Book of World Records. Tim kicks Gregg off the show after Gregg drives all the way to San Francisco for an "On Location" segment, to rebuke Tim & (incorrectly) insist that San Francisco was the location of Star Trek II. John Aprea and Ayaka are guests on the next episode, where Tim reveals he is dating Ayaka. In the season finale, Gregg returns to the show as Ayaka was deported back to Japan.

Tim begins season four with many health problems and introduces his personal doctor, Dr. San (Zac Holtzman), an alternative medical doctor treating Tim with "natural" remedies, including acupuncture. Dr. San begins coming onto the set with Tim, despite Gregg's objections. However, Tim's face becomes infected and he denounces Dr. San. Ayaka sends a letter to Tim on the show, announcing she is pregnant with Tim's child.

In the second Oscar Special, Tim and Gregg drink champagne, with Tim, again, getting belligerently drunk. Mark Proksch is introduced for the first time, doing impersonations of W. C. Fields and Charlie Chaplin.

Tim moves to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and buys a motorcycle to commute back and forth to Hollywood for the On Cinema taping. He becomes a proponent of 'simple living' and state rights, embracing his Republican values. Tim premieres his new show Decker, with Gregg initially angered by the fact Tim used footage of him without asking, although he later warms up to the role after positive fan feedback.

Tim announces that Ayaka has had an abortion, despite being opposed to that medical procedure. However, Gregg interviews Ayaka via Skype from Japan, revealing she gave birth and named the boy Tom Cruise Heidecker Junior, after the actor Tom Cruise. Ayaka moves back to America with Tom Cruise Junior, and into Gregg's apartment, after Tim denies paternity. This upsets Tim and he moves permanently to Jackson Hole, making Gregg host of the show.

Gregg begins his first season as host, with a pre-recorded VHS tape of himself as the co-host. Tim returns as host in the second episode after he realized his new friends in Jackson Hole were white supremacists. He rekindles his relationship with Ayaka, and moves into Gregg's apartment with her and Tom Cruise Junior. In the season finale, Tim proposes to Ayaka and she accepts.

In the third Oscar Special, Peyton Reed comes on the Special to promote his new film Ant-Man and announces that Gregg has been cast as a minor character in the movie, which upsets Tim. In the finale segment, Gregg introduces James Dean, the former actor who was believed to be dead since 1955. Tim does not believe this, leading to him verbally and physically threatening Dean before trashing the set.

Decker: Port of Call: Hawaii premieres during the season, with Tim and Gregg repeatedly traveling to Hawaii to shoot, exhausting them. Gregg accidentally spoils the planned ending, resulting in Tim shooting a new ending where he destroys all of Gregg's tapes. After this, Gregg leaves the show and plans to start his own.

Gregg returns to the show after Tim promises to let him write, direct, produce the next season of Decker. He also moves to Victorville, California, and opens the Victorville Film Archives in a storage locker, where he also lives. Tim gives Ant-Man a rare one bag of popcorn which upsets Gregg, leading to him accusing Tim of paying $15,000 to have a minor role in the new Fantastic Four movie. Tim starts a rock band named Dekkar with a man named Axiom, and releases their debut single "Empty Bottle" on the show. Season 3 of Decker, titled Gregg Turkington's Decker vs. Dracula, is cancelled after three episodes after Tim lambasted Gregg for making a "mockery" of the franchise, irritating Gregg.

Gregg tells Tim that Dr. San is Ayaka's boss at her job. Tim angrily storms off the set, set to confront him, only for them to forgive each other in the next episode. Dr. San takes over as Tom Cruise Junior's new pediatric doctor. By the season seven finale, Tim announces that Tom Cruise Junior has died.

The fourth Oscar Special features periodic musical performances by Dekkar, much to the annoyance of Gregg. An animated rendering of Tom Cruise Junior as a young adult comes on stage, in which Tim and the animated Tom Cruise Junior come out against vaccination. Dr. San does a DNA test of James Dean, which proves that he is in fact, James Dean, angering Tim.

The show moves to Victorville, where Tim has now moved into the storage unit with Gregg. Together, they buy an abandoned movie theater and open it as the "Victorville Film Center" where instead of playing new releases, a nightly showing from Gregg's VHS collection is played. Mark is hired as a concessions cashier.

Dr. San prescribes Tim a "nutritional vape system" in which Tim replaces all meals and food with an electronic cigarette full of supposed nutrients. Tim's physical condition worsens as he keeps using the vape, as he comes to the set sweating, bruised, unfocused and hallucinating. Eventually, Tim goes to an actual doctor who informs him the vape and his blood are full of legal and illegal drugs. Tim quits the vape system and swears off Dr. San once again, only to later relapse. Tim announces that Ayaka is pregnant with their second child. After he tries to get Ayaka to get an abortion, she leaves him and moves back to Japan.

A fire is started in the storage unit after Tim's vape pen overheats one night, burning the entire facility down, including the VFA. Tim suffers third degree burns on all of his body, including his face and hands. After insurance will not cover the cost of the fire, he returns to the show in bandages so he can keep working to pay for the damages and lawsuits, which exceed $1,000,000. Tim returns to a surprise intervention from Gregg, Joe Estevez, John Aprea, Mark, Ayaka, Ayaka's father, and Axiom, encouraging Tim to live a healthier life. Upset, he yells and kicks everyone but Axiom out. A remixed version of "Empty Bottle" ("MT BTL 2.0") is released after Tim retools Dekkar into an electronic band known as DKR.

Tim moves back to Hollywood and opens "Six Bag Cinemas", a new movie theater with recliner chairs and a waiter (Mark) that brings food to customers during the movie. The Victorville Film Center is burned down, with Gregg suggesting that Tim burned it down for insurance money. Tim's skin dies after he stops using facial cream for his burns. Needing a skin transplant, Tim chooses Manuel from DKR to donate skin off of his lower back and buttocks for Tim's face and left hand.

Tim hosts the Electric Sun Desert Music Festival in Apple Valley, California, where Dr. San gave out free samples of his vape system, resulting in 20 deaths and over 100 injuries. Tim and Dr. San are arrested and jailed on murder and manslaughter charges. Gregg takes over as host with Mark as his co-host, and spend two episodes disparaging Tim. Tim returns on bail, and with his lawyer, Doug Lyman, pin the 20 deaths on Dr. San and the Apple Valley authorities who did not respond in time. However, Dr. San commits suicide in jail, so the relatives of the 20 who died now primarily blame Tim for the deaths. At the end of the season, Tim tells Gregg that, no matter what happens next, he will never forget what he said about him on the show.[11]

Tim is put on trial for the death of the "Electric Sun 20". Frustrated with his attorney Mark Dwyer, Tim decides to represent himself and proceeds to threaten the prosecution led by Vincent Rosetti and its witnesses and falsify evidence. Tim is issued multiple contempt citations. Nicholas Meyer, director of Star Trek II and co-writer for Star Trek IV, appears as one of the witnesses in an attempt by Tim to settle the San Francisco Star Trek argument with Gregg. Ultimately, Tim is found not guilty for only one of the 20 deaths, as that victim died of a heroin overdose. A mistrial is called for the remaining 19, due to a hung jury with 11 guilty and 1 not guilty verdicts.[12]

During the fifth Oscar Special, Mark is locked tight into a standard diving dress while doing an impression of Matt Hooper from Jaws, being hospitalized for asphyxiation. Tim revamps On Cinema with a new intro and set, along with its first sponsor: Rio Jenesis, a protein shake company that creates a "germ shield" that Tim drinks. Gregg announces that he has resurrected the VFA, which appears to now be several bins full of VHS tapes stocked in Mark's hospital room, and has started collecting and wearing movie promotional hats to Tim's vocal displeasure. Episodes 4 through 6 were filmed in 360-degree video.

Tim faces a civil suit from one of the families of the "Electric Sun 19". His assets, including On Cinema and Decker, are being seized and he claims he might soon be facing bankruptcy. With help from his attorney Mark Dwyer, Tim manages to convince the family of one of the victims, the Delgados, to let him try to earn money for them with his various assets. The Delgado Media Holdings company is created and they hire Gregg as the managing editor, giving him creative control. Gregg's role quickly increases to that of host, while Tim's role was diminished to announcer. In the season finale, an irate Tim destroys the set, insults the Delgados, and announces his campaign for district attorney of San Bernardino County against the incumbent Vincent Rosetti.

A film marquee for Mister America drawing on an On Cinema at the Cinema joke for the defunct loan website Moneyzap.com

In July 2019, it was announced that Magnolia Pictures was going to release a feature film called Mister America, based on the On Cinema universe. The movie focuses on the storyline about Tim's failed campaign to become District Attorney for San Bernardino County between seasons 10 and 11 and introduces Toni Newman, the lone juror who voted not guilty at Tim's trial, who becomes Tim's campaign manager.[13][14] The film was directed by Eric Notarnicola and debuted on October 4, 2019 at Beyondfest, held at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre.[15]

The sixth Oscar Special is produced by Delgado Media Holdings and hosted by new arrival Rafael Torres, though Gregg otherwise is in charge of the show. Tim eventually invades the broadcasting studio to take back control of the special and to promote conspiracy theories from QAnon, and manages to erase Gregg's video tape collection with the help of a magnetic vest. Mark, still comatose, is used by Gregg as a "living Oscar". Tim later resuscitates Mark by accidentally knocking him over.

Delgado Media Holdings is sold back to Tim with the help of a suspicious money lending website called MoneyZap. Tim is quickly hit with debt from the Delgados' company (now renamed HEI Inc.), a lawsuit from Rafael Torres, and substantial cash owed to MoneyZap, which has interest rates on its loans exceeding 300%. Toni Newman joins HEI Inc. as its chief financial officer along with board members Joe Estevez, Axiom, Manuel, and militant conspiracy theorist Michael "LaRue" Matthews. LaRue joins Dekkar and they release a third version of "Empty Bottle", with rap lyrics warning of the deep state. On advice from Toni, Tim disbands Dekkar and fires Joe Estevez from HEI Inc. At the end of the season, Tim announces that he and Toni have married.

Gregg also starts his Mobile VFA, which consists of him simply selling his old VHS tapes on the flea market. Later, he starts up a VFA Classic Movie program, where he sells public domain movies with commentary dubbed over the originals. Gregg bundles the original A Star Is Born with the 2018 adaptation, believing it to have entered the public domain along with the original, which gets Mark arrested for bootlegging. Mark gets put into a coma again while in prison and goes missing after being discharged from the hospital.

In the seventh Oscar Special, Tim annulls his marriage to Toni, in order to stage a more elaborate second wedding with her at the special. Gregg arrives at the wedding dressed as the Joker, driving his car housing the Mobile VFA onto the set and promoting his planned celebration of the 40th anniversary of the film Arthur in 2021. Gregg leaves his car running throughout the special, causing the entire production crew and wedding party to fall unconscious to carbon monoxide poisoning, leading to two deaths.

The show moves from Adult Swim to HEI Network, a subscription streaming service created by Tim, in early 2021. Tim and Gregg host separate Oscar specials in 2021. Tim hosts his show with Toni, in a studio similar to that of a talk show, while Gregg hosts his special independently in the Mobile VFA. Tim reluctantly calls Gregg after being dissatisfied with Axiom's movie knowledge and invites him onto his show. Gregg later storms off set and back to his car after LaRue declares him guilty for the deaths from the last special, and runs over LaRue after he gets in the way, later leaving him in a wheelchair. Gregg sells off the VFA to Tim in exchange for no charges being pressed.

Between seasons, HEI Network released the pilot to "Rock House", a reality show starring Axiom, Manuel, and Wendy Kerby, a singer from Tim and Toni's church introduced in the prior Oscar special. HEI Network also launches its own cryptocurrency, HEI Points, with the intent to replace the United States dollar by 2022.

Season 12 starts with a new intro, theme, and set. Toni, drunk at her birthday party, has an affair with Axiom at the "Rock House". Toni goes to rehab for her drinking problems while Axiom is kicked out of Dekkar. The band is renamed to D4, with Wendy joining. Toni is released from rehab and tells Tim she is leaving him, confessing that she knew he was guilty during the Electric Sun 20 trial and was a heavy alcoholic for the entire time she had known Tim. Mark is again spotted by a fan, this time performing as Spider-Man on a street in Hollywood. Tim convinces Mark to return, doing a pilot called "Mark's Cavalcade of Characters". Gregg reveals that he is working with Joe on a new movie, Deck of Cards, focusing on "the original Joker", the playing card. Other pilots are made, including LaRue's "Xposed" and Gregg's "Popcorn Shuffle", with "Xposed" being chosen for a full season of its own.

Tim and Wendy Kerby host a Valentine's Day special in 2022. After an awkward staged sketch where Tim tries to instigate a kiss between Wendy and Manuel, she becomes uncomfortable and abruptly leaves, leaving D4 unable to perform. Manuel convinces Tim to patch things up with Axiom, and the three give an impromptu Dekkar reunion.

The ninth Oscar Special takes place at the planned site of the HEI Ranch, Tim's proposed business and media center, located on a remote stretch of land near Apple Valley, California. Little work has been done, with construction vehicles everywhere and the water brown and dirty. Gregg unveils the VFA Tour Bus, made from a hastily remodeled van. G. Amato, a financial backer with more HEI Points than anyone else, is introduced. The cast and crew are harassed by locals who drive dirt bikes on set, point rifle lasers, sabotage the power from the generator, and ultimately fire upon the crew at the end of the special. Gregg evacuates everyone in his tour bus except for Tim, who confronts the locals and gets injured.

Deck of Cards released on September 2, 2022, albeit heavily edited by Tim, making a program similar to Decker. Season 13 debuted October 26, with the program being retooled into a morning show titled On Cinema! and More in the Morning.[16] Kaili Amato now co-hosts, with The Amato Group providing funding and the new venue. Kaili and Tim expand the focus from films to social media and Hollywood in general, with Gregg included for movie discussion. A Dekkar reunion tour goes awry when their tour bus, the VFA Tour Bus, rolls into a ditch late at night, injuring Tim, temporarily blinding Axiom, and leaving Manuel unconscious for weeks. When Manuel gains consciousness again, he is unable to understand English.

After the crash, Tim starts drinking the brown grain water at the HEI Ranch, which contains lithium and other materials, claiming the water is healing him, despite it frequently making him throw up. Tim has a doctor lethally inject him in order to prove the grain water unlocks immortality; although it did not kill him, he remained unconscious and had to be hospitalized. After two weeks, Tim is released only to find out that his trailer at the HEI Ranch, with all of his personal belongings, was removed. Attempts to contact Axiom, Manuel, and G. Amato fail. Gregg offers to let Tim stay at his house, with Tim accepting and thanking him for being a friend.

The tenth Oscar Special celebrates 10 years of Gregg's movie expertise, complete with musical numbers and a Gregg-themed set. Tim's initial support and praise of Gregg turns sour once G. Amato reaffirms his support for Tim and calls him a second son. Gregg launches the VFN, a streaming network for classic films. The service, consisting of a Dropbox folder full of public domain movies, unintentionally includes dashcam footage of the VFA Tour Bus crash, which appears to show Tim intentionally swerving the car off the ditch in a suicide attempt. The footage spreads to Twitter and eventually to the people on set. Tim, fully dressed as Pinocchio for a planned scene, plays the footage on set. Axiom and Manuel swiftly leave afterward, leaving Tim to have a violent, emotional breakdown with only G. Amato, dressed as Geppetto, consoling him.