Hard Quiz

[TV.Cynic]

Series 9, Episode 2 of 34

Wednesday 14 February 8.00pm

Four contestants vie for the Hard Quiz Big Brass Mug! Which topic will triumph: Rod Stewart, The Sopranos, or Bunnings… or will cholera wipe them out? Play along at home!

Fresh from barnstorming his way around Australia with a live version of the nation’s favourite quiz show, Gold Logie-winning comedian Tom Gleeson has managed to herd a new bunch of self-described experts into the hallowed ABC studios to undergo the HARDEST challenge in TV, or probably the whole world.

Which topic will triumph this week: Rod Stewart, The Sopranos, or Bunnings… or will cholera wipe them all out? It’s time to play HARD!

[TV.Cynic]

Series 9, Episode 3 of 34

Wednesday 21 February 8.00pm

In episode 3, fighting over possession of Tom Gleeson’s Big Brass Mug are Paula Abdul fan Matthew, 30 Rock fan Patrice, chocolate connoisseur Julie, and Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen connoisseur Regan. Which of them can navigate through Tom’s own specialist subject to be crowned Hard Quiz Champion?

[TV.Cynic]

Series 9, Episode 4 of 34

Wednesday 28 February 8.00pm

It takes all sorts, and Hard Quiz is a big bag of liquorice! Vying for Tom Gleeson’s Big Brass Mug are experts in the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, James Bond movies, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Victorian women’s fashion!

[JohnsonTV]

[TV.Cynic]

#HardQuiz won an AACTA Award last night! Thanks to everyone who works in the office behind the scenes. Here’s me and our work experience kid. #AACTAs pic.twitter.com/Jto1fuNe8k

— Tom Gleeson (@nonstoptom) February 10, 2024

[TV.Cynic]

Series 9, Episode 5

Wednesday 6 March 8.00pm

Which subject will win Tom Gleeson’s Big Brass Mug for its expert contestant on this week’s Hard Quiz: women in Greek Mythology, pop queen Shania Twain, the 7 Up documentary series, or the mouth-watering world of spices?

Series 9, Episode 6

Wednesday 13 March 8.00pm

Tom Gleeson and his Big Brass Mug are under siege from another four contestants with eclectic expert subjects: Cronulla Sharks fan Matt, Mulan lover Jessica, Doja Cat fan Elle, and Brad, who’s really into vintage roller skates!

Episode 7

Wednesday 20 March 8.00pm

In episode 7, Zoe is being quizzed on Sex and the City, Jonathan knows all about punk icon Iggy Pop, Georgia is into Australia’s netball team, the Diamonds, and Rob is fascinated by classic Land Rovers. And as always, Tom Gleeson wants to keep them all away from his Big Brass Mug!

Episode 8

In episode 8, the Big Brass Mug is being eyed off by four contestants and only Tom Gleeson stands in their way. He grills Sasky about NASCAR, Thomas about Ash Barty, Finley about sheep shearing, and Bronwyn about the Mercator Projection!

Episode 9

Wednesday 3 April 8.00pm

In Episode 9, another batch of ordinary Aussies are banging down Tom Gleeson’s door in a bid to win his Big Brass Mug. And they’ve brought Hard Quiz another classic lineup of expert topics: NBA star LeBron James, video game series Super Smash Bros., legendary racehorse Phar Lap… and Vegemite!

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 10

Wednesday 10 April 8.00pm

Episode 10 is another Hard Quiz Battle of the Duds! They were dispatched through the big steel doors last time, but now fan favourites Bel (expert topic: metal band Slipknot), Jasmine (The Lion King), Takura (Armageddon) and Sam (colonoscopies!) return to have another crack at getting their hands on Tom’s Big Brass Mug!

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 11

Wednesday 17 April 8.00pm

Tom Gleeson is hanging on to his Big Brass Mug until one expert can prove they deserve it. Lucy is fascinated by Princess Kate, Mark is lost in Lost in Space, Ruby has a supersonic knowledge of Concorde, and Callum is anything but shellfish with his knowledge of oysters!

Episode 12

Wednesday 24 April 8.00pm

Tom Gleeson’s got the Big Brass Mug, and four contestants want to have what HE’S having. They are Helen, a fan of When Harry Met Sally; Patrick, who loves the Real Housewives of Melbourne, Melinda, who’s really into Sir Douglas Mawson, and Wayne, perhaps the only Australian who understands the sport of curling!

Episode 14

Wednesday 1 May 8.00pm

This week Tom tests Mel’s love of TV sitcom The Inbetweeners, Reuben’s knowledge of rock band Van Halen, Ray’s passion for the America’s Cup, and Samuel’s interest in the government of John Howard. Who’s got what it takes?

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 14

Wednesday 8 May 8.00pm

Experts lining up to be taken down are Emily, with her knowledge of Pompeii; Steve, who’s a fan of artist Norman Lindsay; Keir, who loves jazz virtuoso John Coltrane, and Jason, who’s really into Lana Del Rey.

Episode 15

Wednesday 15 May 8.00pm

Chasing the Big Brass Mug in this episode are champagne lover Dave, Mata Hari aficionado Dawn, Grand Theft Auto gamer Sonny, and The Hobbit fan Lillian.

Episode 16

Wednesday 22 May 8.00pm

Tom Gleeson puts four more self-proclaimed experts through the Big Brass wringer. Tonight’s topics are Alice Cooper, fashion designer Alexander McQueen, literary classic Anne of Green Gables… and chickens!

Paula might be an expert in chickens, but in this episode of HARD QUIZ, everyone’s getting roasted! Also taking on Tom Gleeson are Alice Cooper impersonator Dave, Anne of Green Gables fan Michelle, and Alexander McQueen devotee Kurt. Which know-it-all will actually know it all and prove themselves worthy of the Big Brass Mug?

Episode 17

Wednesday 29 May 8.00pm

His Royal Hardness, Tom Gleeson, has some Hard Quiz questions to challenge Connor’s love of video game The Last of Us, Shweta’s obsession with Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, Callum’s knowledge of the DeLorean motor car and Ann’s penchant for the trombone. Which winning contestant will hoist aloft the Big Brass Mug?

Episode 18

Wednesday 5 June 8.00pm

This week Tom’s got his hands full testing Susan’s knowledge of artist Francis Bacon, Catherine’s love of TV favourite Ted Lasso, Shannon’s repping of rapper Dr Dre, and Fernando’s revolutionary zeal for Che Guevara.

Episode 19

Wednesday 12 June 8.00pm

This week’s topics are the Carlton Football Club, sci-fi show Babylon 5, frozen glacier sensation Otzi the Iceman, and Microsoft Excel. (That’s not a typo.) As always, Hard Quiz has something for everyone!

Episode 20

Wednesday 19 June 8.00pm

Where else but Hard Quiz would you see experts on topics as unlikely as Kim Kardashian, Skyhooks, geocaching, and the Mr Olympia bodybuilding contest all on the same show, competing for nothing more than a brass mug and bragging rights? Tom Gleeson puts another set of contestants through their paces – and through the wringer.

[JohnsonTV]

@TV.Cynic

Wednesday 12 June 8.00pm

This week’s topics are the Carlton Football Club, sci-fi show Babylon 5, frozen glacier sensation Otzi the Iceman, and Microsoft Excel. (That’s not a typo.)

Carlton has a very long history. I wonder which parts the questions will touch on?

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 21

Wednesday 26 June 8.00pm

This week’s contestants are experts in Coldplay, As Time Goes By, capital cities, and Ada Lovelace. But with the insults coming as fast as the questions, only the hardest quizzer will survive to take home the Big Brass Mug.

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 22

Wednesday 3 July 8.00pm

Four experts, four rounds, but only one Big Brass Mug. Contestants go head-to-head while dodging insults from host Tom Gleeson in a contest where only the hardest survive. And it’s another crazy lineup of topics as experts in Spider-Man and rock dinosaurs Cheap Trick take on experts in Marbles alongside Paint and Pigments. It’s going to be a messy episode of Hard Quiz!

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 23

Wednesday 10 July 8.00pm

In this episode, self-proclaimed experts on Rage Against the Machine, Muriel’s Wedding, the French language and the Australian Masters golf tournament put their knowledge to the ultimate test.

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 24 - Mid-season Final

Wednesday 17 July 8.00pm

This week’s subjects are lavender, Dumb and Dumber, Pac-Man, and Guns N’ Roses. (Don’t write in about that apostrophe. They started it.)

[JohnsonTV]

Apply Now to Showcase Your Unique Expertise on HARD QUIZ

[TV.Cynic]

Series Return - Series 9, Episode 25

Wednesday 9 October 8.00pm

It’s a Battle of the Duds! Tom Gleeson is ready to take down four contestants foolish enough to have another go at getting their hands on the Big Brass Mug. Returning are Ash, with her subject Jurassic Park; Joel with Australian currency; Vicki with Kakadu National Park; and Neil with the hobby of beekeeping. Can they avoid being stung a second time?

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 26

Wednesday 16 October 8.00pm

Hard Quiz delivers laughs simply by putting four ordinary Aussies in the same studio as master comedian Tom Gleeson. Throw in some genuinely fascinating topics and deceptively difficult questions and you’ve got a winning combination. This episode’s expert subjects are The Evil Dead, drone racing, polar bears, and Powderfinger. Let’s play – HARD!

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 27

Wednesday 23 October 8.00pm

Come for the comedy and stay for the quiz – or is it the other way around? Australia’s sharpest host Tom Gleeson puts four everyday experts through their paces. The last one left standing takes home the limited-edition Big Brass Mug! Tonight’s expert topics are knitting, Claudia Karvan, Mozart, and the Great Pyramid of Giza. Prepare to play… HARD!

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 28

Wednesday 30 October 8.00pm

Four self-declared experts have to play hard or face going home empty-handed, as host Tom Gleeson probes their knowledge with a splash of friendly humiliation on the side. Hard Quiz is only slightly more serious about the trivia as it is about the funny.

Tonight’s expert topics are Brett Lee, Sonic the Hedgehog, Twin Peaks, and tea!

Episode 29

Wednesday 6 November 8.00pm

History meets pop culture in the only quiz show where the host spends more time making fun of the contestants than he does asking them questions. This week, Tom Gleeson pits experts on the Crusades and Empire Records against those on the Volkswagen Golf and the Spice Girls. The prize might only be a Big Brass Mug, but that’s what they want, what they really, really want…

[TV.Cynic]

Episode 30

Wednesday 13 November 8.00pm

It’s a Battle of the Duds! Tom Gleeson invites four failed former contestants back to humiliate themselves all over again, in the hope that one of them can take home the Big Brass Dud Mug.

Returning are Naomi, whose expert subject is video game The Sims; Elliot, with his knowledge of George W. Bush; David, a fan of prima ballerina Anna Pavlova; and Debbie, whose pin-up is Billy Idol.

Episode 31

Wednesday 20 November 8.00pm

With competing topics Bitcoin, King Richard III, and Blink-182, there’s something for everyone, while host Tom Gleeson will stop at nothing to put his contestants off their quest for the Big Brass Mug. Yelling answers at the TV has never been so much fun!