Hard Quiz: Season 5
Season 5 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Hard Quiz Season 4.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 5 Progress Shield
Lady Gaga, William Butler Yeats, Xanadu & Typewriters
Feb 5, 2020
Tom Gleeson and Hard Quiz are back for 2020. Vinny loves Lady Gaga, Jess is into poet William Butler Yeats, Brigid is a fan of the movie Xanadu and Michael has a thing for typewrit
The Young Ones, Dr. Victor Chang, Makybe Diva & Volvos
Feb 12, 2020
Which expert dares tell Tom Gleeson he's wrong? Is it Young Ones fan Kreisha? Abhi, who admires heart surgeon Dr. Victor Chang? Simon, who loves racehorse Makybe Diva? Or Volvo own
Louis Armstrong, Boston Red Sox, Arnold Schwarzenegger & McDonald's
Feb 19, 2020
Tonight's weird and wonderful #HardQuiz topics: Louis Armstrong, the Boston Red Sox, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the history of McDonald's restaurants. Will Tom be forced to serve u
The Lord of the Rings, Ayrton Senna, Barbarella & Eric Abetz
Feb 26, 2020
What secret are two of tonight's contestants hiding? And is Eric Abetz really Peter's favourite senator, or did he just pick that topic to try to game the system? Tune in HARD to f
Little House on the Prairie, Amedeo Modigliani, Thylacine & Rihanna
Mar 4, 2020
Join Tom Gleeson for TV's most unpredictable game show! A surprising mix of contestants and topics including the Little House on the Prairie books, Italian painter Amedeo Modiglian
U2, Home Alone, Hercule Poirot & Squid
Mar 11, 2020
Tom Gleeson oversees another battle for trivia supremacy. The weird and wonderful topics are superband U2, Home Alone, Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot and squid! #HardQuiz #BigBra
London Underground, Fremantle Dockers, Will & Grace & Elizabeth I
Mar 18, 2020
Is there a more quintessential #HardQuiz topic than the London Underground? Christian's up against the Fremantle Dockers, Will & Grace and Elizabeth I - so can he ride the Tube to
1990s Disney Cartoons, Brooklyn Bridge, Kurt Cobain & Badminton
Mar 25, 2020
James Sherry is an expert on 1990s Disney cartoons because he hosted a 1990s Disney cartoon show! Can he defeat Brooklyn Bridge expert Maria, Kurt Cobain fan Brittany, and badminto
The Bold and the Beautiful, Helicopters, Siamese Fighting Fish & Australia's 45th Parliament
Apr 1, 2020
Tom Gleeson hosts Australia's favourite quiz show. The expert topics are The Bold and The Beautiful, Helicopters, Siamese fighting fish and Australia's 45th Parliament. Only one wi
Game of Thrones, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Grand Slam Tennis & Electronic Organs
Apr 8, 2020
Forget the Iron Throne, Tom Gleeson has the Big Brass Mug! Heading into battle are experts in Game of Thrones, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Grand Slam tennis and electronic organs. Plus,
M*A*S*H, Disneyland, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy & Fender Guitars
Apr 15, 2020
It's a battle royale as host Tom Gleeson puts four experts to the test on their specialty topics. This week's topics are M*A*S*H, Disneyland, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and
The Blues Brothers, Jack Russell Terriers, Roald Dahl & Mazda MX-5
Apr 22, 2020
The Big Brass Mug is up for grabs again on Hard Quiz, and experts in The Blues Brothers, Jack Russell terriers, Roald Dahl, and the Mazda MX-5 are out to get it. There can be only
Battle of the Duds: Sydney Swans, Pete Sampras, Reality TV & Barry Manilow
Apr 29, 2020
Battle of the Duds! Which returning contestant will seize a second chance to hoist the Big Brass Mug... Sydney Swans fan Matt, Pete Sampras expert Kaushik, reality TV devotee Josh,
Julia Gillard, Gossip Girl, Tiger Woods & Jack the Ripper
May 6, 2020
Quizmaster-General Tom Gleeson pits a Julia Gillard diehard against a fan of teen soap Gossip Girl, a Tiger Woods obsessive, and a gentleman with a perfectly normal interest in Jac
The Clarinet, Transformers, Australian Pythons & Islamic Political Movements
May 13, 2020
Tom Gleeson hosts a clash of epic proportions on Hard Quiz! Where else would you see the clarinet go head-to-head with Transformers, Australian pythons, and Islamic political movem
Rafael Nadal, Spongebob Squarepants, Dingoes & New Yorker Cartoons
Jul 15, 2020
Tom Gleeson hosts the quiz show where the only prizes are glory and a Big Brass Mug. This week's topics are Rafael Nadal, Spongebob Squarepants, dingoes, and New Yorker cartoons. A
Guinea Pigs, Vintage Sneakers, Peanuts Comics & Penicillin
Jul 22, 2020
Four experts battle it out on Hard Quiz: Ryan knows all there is to know about guinea pigs, Patrick has a penchant for vintage sneakers, Steven is a Peanuts comics pro and Katharin
Dewey Decimal System, Australian Geography, Canberra Raiders & Richard III
Jul 29, 2020
Sue's a librarian. Can her Dewey Decimal System expertise defeat Australian geography boffin Ken, Canberra Raiders fan Chris, or Trent's knowledge of Shakespeare's Richard III? The
Barbra Streisand, Wolverine, Halo, & The Handmaid's Tale
Aug 5, 2020
Tom Gleeson presides over the latest episode of Hard Quiz, grilling his subjects on Barbra Streisand, Wolverine, video game Halo, and The Handmaid's Tale. Who will prove themselves
Arab/Israeli Conflict, Savage Garden, Chicago Bulls & Saturn
Aug 12, 2020
Tom Gleeson hosts another clash of the titans on Hard Quiz, pitting against each other experts in the Arab/Israeli conflict, Savage Garden, the Chicago Bulls, and the entire planet
The Korean War, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ducati Motorcycles & The Great Plague
Aug 19, 2020
Tom Gleeson hosts a contest of wits. Which topic will see its nominated expert crowned Hard Quiz Champion: the Korean War, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ducati Motorcycles, or the Great P
Kakapo, Theseus, Calculus & Neighbours
Aug 26, 2020
It's a Hard Quiz lineup for the ages: Tom Gleeson grills experts in the kakapo (it's a flightless bird), Theseus (he's a mythical Greek), calculus (it's a field of mathematics), an
Shane Warne, World War II's Dam Busters Raid, James Herriot & Survivor
Sep 2, 2020
Host Tom Gleeson grills experts who fancy themselves on their knowledge of Shane Warne, World War II's Dam Busters raid, the novels of James Herriot, and reality TV show Survivor.
Sylvester Stallone, Leeds United, Labyrinths & Rats
Sep 9, 2020
In one of the Hardest, Quizziest episodes yet, four experts head into battle wielding nothing but their brains, armed with their expert knowledge in Sylvester Stallone, Leeds Unite
Cleopatra, Allan Border, Bluey & Bridge
Sep 16, 2020
What do Cleopatra, Allan Border, ABC cartoon Bluey and the game of bridge have in common? They're all expert topics on tonight's #HardQuiz. Tune in to see who takes home Tom's Big
Battle of the Duds: Charles Darwin, My Little Pony, John Farnham & the Human Eye
Sep 23, 2020
It's the Battle of the Duds! Fan favourites Claus (expert topic: Charles Darwin), Kim (My Little Pony), Kevin (John Farnham), and David (The Human Eye) get one more crack at taking
Pomeranians, Alien, the Ultimate Fighting Championship & Recorders
Sep 30, 2020
Tom Gleeson drills four contestants on their expert topics until a victor emerges. This time its Pomeranians, Alien, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and recorders. (No eardrums
Prince Charles, Dungeons and Dragons, Kill Bill & Verdi
Oct 7, 2020
To be crowned Champion by host Tom Gleeson, an expert on Prince Charles must defeat a Dungeons and Dragons enthusiast, a Kill Bill devotee, and a Verdi opera fan. Who will take the
Prince, the Holden Torana, David Unaipon & Studio Ghibli
Oct 14, 2020
Tom Gleeson has questions about Prince, the Holden Torana, David Unaipon, and Studio Ghibli films, so he invited some self-proclaimed experts to answer them in an unhealthily compe
Julius Caesar, Australian Hip Hop, Oliver Sacks & The Office
Oct 21, 2020
Tom Gleeson brings you his quiz-show answer to The Hunger Games. Battling it out this week are experts in Julius Caesar, Australian hip hop, Oliver Sacks, and The Office. Who will
Aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force, Seattle Seahawks, Forrest Gump & Leonardo Da Vinci
Oct 28, 2020
Tom Gleeson pits four strangers against each other in a bloodthirsty battle of brains. This week's topics are Aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force, the Seattle Seahawks, Forr
Siege of Tobruk, Shaun the Sheep, the Theory of Evolution & the Ferguson TE-20 Tractor
Nov 4, 2020
An unforgettable line-up on this week's Hard Quiz as Tom Gleeson grills expert contestants on the Siege of Tobruk, Shaun the Sheep, the Theory of Evolution, and – wait for it – the
Tudor Monarchs, Adrian Mole, Vincent Motorcycles & Superman
Nov 11, 2020
Tom Gleeson leads a crash course in four topics so you can crush your next trivia night. This week's topics are Tudor monarchs, Adrian Mole, Vincent motorcycles, and Superman. Who
Fred Astaire, Black Books, Bret "The Hitman" Hart & Epiphytic Orchids
Nov 18, 2020
The people are real, the questions are real, the rulings are final. This is Hard Quiz! This week: Fred Astaire, TV comedy Black Books, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, and Australian native
Andy Warhol, Dressmaking, Kate Ceberano & Donkey Kong
Nov 25, 2020
Want to learn more about Andy Warhol, dressmaking, Kate Ceberano and Donkey Kong? Well, tonight's episode will be perfect for you! Tom Gleeson deep dives into the expert subjects o
Battle of the Duds: Manchester United, South Park, Dolly Parton & World War II Tanks
Dec 2, 2020
Yet another Battle of the Duds! Former losing contestants make a not-so-triumphant return to reclaim the victory they never had. Tom welcomes back experts on Manchester United, Sou
James Dean, Boomboxes, Parks and Recreation & Pluto
Dec 9, 2020
It's time to quiz, HARD! Tom Gleeson conducts a fight to the death among experts in James Dean, boomboxes, TV series Parks and Recreation and the planet Pluto. Who will prove thems
Alexander the Great, The Golden Girls, The Vietnam War & Teeth
Dec 16, 2020
What do Alexander the Great, The Golden Girls, The Vietnam War, and Teeth have in common? Nothing. Join Tom for a night of random fun as he interrogates contestants on their chosen
Dugongs, Bob's Burgers, Space Shuttle Disasters & Pipe Organs
Feb 3, 2021
This episode is brought to you by the letters D for Dugongs, B for Bob's Burgers, S for Space Shuttle Disasters, and P for Pipe Organs. Join Tom as he tests four willing victims on
The Australian Constitution, Snakes, the Mitford Sisters & the Marvel Universe
Feb 10, 2021
Tom Gleeson isn't afraid to keep asking questions until someone hoists a Big Brass Mug. His contestants tackle the Australian Constitution, venomous snakes, the Mitford Sisters, an