Who knew the humble pub quiz made such good telly? It's obvious the creators of last year's hit local drama Nothing Trivial must have had some inkling, and now fans of the show are invited back to The Beagle for season two, starting on Sunday night.

Actor Will Hall, who plays the disagreeable Cory, puts the appeal down to one simple fact.

"Kiwis love trivia.

"It's characters going through everyday things that people go through. Nothing is heightened dramatically, it's all very real and they are likeable."

Aaron Ward, who plays the quizmaster, agrees.

"And the writing's fantastic, bringing out all those different characters that everyone is familiar with. So when you've got a show that people can connect with like that, it's a guaranteed success really,'

But this season, with a new heavyweight timeslot that has Hall a bit on edge ("It's a lot to live up to, I'm pretty nervous"), things are about to heat up.

"Pub quiz takes it to a new level this year," says Hall, who suggests there could be a bit of niggle between some of the characters.

But for Ward and the quizmaster, it's time to step out of the shadows and reveal a few of the secrets behind the man with the answers.

"You'll get to know a little bit about him this season. Last time he was just the quizmaster at the pub, but this season I'm stepping out, you're going to find out his name, where he lives."

"And I think you're going to wish you'd never found out his name, when you do," Hall chimes in.

The duo, who share a dressing room on set, are about to take their banter on the road in the Cure Kids $10 Challenge, in which more than 30 teams must travel from Auckland to Queenstown in three days with just a tenner in their pocket.

Hall entered last year, but it didn't quite go to plan.

"We never made it past the start line. Our sponsors, Moa Beer, decided it would be a good idea to put us in what was kind of a gang patch. So we were there, in our leathers, with a gang patch saying Moa Hunters on the back of it. Unfortunately, we couldn't even get a ride; we were stuck in the Linders Pass in the middle of winter, not able to get out."

This year though, there is a new plan of attack: the gang patches have been replaced by suits from an extra sponsor, and Hall and his running partner will be holding a sign suggesting they are two grooms late for their civil union. 

"We think we are going to be well looked after in terms of rides this year," he says.

First-timer Ward, on the other hand, is less prepared. 

"We have no plan, yet. We like to leave things to the last, and there the best ideas will come out. But we are thinking about dressing up in onesies and maybe even changing costumes throughout it."

So if you see a couple of grown men dressed as school boys or superheroes roaming the countryside in early October, it will probably just be the friendly quizmaster off telly.

"I reckon you'll be arrested by Wellington," says Hall. 

Nothing Trivial starts on TV One on Sunday at 8.30pm

Hall's team is giving away two Mr Vintage T-shirts. To win, visit Hall's donation page and put Stuff.co.nz in the comment section when you make a donation. Visit Ward's donation page here.

- © Fairfax NZ News