NPO Start 2026 - 1 season 4 eps AL Airing

Hard (2026)

Name: Hard (2026)
Genre: Documentary
Cast: Paul Elstak, Ilja Reiman, Sietse van Daalen, The Prophet

2026 - 1 season 4 eps AL

Season 1

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Season 1

All episodes

37 min

S1 · E1 · Oct 29, 2026

Episode 1 Episode 1

Amsterdam and Rotterdam both claim to be the birthplace of hardcore. DJs, organizers, and partygoers look back on the scene’s early years. From Parkzicht and the Energiehal to the raves hosted by Mayhem, ISP, and Multigroove: everywhere, there’s a growing demand for a harder sound. As house music evolves and new parties pop up, a small group of enthusiasts grows into a nationwide movement. The foundation for hardcore had been laid.

38 min

S1 · E2 · Oct 29, 2026

Episode 2 Episode 2

Hardcore takes the Netherlands by storm. Thunderdome draws packed crowds, gabbers dominate the streets, and the music reaches an audience of millions. Key figures from that era recount how the scene exploded in just a few years. But there’s also a downside to this success. The rise of happy hardcore and increasing commercialization cause divisions. The culture reaches its peak, but the first cracks begin to show.

40 min

S1 · E3 · Oct 29, 2026

Episode 3 Episode 3

By the late 1990s, gabber culture seemed to have run its course. Yet the music lived on. Organizers, DJs, and producers were searching for a new direction. Q-dance introduced hardstyle, while some wanted to stick firmly to hardcore. The scene split into two movements, each developing its own audience, artists, and festivals. With the rise of events like Defqon.1, a new era dawned for hard music genres.

37 min

S1 · E4 · Oct 29, 2026

Episode 4 Episode 4

More than thirty years after the first raves, the pioneers look back on what they’ve built. What began in clubs, warehouses, and sports arenas grew into an international scene featuring major festivals and artists. Names like Paul Elstak, Dr. Peacock, and Brennan Heart still draw packed crowds. New generations are discovering the music, while the founders watch as their ideas live on. One message still rings as true as it did in the early years: hardcore never dies.

4 episodes in Season 1

Some details come from TheTVDB.

In the new four-part documentary series HARD, PowNed explores the origins and rise of hardcore and hardstyle. It shows how a small country can make a big impact. Or rather: how things can get really intense in a small country. What began as a rough-and-tumble underground movement in warehouses and squats has grown into an international multimillion-dollar business. HARD will be available to stream on NPO Start starting October 29.

Documentary

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Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.

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Cast

4 people

Paul Elstak

Also in

New Kids Turbo

Ilja Reiman

Also in

The New Gabbers

Sietse van Daalen

Da Mouth of Madness

The Prophet

Arne van Terphoven Creator

Creator

Arne van Terphoven

Total runtime 2h 32m · Episode length 38 min · Type Reality

Show info

Premiered

October 29, 2026

Status

Airing

Network

NPO Start

Country

Netherlands

Type

Reality

Episode length

38 min

Total runtime

2h 32m

Original language

Dutch

Languages

Spoken on screen

Dutch

Some details come from TheTVDB.

Hard (2026)