Neil Patrick Harris Admits Jeff Probst Was His Inspiration for ‘What’s in the Box’

Neil Patrick Harris is no stranger to talking in front of a camera, whether it’s acting on screen or stage or hosting. For his new game show, What’s In the Box?, the actor shared that Survivor host Jeff Probst was his inspiration, despite having a close friend who also hosts a popular show.

What’s In the Box? Is a quiz show that has giant boxes filled with prizes if contestants get the answers right. “Over several episodes, pairs of contestants face off in fast-paced, addictive trivia rounds, racing to correctly guess what’s inside each box. But winning a prize is just the beginning. As the game unfolds, shifting alliances and unexpected twists mean only those with sharp instincts — and a little luck — will hold onto their winnings and claim victory,” the logline reads.

The game show will premiere on Netflix on December 17 at 3am. There will be six, 45-minutes episodes.

Harris has hosted award shows and variety shows before, but never a game/trivia show, so he turned to his idol for inspiration. “I think there’s no better host around than Jeff Probst. Sorry, every other host, I love me some Alan Cumming, don’t get me wrong. The Traitors is a gem, and he is a friend and amazing,” Harris told People.

“But, if you watch Jeff Probst work episodes in and out for 49 seasons of Survivor, his skill is unmatched. He is out in the field with the people color-commentating, while they’re doing unbelievable physical skills. If someone gets hurt, he knows exactly how to stop, how to handle things. Then, tribal councils, he sits there and asks legitimately impressive questions, and keys in on when people are withholding information. He’s not just reading talking points.”

Despite the show being more trivia-based, Harris said he “channeled his inner Probst as much as he could.”

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On What’s In The Box?, Harris and the audience get to learn more about the contestants in the episodes, and watch them grow overtime. “We didn’t pick contestants and tell them to be cutthroat,” he said. “We really played a dispersed season as kind of a beta test to see what would happen, because I really didn’t know.”

One part of hosting he didn’t realize was so hard was managing the emotions of the contestants who lost. “I was intrigued by how seriously they were taking it, because part of me was also feeling like it’s a game show. You’re here, and it’s very exciting, but if you win a prize and then someone takes that prize, it’s not the end of the world. But boy, it felt like it to them at the moment. Managing people’s emotions was unexpected for me,” Harris told the outlet.

What’s in the Box?, December 17, 3 am, Netflix