Since the year 2000, Jeff Probst has been consistently hosting the show Survivor, aside from when a pandemic shut most of the world down. In his role as the only person who has appeared during every season, Probst has played a major role in helping Survivor become the greatest reality show ever made. After all, Probst is still great at his job, and he is arguably continuing to create moments that are highlights of his entire career.
Of course, any Survivor fan will recognize that Probst has a huge impact on how that show is presented to viewers. However, many viewers don't recognize that Probst's influence has gone far beyond the reaches of Survivor itself. Recent comments that Neil Patrick Harris made about hosting a new Netflix game show proves how impactful Probst has been on the television industry as a whole.
Neil Patrick Harris was inspired by Jeff Probst while hosting Netflix's What's in the Box?
On December 17, 2025, Netflix released the six-episode first season of their big new game show, What's in the Box?. The show focuses on teams competing to earn the right to open mystery boxes filled with incredible prizes and then fighting to keep the contents that are inside. While the game show's concept is interesting, especially since it plays into the blind box craze, the show has another thing going for it.
What's in the Box? is hosted by one of the most beloved TV stars of the last several decades, Neil Patrick Harris. While Netflix's new game show is far from the first time that Harris has hosted a show, it is always interesting to see how a star like him will handle headlining in a new show.
Based on what Harris told People during an interview, Survivor fans may recognize his What's in the Box? hosting style. That is the case because Harris told the outlet that he thinks Jeff Probst is the best host on TV and that the way he hosted What's in the Box? was inspired by the Survivor star.
"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. Traitors is a gem, and he is a friend and amazing," Harris says, 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."
Harris continued, "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. I tried to channel my inner Probst as much as I could. But ours is a lot more trivia-based for sure."
To Harris' point, Probst's ability to do live color commentary and engage with players has played a pivotal role in how Survivor is presented. After all, the comments he has made and the questions he has asked have given viewers important context for the events that are happening during Survivor episodes. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that Harris would want to bring a similar quality to What's in the Box?.