‘Take It All’ preview: Does Howie Mandel have the Midas touch?

Maybe this is a new theory as to why Howie Mandel doesn’t like to be touched … maybe he’s aware that what he does on NBC often turns into ratings gold. It’s hard to deny the success of “Deal or No Deal” even years after the show ended its run in primetime or his judging gig on “America’s Got Talent,” and on Monday night following the final performance show of the season on “The Voice,” we are going to see the debut of the host’s new show in “Take It All.”

The basic premise of this show is rather simple, and it should feel like a little bit of a combination between a common white elephant Christmas gift exchange (which is appropriate since the show’s former, and in our opinion better, title was “Howie Mandel’s White Elephant”) and the Kennedy-hosted “Friend or Foe?” that airs on GSN. Each contestant is basically given a choice to either open a mystery prize, or take the prize of someone who selected before them.

This happens over the course of the show, and when there are only two contestants left, they have a choice to make: they can either take home the prizes that they have accumulated over the course of the competition, or try to take the prizes that the other contestant has, as well. If both contestants choose to keep their prizes, they each win. However, if one person decides to “take it all” they leave with everything, but if both opt to pull this move they each leave with nothing.

We admit that we are at the moment thrilled at the prospects here for entertainment: we’ve long been a huge fan of all things game shows for quite some time, and Mandel is the perfect host in that he is funny, unassuming, and he plays well to wide audiences. What we have never liked, however, is networks constantly jamming up a show by airing five nights in a row during the holidays, that way you are all but guaranteeing it to feel tired by the time that Friday rolls around. Plus, how will it keep a consistent viewership every night when people wnat to watch other shows, as well?

Are you interested at all in catching this show? If you want to read up on Mandel’s future with “America’s Got Talent,” you can do so over here.

Photo: NBC