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"Oprah's Big Give" (9 p.m. ET/PT, ABC), the most dramatic attempt ever at crossbreeding the nobility of charity with the intensity of a reality competition, premieres this Sunday night. The project is notable here in that Oprah Winfrey brought "The Amazing Race" co-creators Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri on board to help develop and produce the series.

The show concept is that Oprah Winfrey will give the competitors money, not to use for themselves but to help people in need. Competitors who are judged to have done the most "good" (however the judges define that) with the money will advance to future episodes, the competitors who were not so effective in their good works will be eliminated.

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The main concern over the show which has plagued television critics and may plague potential fans is the clash between the inherently unselfish nature of the charitable work and the inherently self-centered nature of the reality competition. The two facets of the program would not seem to fit together at first glance. Clearly, the good hearted people associated with the production of "Oprah's Big Give" would have us believe differently.

Can the show creators' good intentions, the value of the Oprah name brand and years of accumulated reality television production experience be enough to turn this unusual intermix into a success? This Sunday night, we'll start to learn that answer.