Chain Reaction

Even though Bill Cullen ably emceed the original version of Chain Reaction, NBC didn't give this show much of a chance, canceling after 22 weeks in order to make room for Card Sharks and David Letterman's talk show. Also, the noon (ET) time slot hampered clearances because of local news. These factors hampered a potential hit show because it had the ingredients needed for a successful game show. An outstanding host, a simple format and most important, the home audience is involved. The only problem was a consistent bonus round. It changed about three times in the show's run.

When USA brought back Chain Reaction in 1986, the show got even better, eliminating the celebrities and keeping the original format. The bonus round was much better and challenging, holding viewer interest. Geoff Edwards was outstanding as host and his announcer/sidekick Rod Chalabois' Missing Link Game at the end of the earlier shows, was a plus for home viewers.

To sum it all up, I really enjoyed Chain Reaction. It was a show I could play along with and do quite well. It's an underrated gem that should be revived someday.