Chain Reaction is the game where one word leads to another.  And, here in America at least, it also seems to be the show that just won't die.

Game Show Network has revived the classic format (for the third time in a row, no less), and in this case it seems they're not just reviving the show in general, rather they're reviving a specific version of it - namely their first revival attempt from 2006, and almost everything from this version is identical to its '06 counterpart, even down to the host (so expect many comparisons).

I'll generally be breaking these game show reviews down to three specific components:

-Sights & Sounds: this includes things like the set, theme song, sound effects, etc.

-Hosting: Who's hosting, and how did they do?

-and finally Gameplay: How the game works (or in some cases, doesn't work), what I might do differently, and other overall commentary.

So, that said, let's get started with...

SIGHTS & SOUNDS

I mentioned at the top that this version of Chain Reaction feels like a straight-up revival of the 2006 version, and that becomes immediately apparent right from the opening seconds, with a nice little theme tune and opening animation not dissimilar to those from '06.

Then we get a view of the set.  It's a GSN show from the late 2010s/2020s, therefore the set is small, and it's blue.  That said, I don't hate it.  There's more than enough yellow to break up the blue, doubly effective on the callback side of things, since the Blue/Yellow color scheme is one that I consider to be heavily associated with Chain Reaction, having been used on the show's original version from 1980 and, again, the '06 version.

As we get into more specific detail, I've always loved it when game shows put their logo somewhere on the set. I don't know what it is about that particular inclusion, but to me having the logo on set makes it feel more "complete", I guess.  CR '21 ticks that box, with the logo visible in no less than 3, possibly 4* places.

Chevron arrows seem to be a sub-motif with this set, with them being present not just on the back wall, drawing the eye nicely towards the main logo, but also in a slightly more subtle fashion with the contestant podia and floor backdrop (combined with their reflections on the floor). The only minor nitpick I would bring up is that this makes the host podium (a simple rounded rectangle) look just a bit out of place.  I think a trapezoid would have worked better here, since its reflection would have made it into a hexagon, giving a more effective "outward flow" effect from the host to the outermost contestants.

One last detail to briefly mention and that's the logo on the floor, which seems to be projected from the ceiling.  I bring it up as it'll also display the show's top prize, as well as the bonus round timer.  Overall, it's a small set, but pleasant looking and perfectly functional.

HOSTING

Dylan Lane returns as host of Chain Reaction, having first helmed the show back in '06, and I'll admit to expressing much surprise at seeing him return.  GSN has had hosts return from previous shows before, but as hosts of new shows (Brooke Burns moving on from The Chase to Master Minds being a good example). It's incredibly rare, however, for them to revive a show AND bring back one of its hosts; the only other instance I can think of is Alfonso Ribeiro with Catch 21, another GSN show that's been revived recently...for some reason.

My initial reaction of Lane here is that his performance is much improved from his last go round which I seem to recall was a bit on the flat side, though I'm hesitant to commit to that just yet. Promos for the new version seem to show Lane as indeed being more animated, but as yet I've only seen the one episode of CR '21 that GSN posted on their YouTube channel, and it's tough to judge a performance from just one showing, plus it's been ages since I've seen the '06 version so I could just be misremembering.

As far as this show goes, Lane does a good job, keeping the flow of the game going at a nice, steady pace, and maintaining good control over the proceedings with a persona that's serious, but not without the occasional quip. He's starting to become a "name brand host", shall we say; the kind of host who, if a new game show came out and you heard they were hosting, you'd probably watch for them if nothing else.

GAMEPLAY

Now we come to the flesh & spuds of just about any game show, the game. This marks the 5th iteration of Chain Reaction, and while each new version has brought its own tweaks or twists on the formula, the core gameplay principle hasn't changed all that much since 1980. It's all about completing word chains by linking one word to the next.  In the beginning, the words were linked through common connections. Here's an example:

Since 2006, however, chains have been more straightforward, typically consisting of interconnected two-word phrases.  For instance:

Onto specifics and, again, it's almost completely identical to its '06 counterpart.  Two teams of three compete against each other.  CR '06 made it a point of pitting men vs women in what Lane outright called a "battle of the sexes" in the intro to every episode.  The team composition is the same here in this episode of the '21 version, but the "battle of the sexes" tagline is gone and the teams have specific names, so I don't know if it's still deliberately the same or if this episode is just a coincidence.

In Round 1, the teams are shown a chain of six words (shortened from '06's seven-worders), with the top and bottom words revealed.  The first member of one of the teams (determined by a pre-show coin toss) starts with control of the chain and can...THEORETICALLY...ask for a letter in either the topmost or bottommost mystery word.  Once that letter is revealed, that team member tries to guess the word.

I stress "theoretically" since, much like the version this revival imitates, contestants will invariably just work their way from top to bottom, making the choice seem a bit pointless.  Anyway, if the contestant guesses the word correctly, their team earns $100 and play passes to the next team member who, again, can ask for a letter from the next mystery word along either side of the chain.  A wrong guess, however, passes control to the other team.  Once the chain is completed, the team that filled in the final word has a chance at an extra $100 in the Speed Chain.

In the Speed Chain, the team is given a four-word chain, along with 7 seconds of thinking time.  Once the time has elapsed, they give their answer.  If it's right, they pocket another $100, but don't lose control for a wrong answer.

Rounds 2 and 3 are played in the same fashion, except the team that trails begins with control, and correct words in the main chain and guesses at the Speed Chain are worth $200 and $300 a pop, respectively.

Round 4 is known as the Betting Round. The teams now face a seven-word chain, and play again starts with the team that's trailing. Now, when a team member calls for a letter, they must also wager between $100-$500 of their current score.  A correct guess of the word earns the wager, but an incorrect guess loses it, in addition to passing control to the other team.

Play continues this way until there's one word left, at which point the max wager limit is upped to $1,000 (a rule new to the '21 version), and there's no Speed Chain at the end of the round either.  The team with the higher score after the Betting Round chain is complete wins the game and goes on to the bonus round.  No mention in this particular episode if the losing team keeps their winnings, but somehow I doubt it.

Chain Reaction is kind of unique in the annals of game show history, as it's a show that's had practically twice as many bonus round formats as it's had revivals, and it's here where the main difference between this version and '06 comes into play.  Whereas '06 featured two different variations on the original show's bonus format (which itself went through two or three different changes of its own) of getting one team member to answer questions composed one word at a time by the other two, CR '21's bonus game fits much more within the spirit of the game in my opinion.

The winning team is given 60 seconds to tackle three chains consisting of 4, 5, and finally 6 words, again with the first and last words already revealed. The contestants call for letters in the missing words as before, with play passing to the next team member after each guess, right or wrong.  The time starts when the first letter of each chain is called, and stops upon the completion of a chain.  If the team can complete all three chains before the 60 seconds runs out, they win $10,000.

On the one hand, I roll my eyes at the $10,000 top prize, since it's basically a hallmark of almost any new GSN show, and I know prize money isn't everything in a game show - fun and entertainment are important factors as well - but $10K just seems so cheap these days, especially irksome here since it's getting divided amongst a team (a team of three, no less, which annoys me to no end, but that's a rant for another time).  But on the other hand I must begrudgingly give credit where it's due, since here the $10K is an increase from the $5,000 top prize of the 2006 version and even the more recent 2015 version (the latter of which I've never seen, in case you've been wondering why I haven't mentioned it til now).

The team in GSN's CR '21 preview episode didn't win the top prize so I don't know if the $10K is added to their winnings, or if the money simply gets augmented to 10K as is more typical of GSN, though Dylan's tease into the pre-bonus commercial seemed to suggest the former.

My overall feelings are a bit mixed, and I find the show hard to recommend.  It's a good game, well put together and excellently hosted. However, it's nothing all that exciting either; it's just decent.  It's the kind of show that, if I was idly channel surfing and happened to land on it, I'd stop and watch a few minutes of it, rather than the kind that I'd go out of my way to regularly catch.  Plus, with it being an average GSN show (not to mention, again, their third go at this particular format) it'll likely last a season, if that, then disappear back into obscurity. (UPDATE 11/12/24: As you can see from the info at the top of the page, turns out I was right)