The $40,000 Chain Reaction (USA, Ep. 3; audience game)

[dougmorrisontheair]

Champ wants to take the first crack at the money link...









(ding)

...which pertains to MOVIE and SHRIMP. It starts with a P, Michael.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Bump for Michael - and extra time to guess.

In trying to log on to this board earlier this morning, I saw an apparent brief outage. It's possible Michael had similar bad luck in attempting to log in.)

[Deleted]

Even though my perverse mind can think of a great word beginning with P that goes with "movie"...

(audience laughter)

...the correct answer you are actually looking for is "popcorn".

[dougmorrisontheair]

You've completed the chain.









(ding; audience applause)

We'll recap the scores. But first, let's recap the chain.

A security guard who is on duty overnight works the night watch. In a theater, you could watch a movie. While viewing a movie, you could enjoy a box of popcorn. A delicacy in Cajun country is popcorn shrimp. There's a seafood delicacy known as shrimp cocktail. And a social gathering with drinks before dinner is a cocktail hour.

Michael has a commanding lead of 3250 over Clément with 750. Michael, in addition, you have the bonus of $250 per letter in "POPCORN" -- or $1750.

That can buy a lot of popcorn. (a few laughs from the crowd) Clément, keep the faith. We up the ante to $750 per link. Someone awhile back had about $4000 early in the third round but couldn't close the deal and his opponent managed to reach the goal of $5000. So anything can happen as we set up our next chain and start Round 3 now.











(ding)

This Round 3 chain starts with RECYCLED and it ends with KANE. Again, the five links in between are worth $750 each. The player who completes the chain scores another $750.

Remember, the goal is $5000. If no one reaches five grand when the chain is complete, then we go to Missing Link games to determine our winner.

Michael, you had the last right solution. Control of the chain's with you.

[Deleted]

For myself, I'll take a letter over Kane.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(ding)

Starting with a C above KANE, Michael.

[Deleted]

Citizen

[dougmorrisontheair]

CITIZEN is right.









(ding; audience applause)

At this juncture in the game, Michael only needs two more right answers to retain his crown. Clément, still a lot of money left in the chain to be scored. Michael, please tell us your next move.

CCSCO
Jill Manas Fan

[Deleted]

For my opponent, I'll give him a letter under recycled.

[dougmorrisontheair]

All right, let's see if Clément can get back in the game.









(ding)

Clément, you're guessing a link starting with P under RECYCLED.

[CCSCO]

PLASTIC?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Great guess -- but PLASTIC doesn't fit the chain. Back to Michael.

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Bump for Michael.)

[Deleted]

For myself, I'll take a letter under recycled.

[dougmorrisontheair]

P- (ding) -A.

[Deleted]

paper

[dougmorrisontheair]

That's it -- PAPER.











(ding; audience applause)



CCSCO
Jill Manas Fan



Michael, you're at the doorstep of another victory. How do you play it?

[Deleted]

For myself, I'll take a letter above citizen.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Champ is going to try to win it here...









(ding)

...with an M.

[Deleted]

model?

[dougmorrisontheair]

If it's MODEL, you're still the champion.




















































(dings; audience applause; win music plays)

You're still the champ, Michael.

Michael, stand by, please, for your Missing Link game. And Clément, we're going to ask you to stand by as well -- for our next show. After I blurted out a word in a chain in Round 2, you didn't get much of a chance to play after that.

So, we're going to give you back the $500 we took away in the last round...

...we'll also give *you* a bonus of $1750 since you were unfairly deprived of playing the money link earlier. So, Clément, you're already $3000 to the good with a chance to win more on our next show, OK?

[CCSCO]

That's fine with me.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Sounds like a plan. Clément, please stick around because we've got a chain to recap *and* complete -- then we'll root Michael on to a possible $40,000 payoff.









First, let's finish this unfinished business. Environmentalists prefer newspapers to be published on recycled paper. With almost any sheet of paper, you can make...









(ding)

...a paper airplane. A *jet* airplane can land...










(ding)

... on a runway. Another kind of runway is a platform where a fashion model can walk on. A model citizen does a lot of great work for his or her community. And "Citizen Kane" is the title of a classic 1941 movie.

(board opens as part of the theme plays)

Now we're about to set up the board for Michael and today's Missing Link game. This game determines the potential winnings for Michael in the final round. Michael, as you know, for winning the main game, we start you off with four pennies.








(ding)

In a moment, Michael, we'll spot you the top and bottom links in this three-link chain -- as well as the initial letter of that center link -- the missing link. Correctly complete the chain on your first try and those four pennies could become $40,000.

(audience cheers)

However, for each additional letter you need to solve, it will cost you a penny and reduce your potential winnings. We keep playing until you give the right answer or your down to one penny.

If you're set, Michael, here's the Missing Link game for you.







(ding)

This Missing Link game starts with JEFF and ends with MORNING. The missing link starts with an S. Michael, for a possible $40,000, what's that missing link?

[Deleted]

Saturday!

[dougmorrisontheair]

He's confident about SATURDAY. He should be. He's right.







(ding; audience applause)

Jeff Saturday is a former pro football player. And Saturday morning -- a time when kids of a certain generation watched cartoons. Nowadays, anyone of any age can watch animation any day of the week.

Well, those four cents are now in the bank, Michael. When we come back, those pennies will start a potential $40,000 chain reaction. Stay tuned folks. We may be on the brink of a big money moment.

(theme plays; audience applause)

[dougmorrisontheair]

(Doug in pre-recorded audio as theme plays)

If you'd like to be a contestant on The $40,000 Chain Reaction, call toll free 1-800-555-40CR. That's 1-800-555-4027.

(audience applauds)

And as we welcome you back, we welcome Michael Clifford back to the bonus round. First time we've had a repeat champion of Chain Reaction on our watch. 

So far, Michael, you've won a nice round $17,000. You came *real* close to completing a $30,000 chain reaction on the last show. Now you have a chance at $40,000.

You win that 40 grand by successfully completing one more chain. And in this final round, we play it a little differently than earlier rounds.









(ding)

In the final round, we only spot you the top link -- which is THE. We also spot you the initial letters of each of the remaining links and give you seven free letters as you need them.

Each time you make an incorrect guess, it costs you a free letter. Each time you make the right guess, your money multiplies by ten.









(ding)

And here on the money chain, you're looking at how that money can pile up. The first correct solution is for 40¢. The next right answer is for $4 -- then $40 -- then $400 and so on to the top payoff of $40,000.

(audience cheers)

Big thing to keep in mind is that you cannot "back in" to a right answer. In other words, if you have to burn a free letter *and* that free letter happens to complete the link, we can't give you credit for a right answer. That will put the $40,000 out of reach. But keep playing -- because there is money to be made. Now, let's bring back your bonus chain.









(ding)

Starting from THE, you're trying to solve the link starting with A.

[Deleted]

There's a lot of good choices for that one.  Avengers?

[dougmorrisontheair]

Great guess considering the start -- but AVENGERS doesn't fit the chain. That'll cost you your first free letter.









(ding)

...and an M joins the A.

[Deleted]

Americans?

[dougmorrisontheair]

We'll accept -- it's just the one AMERICAN.









(ding; audience applause)

"The American" is the title of a movie starring George Clooney; it was released in 2010.

Bank's up to 40¢. Let's try for four bucks with the next link down -- starting with O.