The $40,000 Chain Reaction (USA, Ep. 53)

[Bryan]

MONEY?

[dougmorrisontheair]

You could certainly win a lot of money on a game show -- but that's not it.

George, looking to win 40 grand in one fell swoop, it's your turn.

[bighornbattle]

I will take a letter above Game Show please.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Let see if the third letter's the charm, George.









(ding)

M-O-D.

[bighornbattle]

I am torn between 2 choices. I am going with my gut and say moderate.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Ohhh -- don't say your other idea because MODERATE doesn't fit the chain. We're back to Bryan.

[Bryan]

Let’s come back to that later and take one under FRIED.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Bryan takes, from FRIED,...









(ding)

...the letter C.

[Bryan]

Gotta be CHICKEN

[dougmorrisontheair]

That's it -- CHICKEN.









(ding; audience applause)

Bryan, you've padded the lead. Will you give or take a letter below CHICKEN or above GAME SHOW? There's at least one more letter after M-O-D, to clarify.


Bryan
bighornbattle

[Bryan]

Take a letter below CHICKEN.

[dougmorrisontheair]

Bryan keeps it and takes...









(ding)

...the letter F.

[Bryan]

FINGERS

[dougmorrisontheair]

FINGERS -- right on the money.









(ding)

And -- Bryan -- the next solution will either put you right at $5000 or over the top.

So -- give or take below FINGERS or above GAME SHOW?



Bryan
bighornbattle

[Bryan]

Take below FINGERS Doug.

[dougmorrisontheair]

For the game, Bryan is taking...









(ding)

[Bryan]

HANDS?

[dougmorrisontheair]

You are the new champion, Bryan Law. It's actually HAND.









(dings; audience applause; win music plays)

Just to conclude matters, the remaining unsolved word is...









...MODEL. Someone could become a hand model for jewelry or other advertising purposes -- and you could see a model on a game show. Unfortunately, not this one -- or "Jeopardy!" -- unless it's a figment of Weird Al's imagination if you remember the music video.

That's the chain. George, awfully sorry we have to say farewell. But we say farewell with $15,000 in Levitz furniture and more than $90,000 in cold hard cash.

Grand total -- $107,600.  A nice hand for George Custer.

(audience cheers)

(fade to various shots of audience)

(fade to two-shot of Bryan and Doug)

Bryan, your road to big money starts now with the Missing Link game. $5000 -- certainly a nice payoff. But this can help you toward $40,000.







(ding)

This three-link chain starts with HOT IN and it ends with GUARDIANS. Our missing link starts with a C. If you can solve it right now, all four pennies join you in the final chain -- which could be parlayed into 40 grand.

What is that missing link starting with C, Bryan?

[Bryan]

CLEVELAND

[dougmorrisontheair]

That's it -- CLEVELAND.







(ding; audience applause)

"Hot in Cleveland", the great sitcom. And the Cleveland Guardians, the MLB team.

Bryan will attempt to parlay four cent into $40,000 -- after this.

(theme plays; audience cheers)

[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.

Bryan Law's the new champ and will try to complete this final chain for $40,000.










(ding)

Bryan, as you know, we set up the final round's chain differently by just spotting you the top link. Today, it starts with BLACKLIST. We also spot you the first letter of each of the remaining links. We also spot you seven spare letters as you need them.










(ding)

Each time you correctly solve a link, we multiply the money in the bank by ten. Correctly solve all six of the remaining links and you win $40,000.

(audience cheers)










(ding)

So, the final chain's back in view. We're all with you now, Bryan. Your next link for 40 cents starts with an R, under BLACKLIST.

[Bryan]

Bonus letter

[dougmorrisontheair]

Okay. Always a better idea to take a guess as we give you the first spare letter.









(ding)

[Bryan]

REACHER?

[dougmorrisontheair]

No -- 'fraid not. And here's the worse news.









(ding)

The next letter completes the last of a three-letter word -- RED.

So this means the bank stays at four cents -- and the $40,000 is already out of reach.

On the TV series "The Blacklist", James Spader starred as Raymond "Red" Reddington. And had anyone said "Reddington" in that situation, we'd accept -- since it's a longer form of Red.









All right. You can still make $4000, Bryan. Next link under RED starts with an O.

[Bryan]

Bonus letter

[dougmorrisontheair]

Mmm'kay -- again -- better to take a guess. You never know. You may be right and you'll be saving those bonus letters for later.

With that, here comes one.









(ding)

O-C.

[Bryan]

OCEAN

[dougmorrisontheair]

'Fraid that's not. I bet ya this will help you.









(ding)

O-C-T.

[Bryan]

OCTOBER