Press Releases

Game Show Network Greenlights New Edition of Classic Word Association Game Show ‘CHAIN REACTION’

Fan Favorite Dylan Lane Returns as Host

Renowned Game Show Producer Mike Richards Serves as Executive Producer; Ed Egan Serves as Showrunner

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, has greenlit an all-new edition of the popular word association game show CHAIN REACTION. Actor and TV personality Dylan Lane, who originally hosted the show’s network premiere 14 years ago, returns to host the new half-hour series, which is slated to premiere in early 2021 and air Monday through Friday.

Based on the Sony Pictures Television format, the classic game show – which originally debuted in the 1980s – features two teams competing against one another to complete chains of words, after the first and last words of the chain are revealed. Each word in the chain is related in some way to the word directly above and below it. By making inferences based on the revealed words and the revealed letters in incomplete words, contestants try to fill in the word chains to win money.

Dylan Lane is best known to viewers for hosting Game Show Network’s first iteration of CHAIN REACTION from 2006-2007. He also hosted the “National Vocabulary Championship,” the first-ever nation-wide vocabulary competition for high school students, for the network in 2007 and 2008. Previously, Lane served as a VJ and host on music-centric channel Fuse TV’s “The F-List” and “Daily Download.” The native Pennsylvanian also worked in scripted television with a recurring role as Justin Carter in the TV show “What Goes On,” which aired on The N. Presently, Lane is a married father of two and works as a fleet engineer for GE in New York.

“CHAIN REACTION is one of the most engaging game show formats of all time because it is so fun to play along with,” said executive producer Mike Richards, also the showrunner of the long running franchises ‘’Jeopardy’ and “Wheel of Fortune.” “I look forward to working with Game Show Network to create this new edition of a fan favorite.” CHAIN REACTION was most recently seen on Game Show Network from 2015-2016 with Mike Catherwood as host. The new iteration of CHAIN REACTION is produced by Game Show Enterprises, LLC for Game Show Network. Mike Richards (“Jeopardy,” “Wheel of Fortune,”) serves as executive producer. A three-time Daytime Emmy Award winner and 17-time nominee, Richards previously served as executive producer of “The Price Is Right” and “Let’s Make a Deal,” “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” and has produced over 4,000 hours of game show programming. Showrunner Ed Egan also serves as executive producer. His previous credits include game shows “500 Questions” and “Genius Junior.”