Pino Insegno hosts ‘Chain Reaction’: the ratings reward him, the viewers less so
He received many criticisms from those who found him too forcibly nice and very tense
ROME – ‘Reazione a Catena’ is back on Rai 1, the game show that tests the intuition, readiness and mastery of the Italian language of the contestants in the studio and of the viewers. And Pino Insegno returns to hosting. Yesterday at 6.45pm the new and much talked about presenter, after the flop of the ‘Mercante in Fiera’, kicked off the entertainment show which is broadcast in place of ‘L’Eredità’: “Welcome to Reazione a Catena! Thanks to you but above all thanks to my friend and great professional Marco Liorni”, began Insegno at the beginning of the episode. The Roman host, who was already at the helm of Reazione a catena from 2010 to 2013, passes the test of the ratings that give him rewarded with a 24% share in the evening, but not all viewers liked it.
THE CONTROVERSY
“I watched the first episode of Chain Reaction last night. Between him and the competitors I wouldn’t know who to choose. Bad episode if it goes on like this I’ll change the channel. I’m sorry because I like Chain Reaction as a game people like it but you need the right person to make it pleasant”, we read on social media. And also: I teach “he always has that air of being forcibly nice and I can’t stand him. For the rest I don’t want to follow him even if he’s discreet as a presenter. However, he’s better as a voice actor”. People like the program, so perhaps the host should be less tense (despite the episode being recorded). Many criticisms came his way from those who found him too forcefully likable, with the joke always too ready to overshadow the competitors who are the real protagonists of the game: “To me, Pino Insegno is always likedas a presenter, I didn’t know his political sympathies, now I find him a little tense, perhaps also due to the sea of controversy that preceded his arrival”. “I have been following Chain Reaction practically since the first episode and I will do so again this year. Good luck to Pino Insegno because he is a professional. I’m sorry for the way he arrived on Rai, giving the impression of being being “helped” doesn’t make him likable“.
THE GAME
This season too, contestants and viewers will be asked to solve and guess thousands and thousands of different word associations.
In each episode, 6 contestants, divided into two teams of 3, will compete for the prize money among “Musical Chains” , “Zip”, “One leads to another”, “Four for one” and “Winning agreements”, then trying to resolve the final “Chain reaction”.
All the information on how to participate as competitors is available available on the website www.rai.it/raicasting.
In addition to the television broadcast, you can also play with words and associations on paper with the weekly magazine.