'Fear Factor' Returning to NBC This Week

For those who missed the grossest of the grossest reality shows, fear not. For “Fear Factor” is back and more disgusting than ever! The program will begin its second life on NBC tonight.

Chiller, a small cable channel owned by NBC’s parent company, Comcast, has been running repeats of the show, and by Chiller standards, the ratings are strong. Based on that, NBC decided to give the show another chance, but because desensitization has done wonders, the show has to be “bigger, badder, and grosser” than ever before.

Examples? Well, instead of swimming in cow blood, one now has to swim in an entire pool of cow blood, pick up cow hearts with their mouth, and feed them to their partner. Instead of just being covered in bees, you now have to EAT the bees – AFTER being covered. So talk about upping the odds. How long do you think before NBC hears from PETA?

In addition to its  Michael Bay/"Saw" approach to television, "Fear Factor" could potentially do well because its brand is familiar – which decreases the risk of having to find an entirely new audience. Rich Leist, who handled show casting this season, said to The New York Times, many of the contestants who applied watched the show when they were kids. In fact, it's partially because of that enthusiastic type of audience member that show is coming back. It is also cheaper to produce reality television than an hour-long scripted show, which is a big deal in this struggling economy. Why do you think there so many shows about the Kardashians? Actually... don't answer that. 

Pictured: "Fear Factor" host Joe Rogan calm (Photo: Getty Images)