In the season premiere, contestants had to stand for two minutes while covered by over 200,000 honeybees. Cultural Impact and Controversies
Introduced four duos competing as teams, a format that eventually became the series' standard. Fear Factor - Season 3
Season 3 consisted of 27 episodes and two highlight specials. While individual contestants usually competed for a $50,000 grand prize, this season experimented with: In the season premiere, contestants had to stand
The intensity of Season 3 stunts led to significant public reaction. NBC was notably sued for $2.5 million by a viewer who claimed that watching a contestant eat rats mixed in a blender caused him to vomit and experience a rise in blood pressure. Despite such controversies, the season maintained high viewership and solidified the show's place in the early 2000s reality TV landscape. While individual contestants usually competed for a $50,000