Fox just pulled off a major surprise by rescuing two NBC shows that were previously canceled, and we didn't see this coming at all. With all these cancellations going on, it comes as a surprise that the TV network is stepping in as a savior, reviving not just one, but two series we didn't expect to return. Those series are the game shows Weakest Link and Fear Factor.
Based on the British series of the same name, Weakest Link made its premiere on NBC back in 2001. Unfortunately, the TV network gave the quiz show the axe in 2002 after just a short run. However, NBC would come back with a revival in 2020 with Jane Lynch as host and executive producer. Three seasons of this reboot aired on NBC, and now Fox is set to air a new season of the game show.
The new installment will reportedly air in the fall with Lynch returning as host. However, this time, the Fox edition will have a twist. Unlike the NBC version, which featured regular contestants competing for a cash prize, the upcoming Fox version will showcase celebrities battling it out to win money for charity. The game show has been given the title of Celebrity Weakest Link. Stuart Krasnow serves as the showrunner, with Ryan O’Dowd and Krystal Whitney as executive producers.
Fox has decided to bring back Fear Factor as well. The original series aired for six seasons before NBC canceled it. The TV network briefly brought the game show back in 2011 for a seventh season before MTV decided to revive it in 2017. The MTV version had rapper and actor Ludacris as host and ran for two seasons before getting the boot.
Now, Fox is taking the reins with its edition of the game show. The new Fox series has been given the working title of Fear Factor: The Next Chapter, and in it, we'll see a group of contestants taken to a remote location where they'll face a variety of stunts and challenges, while also engaging in a "game of social strategy." The show is produced by Endemol Shine North America, with executive producers Kevin Lee, Sharon Levy, Michael Heyerman, and Sean Loughlin at the helm. A premiere date has not been set yet.
Besides picking up Fear Factor and Weakest Link, Fox has also acquired 99 to Beat, a U.S. remake of a Belgian game show format where 100 contestants compete in a variety of challenges. The sole rule is not to finish last. In each episode, contestants face off until eventually only one remains. This player will get to claim a grand prize of $100,000. Ken Jeong and Erin Andrews are signed on to host this game show, which is confirmed to air on Fox this fall.