May 15, 2012. NBC has cancelled Fear Factor - again. The revived reality competition only aired six episodes in a comeback that didn't work out nearly as well as the show's original incarnation. When Fear Factor premiered back in 2001 it was an unexpected hit for NBC, a network not known for airing reality shows. Its success continued for a few seasons, but as years passed the show's format became stale and it was cancelled in 2006 after six seasons and 144 episodes.