"Fear Factor" is sort of the bastard son of "Survivor," but is far less pretentious, making no bones about what it really is...an exploitative game show, with no aspirations other than to make the viewer ponder whether or not the stunts these contestants are required to perform are worth $50,000 (the cash prize awarded to the winner). Asking yourself if you're willing to eat bugs, traverse great heights or be mauled by attack dogs is part of what makes the show so fun, just like you used to do with your buddies when you'd ask dumb stuff like "Would you eat puke for a thousand bucks?" What ultimately makes "Fear Factor" a more rewarding viewing experience than the melodramatic "Survivor" is that each episode is self-contained. There's no waiting until next week to see what happens. With each episode, you're introduced to six contestants, and an hour later, there's a winner.