Ep 1. Dirty Infrastructure

Dirty Jobs: Rowe'd Trip is a spin-off series of the popular Dirty Jobs show, hosted by Mike Rowe. In episode 1 of season 1, titled "Dirty Infrastructure", Mike and his crew hit the road on a trip across the country to revisit some of the locations and people he encountered during his 14 seasons of Dirty Jobs.

The episode starts off with Mike Rowe introducing the purpose of the Rowe'd Trip. He explains that this isn't a greatest hits or a reunion tour, but rather an opportunity to explore whether some of the jobs he had encountered on Dirty Jobs still exist and how the people he met have gotten on since they were last featured on the show.

The first stop for Mike and the crew is in San Francisco, where they meet with Roger Holt, a man who works on repairing the city's aging infrastructure. Roger explains that all the underground pipes that run through the city are over 100 years old and badly in need of repair. They tour the system of tunnels beneath the streets, and Mike soon discovers that working down there is a world away from the glamorous city above. Mike straps on a respirator and goes to work with Roger and his team as they work to repair a broken sewage line. Mike struggles to breathe as he tackles the challenge of repairing the ancient pipes and the team works against the clock to get the streets open before the morning rush hour.

From San Francisco, the Rowe'd Trip takes them to Baltimore, where they meet up with Dave Mohler, a man who works to prevent sewage backups in the city. Dave's business involves cleaning out the thousands of miles of sewer lines that run under the city, and Mike joins him for a job that's not for the faint of heart. Dave's team uses a giant vacuum machine to suck out the clogs, and Mike finds himself getting up close and personal with some truly disgusting substances. Mike learns that this dirty job is an essential one, ensuring that the city's wastewater doesn't overflow and create a public health hazard.

Next up, the Rowe'd Trip heads to the Midwest, where they visit Omaha, Nebraska. Here, they meet with Josh Graves, a man who works on repairing and maintaining the city's highways and bridges. Mike is shown the ins and outs of the road crew as they work on a large scale project to repair an overpass. Mike helps to lay rebar and pour concrete as he learns about the intense work that goes into keeping the nation's highways safe and operational. With wind, rain, and a looming deadline, the team tackles one of the biggest challenges they have ever faced.

The last stop on the Rowe'd Trip is in snowy Alaska. There, they meet up with Vern Grell, a man who works in the power and telecommunications industry. Mike joins Vern's team as they work atop a transmission tower hundreds of feet above the Alaskan tundra, installing fiber-optic cables and maintaining the power lines that keep the state's electrical grid operational. Mike learns about the unique challenges of working in the remote Alaskan wilderness, including severe weather conditions and isolation from civilization.

Throughout the episode, Mike engages in his trademark humor and wit, but also shows a deep respect for the men and women he meets who work daily to keep America's infrastructure up and running. By showcasing a variety of dirty jobs from around the country, this first episode of Dirty Jobs: Rowe'd Trip delivers an interesting and insightful look at just how critical the dirty jobs are to keeping our country operating.