All Rise...

Appellate Judge Tom Becker's freezer needs cleaning. Any takers?

The Charge

Somebody's got to do it.

The Case

Every day, people work at jobs that get their hands dirty. These are "hard working" folks doing Dirty Jobs. In Discovery's Dirty Jobs: Season 4, we get dozens of examples of manicure-busting endeavors.

Still not quite sure what is meant by Dirty Jobs? Then take a gander at the episode list:

Disc One
• "Animal Rendering"
• "Goose Down Plucker"
• "Diaper Cleaner"
• "Spider Pharm"
• "Locomotive Builder"

Disc Two
• "Sled Dog Breeder"
• "Mattress Recycler"
• "High-Rise Window Washer"
• "Toilet Crusher"

Disc Three
• "Camel Rancher"
• "Tofu Maker"
• "Glass Maker"
• "Rocky Reach Dam"
• "Reindeer Farm"

Disc Four
• "Marble Maker"
• "Fireworks Technician"
• "Worm Grunter"
• "Maple Syrup Maker"
• "Animal Control Specialist"

Disc Five
• "Cricket Farmer"
• "Soo Locks Technician"
• "Concrete Finisher"
• "Chicken Busters"

Dirty Jobs is a little gross and a lot of fun. Actually, much of it is very gross, but the more gross it is, the more fun it becomes. Holding it together is its craggy and affable host, Mike Rowe, whose mission it is to undertake these grimy tasks. Rowe and his crew travel around and meet the dirty jobbers—"Hard-working men and women who earn an honest living doing the kinds of jobs that make civilized life possible for the rest of us." He learns how to make fireworks, tofu, and maple syrup, wrangle worms, dig for clams, recycle toilets, and all manner of other things. Witty, sardonic, and refreshingly down-to-earth, he's game for all this gamy stuff and relates well with the real-life workers.

Each episode runs around 41 minutes, and usually includes two segments and a few extra bits, such as Rowe talking about the work clothes he has to wear for the various jobs. The transfer is good, with the shows looking pretty much as they looked when broadcast. Audio is a solid and serviceable stereo track. For supplements, we get deleted scenes and a special episode, "200 Jobs Look-Back," which includes memorable scenes from the first 200 dirty jobs Rowe attempted.

Although this is listed as Dirty Jobs: Season 4, the IMDb page lists these episodes as being mainly in Season 5, with a couple in Season 6. Whatever. Cable shows like Dirty Jobs seem to defy the classic season breakdown anyway, what with their constant showings and reshowings.

The Verdict

Poop, grime, gristle, bugs, and grue—that's what you get in spades with Dirty Jobs: Season 4.

Not guilty.

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