A worker takes on Rowe as a fully-involved assistant during a typical work day, during which he works hard to complete every task as best he can despite discomfort, hazards or situations that are just plain disgusting. The "dirty job" often includes cameraman Doug Glover and field producer Dave Barsky getting just as dirty as Rowe does. Rowe frequently takes on-camera jabs at "Barsky" (as he's most often referred to in the show), regarding Barsky's penchant for setting up scenes where Rowe will encounter the most dangerous and/or dirty part of the "dirty job" as part of a great camera shot; when a safety officer finishes going over the rules and regulations for the "Billboard Installer" job in the third season and hands Mike a log to sign to acknowledge receiving instructions, Mike mutters the words "Dave...Barsky" as he signs his name.

Mike Rowe often makes jokes about his jobs and describes them as "dirty jokes". But he almost never makes fun of the workers themselves. Indeed, Rowe and the show consistently respect these people for taking on the jobs that average people would never touch, and the show always begins with the following quote from Mike Rowe, usually spoken while in the midst of a particularly dirty task:

"My name is Mike Rowe, and this is my job: I explore the country looking for people who aren't afraid to get dirty—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. Now... get ready, to get dirty."

Rowe frequently makes note of the cheerfulness of his hosts - the dirtier jobs are often filled by happy workers.

The show is a spin-off of a segment host Mike Rowe once did on a local San Francisco program called Somebody's Gotta Do It. After completing a graphic piece on cow artificial insemination, Rowe was inundated with letters expressing "shock, horror, fascination, disbelief, and wonder". Rowe then sent the tape to the Discovery Channel, who commissioned a series based on this concept . Dirty Jobs is now produced by Craig Piligian (executive producer) of Pilgrim Film & Television. The Discovery Channel executive producer is Gena McCarthy.

Mike has stated in recently aired promos (done alongside a large sow) that he originally wanted to honor his father, and grandfather, by bringing fame to the less-than-glorious careers.

• Discovery: Dirty Jobs