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America's Toughest Jobs

Reality
2008
1 Season
10 Episodes
EN
Ended

About

America's Toughest Jobs is a reality television show that lasted one season and aired on the American television network NBC. It pitted contestants against each other as they attempted a series of difficult and dangerous jobs. The prize was the sum of the salaries that would be earned by people doing these jobs in their first year. The show's creator and executive producer was Thom Beers, notable for creating shows such as Deadliest Catch and Monster Garage. Some of the jobs he chose to be featured on America's Toughest Jobs were featured on shows he previously created. The host was Josh Temple, a character actor who had minor roles in shows such as Will & Grace and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In each episode, contestants took part in tasks associated with a job, and were supervised and evaluated by workers or employers in that business. After spending time on the job, the supervisors selected one or more top employees for praise, and selected the employees who had the worst performances. Those employees were required to compete head-to-head in an additional challenge to determine who would be eliminated. For example, in the gold digging episode, the bottom four contestants were required to spend additional time digging for gold with the contestant who found the least amount eliminated. Once there were four contestants remaining, timed challenges were held for three of the season's toughest jobs with the contestant who had the slowest time at each eliminated until a winner was determined. At the end of each episode, an information screen was shown that detailed what the eliminated contestant decided to do after the show.

#competition

Cast

Josh Temple

Josh Temple

as Host

Episodes

Season 1

See all 10episodes →
E1

Crab Fishing

Aug 25, 20081h 0m

In this episode, the men and women work on a fisherman's boat in the middle of 20 foot sea swells.

E2

Trucking in Alaska

Sep 1, 20081h 0m

The 12 remaining contestants remain in Alaska to learn how to navigate one of the most dangerous highways in North America as truck drivers.

E3

Gold Digging

Sep 8, 20081h 0m

Still up in Alaska, the 11 remaining contestants take on the job of searching for gold in a glacier fed river.

E4

Monster Trucks

Sep 15, 20081h 0m

Now in the lower 48 the contestants take on the task of monster trucks.

E5

Oil Rig

Sep 19, 20081h 0m

This episode finds the contestants challenged to work on an oil rig, which includes lugging pipes, changing the bits and drilling in the mud.

E6

Bullfighting

Sep 26, 20081h 0m

The contestants find themselves being shoved around inside a wooden barrel by a bull to get the feel of his power as they will attempt to try bullfighting. They will receive grades on how well they protected the riders.

E7

Bridge Crew

Oct 3, 20081h 0m

The remaining contestants are tested in their ability to work in heights when they join a bridge crew.

E8

Logging

Oct 10, 20081h 0m

For their next job, the six remaining workers travel from the Port of Los Angeles, to Port Angeles, Washington, the heart of lumber country. Josh tells them that their job is logging. He introduces their boss, Gabe Rygaard, owner of Rygaard Logging. Josh explains that the mortality rate for logging is 20 times higher than the average American job. And, that losing limbs is common. Josh says they will be judged on skill, attitude and how hard they work.

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