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Waste Management President Larry O'Donnell in "Undercover Boss"

Their mission, should they choose to accept it, will be no easy task -- infiltrating a top-level company under the guise of an entry-level job that some would consider detestable, or just plain repulsive.

But there's no "Mission: Impossible"-style action star on this case -- it's a group of top executives diving into the depths of their own companies, stripped of expensive suits, cellphones and their corner offices. They are in disguise, walking among the lowest level of employees and poised for the perfect opportunity to see what they really think.

Originally, viewers were shocked when CBS entertainment announced they were going to premiere "Undercover Boss," a promising new reality series, on Feb. 7 -- right after the Super Bowl. Most people assumed the network would settle on a safe bet, such as "The Big Bang Theory" or "The Mentalist."

However, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler put her faith in the series almost right away, and the network is no stranger to thinking dynamically -- especially when experimenting with time-slots.

Tassler said this decision was based on a standpoint of taking a more traditional approach to television.  

"Fifteen years ago, this spot was used to launch new programming," says Tassler. "In the last 10 to 15 years, it was used as a platform to get greater exposure for existing shows."

She only saw a short clip, but was immediately sold on the potential the show will hold due to the power of its material.

"Within five minutes, I was sobbing," Tassler said. "I had an immediate, visceral reaction. It really grabbed me emotionally."

Despite criticisms that "Undercover Boss" is just another cookie-cutter reality show, the series has dubbed itself as a "formatted documentary," promising profiles of 10 corporate heavy hitters. These include Waste Management Inc. (Larry O'Donnell, president), 7-Eleven (president and CEO Joe DePinto), Hooters (Coby G. Brooks, CEO), White Castle (Dave Rife, owner) and Churchill Downs (William C. Carstanjen, COO).

The companies involved didn't pay to have a spot on the show and didn't buy any advertising to run with their episodes. Predictably, a lot of companies turned down the gig for fear of bad publicity, but those who didn't will probably be commended for their sportsmanship and conspicuousness.

"It'll be refreshing for consumers to get that kind of transparency," said Stuart McLean, a CEO of Content & Co, which is not involved with the series. "It shows that the brands aren't too precious to do this, and the CEOs aren't afraid to get their hands dirty."

The 10 businesses will use the opportunity to explore the inner workings of the companies that they have worked so hard to keep afloat, especially during a recession.

To their horror, CEOs may realize their company is not run as smoothly as they thought, and unsung heroes work day and night without praise or proper pay.

The bigger idea of the series is they'll find more efficient and productive methods to run their company through some very candid (and, at times, harsh) feedback, and they can change their ways for good.

The whole concept rings slightly of a Charles Dickens novel, but seeing a few big-wigs get humanized could really be moving for viewers. After all, isn't the best mediator between the hands (the workers of the company) and the head (the executives) the heart?

"There is tone and quality of the show that is a great fit. It is aspirational. It is a feel-good program," said Tassler. "Everyone watching the Super Bowl -- whether you are eight or 80 -- can enjoy the program."

The cameras following the CEOs sometimes feeble efforts to keep their new jobs would usually stir a lot of suspicion among the other employees, but the network has a ruse -- they've told the unknowing participants that the camera crew is for a job-training video and they are using "the new guy" as a guinea pig for the project.

The first episode follows O'Donnell. His first job is gathering trash and he ends up being so horrible at it that his supervisor fires him right away -- his first time being fired, of course. Fortunately, he finds his calling cleaning overflowing portable toilets.  

DePinto even grew a beard to help conceal his identity and paired it with glasses and a hat. Once the media had discovered that he had worked behind the counter among the plebs, he gathered quite a bit of media attention -- but stuck to his guns about what was really crucial.

"The most important thing I learned is how critical it is that we must take care of our stores and their employees who are taking care of our customers," DePinto said. "This is our mission, and all of us have an important role."