S01E01 Episode 1
In Montsou, the miners work hard and are not spared from accidents that sometimes prove fatal. Etienne Lantier, in his twenties, arrives from Lille to try and make his mark after a series of incidents....
Hennebeau announces to the miners that new work sites will be opened, but there are fewer of them than teams and the price of a skip is set too low. As anger rumbles, Etienne tries to convince the local residents to set up a solidarity fund. The Maheu family's grandfather is no longer fit for work, putting a severe strain on the already strained family budget. The Maheudes suggest that Etienne come and live with them in exchange for rent, a decision that does not sit well with Catherine.
Hired in the Montsou mines, Étienne Lantier meets the Maheu family and falls in love with their daughter Catherine.