The First 48

The First 48 follows detectives from around the country during these first critical hours as they race against time to find the suspect. Gritty and fast-paced, it takes viewers behind the scenes of real-life investigations with unprecedented access to crime scenes, autopsies, forensic processing, and interrogations.

The First 48 (2004-present) is a United States true crime docuseries created for A&E, now a long-running returning series with thirty seasons and roughly 610 episodes. Its engine is the race to solve a homicide in its opening hours: detectives from city police departments across the country work leads, canvass witnesses, process crime scenes and press suspects while the clock runs down. Each episode follows several real cases, so the viewer moves between squad rooms, morgues, forensic labs and interrogation rooms as investigators chase suspects. A narrator frames the action with clipped, urgent commentary, and the camera stays close to the detectives during their most pressured moments. The tone is gritty, tense and procedural rather than sensational, with a documentary realism that makes each case feel immediate. Shaped as a case-of-the-week format rather than one continuing story, the show is built for viewers who enjoy real police work. Fans of Cops, Forensic Files and Making a Murderer will find the same appetite for unscripted investigative access and the stubborn grind of real detective work.

Audiences broadly regard the series as acclaimed for its gripping, unvarnished access to real homicide investigations, though ratings vary widely across seasons.

• Cops (1989)real police investigations, documentary realism, case-driven procedural structure
• Making a Murderergritty true crime investigation, crime scene access, serialized case format
• Forensic Filesunscripted real crime docuseries, investigative procedure focus

Release Date

2004-06-03

Episode runtime

45 min

Rating

8.2 / 10 (103)

What is The First 48 about?

Real homicide detectives race against the clock during the first 48 hours of each murder investigation, with cameras along for the ride.

What is The First 48 like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The First 48 as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is The First 48 violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The First 48 as moderate.

What did critics think of The First 48?

Audiences broadly regard the series as acclaimed for its gripping, unvarnished access to real homicide investigations, though ratings vary widely across seasons.

Which shows are like The First 48?

Shows with a similar feel include Cops (1989), Making a Murderer, and Forensic Files.

How long is The First 48?

The First 48: 30 seasons, 610 episodes.

Is The First 48 still running?

Yes, The First 48 is still running.

Where can I watch The First 48?

In United States, The First 48 streams on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Hulu, Peacock Premium, Philo, A&E, Netflix Standard with Ads, A&E Crime Central Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus.