Worst Episodes
The First 48 is one of the longest-running and most successful crime series on A&E. It premiered in 2004 and has now aired 24 seasons. The show follows detectives during the hours immediately following a homicide. Over the years, many episodes have been highly lauded for their gripping stories and compelling crime scenes. But there have also been some episodes that have been met with criticism or have been ranked among the show’s worst. In this article, we will rank the worst episodes of The First 48, examining the reasons why they are not as well-received as the rest.
In order to determine the worst episodes of the show, we must first examine the criteria for what makes an episode great. Generally, the most successful episodes of The First 48 have an interesting crime scene and a compelling story that follows it. Good episodes will also draw viewers in with intense suspense and drama, and will resolve the crime in a satisfying way.
The following episodes are some of the lowest-rated in the show’s history. While these episodes may not be as well-received as the rest, they still offer a unique insight into the world of crime and justice. We will discuss why these episodes have been considered some of the worst, and what makes them stand out from the rest of the series.
Written by Sophie and last updated on feb 13, 2023.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
In Birmingham, Lead Det. Henry Lucas and the Birmingham Homicide Team are trying to solve the mystery of how a young man ended up shot in the back in the middle of a scrap yard. With no witnesses, Lucas hopes the victim's friends can lead him to the killer. In DeKalb County, Lead Det. Lynn Shuler and the Major Felony Unit are called to a motel where a woman has been found dead. The case takes a dark turn when the team learns that a man was in the room shortly before the woman died, but had since disappeared.
The episode was rated 6.60 from 10 votes.
Miami detective, Fabio Sanchez and the homicide team investigate the murder of a man stabbed in the street. After piecing together the victims last moments, they realize they may have a vigilante on their hands. In Dekalb County, Georgia, shots are fired in broad daylight on a residential street, leaving one teenage boy dead and another critically injured. Lead Detective Bruce Brueggeman is shocked to discover that the shooters mother may have been with him when he pulled the trigger. But forcing the family to give up the suspect is not going to be easy.
The episode was rated 6.55 from 11 votes.
In Birmingham, a 49-year-old man is beaten and shot in the middle of a housing complex in broad daylight. In a community where no one wants to be seen as "snitching," finding someone to come forward with information will be Detective Chris Anderson's biggest challenge. Then, in DeKalb County, lead detective Chris Franklin investigates the murder of an 18-year-old male, gunned down in an apartment complex. The case takes a turn when Franklin learns the killer's intended target was actually the victim's friend.
The episode was rated 6.52 from 29 votes.
In Birmingham, AL, an innocent man is shot and killed in crossfire from a shoot out that erupted at a friendly dice game. Detective Jerry Williams and his team must first locate the shooters involved and then decide who and what to believe from the conflicting interviews. And in Harris County, TX, Dep. Jason Brown and the Homicide Unit investigate the murder of a 17-year-old student, gunned down in a flea market parking lot that also left his 14-year-old cousin wounded. The trail heats up when Brown finds another student that was involved in the shooting and in the gang confrontation that precipitated it.
The episode was rated 6.50 from 12 votes.
A sting operation is put in motion to catch a killer. A brutal execution goes down in the middle of a busy neighborhood.
The episode was rated 6.46 from 26 votes.
In Harris County, Deputy Abraham Alanis is working the homicide of a 69-year-old Navy veteran. When Alanis' first big break, surveillance video of the potential perpetrator, fails to show the suspect's face, investigators take a closer at the footage and notice something big--a small detail in the video, could be a huge break for the case. And in Birmingham, Det. Marcel Walker responds to the city's first homicide since a deadly tornado ravaged the city. Walker needs to determine whether two people seen fleeing the crime scene moments after the shooting are witnesses to the heinous act or responsible for it.
The episode was rated 6.35 from 17 votes.
In Cincinnati, Detectives Keith Witherell and Bill Hilbert attempt to crack the code of silence surrounding the death of a 28-year-old man gunned down on Main Street. In Dallas, Detectives Mark Ahearn and Robert Quirk work quickly to solve the murder of an aspiring social worker who risked her life by reaching out to help a two-time convicted killer.
The episode was rated 6.33 from 12 votes.
Two friends are shot, then burned inside the trunk of a car
The episode was rated 6.31 from 13 votes.
In Gwinnett County, a teenager is gunned down outside a nightclub when he winds up at the center of a gang feud.
The episode was rated 6.15 from 13 votes.
Miami detectives hope that survivors of a shooting outside a corner store can identify the culprits; a Cleveland man is found strangled in his apartment, and police search for his friend and a motive.
The episode was rated 6.00 from 16 votes.
