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The Worst Episodes of The First 48

Every episode of The First 48 ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The First 48!

Worst episode
S11E12 Insider; Paradise Lost; Bad Debt
3.234 votes
Best episode
S17E28 Unspeakable Part 2
9.449 votes
Top season
Season 4
8.3avg
Binge time
17d 6h
608 episodes
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons30

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    The First 48 Season 11 Episode 12 - Insider; Paradise Lost; Bad Debt
    3.2/10(34 votes)

    S11:E12

    In Charlotte, rookie Detective Norma McKee gets her first double-murder: a young couple shot in their car by a backseat passenger. Inside the vehicle, detectives find what may be a vital clue, a baseball hat that might contain the suspect’s DNA. Meanwhile, seasoned Miami detective, Emiliano Tamayo has two cases in two days. First he responds to a call reporting a foul smell, only to find a family of three found dead in their home; later that night he is called to the scene of a young man killed over a fifty-dollar bet. With four deaths in forty-eight hours, Tamayo calls on his years of experience to solve the cases.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The First 48 Season 22 Episode 6 - Cold Fury
    6.7/10(23 votes)

    S22:E6

    In Tulsa, detectives scour the city for a man on the run while trying to uncover the truth behind a woman's mysterious injuries.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The First 48 Season 27 Episode 5 - Tangled Web
    5.7/10(7 votes)

    S27:E5

    A Mobile homeowner reports a theft of $9,000 to the police, and just thirty minutes later, a local father of three is mysteriously killed on their front porch.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The First 48 Season 23 Episode 7 - Inside The Tape Special #13
    6.3/10(11 votes)

    S23:E7

    In Tulsa, Detectives must decide if a duo responsible for an all night car-jacking spree ended in the gruesome murder of a single father. In New Orleans, when a new father is brutally gunned down, Detective Drew Deacon’s only lead is pinned on something the killer left behind. In Mobile, when a bleeding young father is found by his friends, detectives are surprised to discover who pulled the trigger. Then, when a home invasion leaves a father-to-be shot dead, Detective Dianna Baumann’s only hope for answers is a suspect fighting for his own life.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The First 48 Season 24 Episode 4 - Hunted on the Highway
    5.6/10(6 votes)

    S24:E4

    In Mobile, two men are killed after their car is sprayed with bullets on the highway, Ieading detectives across the country in search of answers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The First 48 Season 27 Episode 2 - Gun Runner/In a Flash
    6.0/10(7 votes)

    S27:E2

    In Tulsa, a horrific killing in a family home leaves detectives clamoring for answers. But first, the Mobile shooting of a beloved father leads investigators on a city-wide manhunt to find the man who betrayed his friend.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. The First 48 Season 29 Episode 4 - The Cool Mum
    6.6/10(13 votes)

    S29:E4

    After a North Charleston mother of four is found beaten to death in the bushes, a rookie detective battles it out in the interview room with her suspected killer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The First 48 Season 30 Episode 2 - Shared Blood
    6.5/10(11 votes)

    S30:E2

    In Gwinnett County, two best friends are murdered in a public park after setting up a meeting through Instagram.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The First 48 Season 29 Episode 3 - A Lonely Place to Die
    6.6/10(12 votes)

    S29:E3

    When a father of six is found shot in an urban encampment, Tulsa Homicide calls on the unhoused community to help them find the killer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The First 48 Season 29 Episode 6 - R Is for Random
    6.6/10(12 votes)

    S29:E6

    When a young father is executed in broad daylight, Gwinnett County detectives race against the clock to figure out if one man was passing innocently through the neighbourhood or if he's the killer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The First 48 Season 10 Episode 15 - Update Special: Burden of Proof; Last Ride
    6.4/10(9 votes)

    S10:E15

    A man is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison after shooting a Detroit woman in her home.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The First 48 Season 28 Episode 6 - One Night in Mobile
    6.3/10(8 votes)

    S28:E6

    When a mother goes missing on New Year's Day, a couple must explain why they are in possession of her property.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The First 48 Season 27 Episode 3 - Seeking Justice
    6.2/10(7 votes)

    S27:E3

    Homicide detectives in Tulsa, Okla., look into the secret parts of a 65-year-old man's life after a welfare check reveals the man was killed and robbed.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The First 48 Season 19 Episode 8 - Devil's Trail
    7.0/10(23 votes)

    S19:E8

    In Tulsa, detectives have little to go on when they find the naked body of an unknown homeless woman who was raped, strangled to death, and thrown into a dumpster.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The First 48 Season 28 Episode 2 - Death Comes Knocking
    6.7/10(12 votes)

    S28:E2

    When a young father is shot to death inside his home, Det. Mark Kennedy must figure out if an argument earlier that day escalated to homicide.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The First 48 Season 25 Episode 5 - Tangled Web
    6.5/10(9 votes)

    S25:E5

    A mobile homeowner reports a theft of $9,000; a father of three is killed on their front porch.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The First 48 Season 25 Episode 1 - Streets of Pain
    6.4/10(8 votes)

    S25:E1

    A visit to Mobile ends in tragedy when a violent chain reaction leads to the death of a teenage girl.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The First 48 Season 10 Episode 11 - Eye for an Eye; Dead End
    6.9/10(17 votes)

    S10:E11

    A young man is shot to death in the middle of the street in broad daylight; a teenager's body is found in the passenger seat of his car.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The First 48 Season 29 Episode 7 - Murder in the Bud Room & A Mother Taken
    6.6/10(10 votes)

    S29:E7

    In Tulsa, a heated argument spirals out of control, ending in the murder of a father of six. In Gwinnett County, a young boy is the only witness to the violent abduction of his mother, leaving detectives racing to find her before it's too late.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The First 48 Season 24 Episode 3 - Sudden Impact
    6.3/10(7 votes)

    S24:E3

    In Tulsa, a late-night meeting spins out of control, leaving a young father dead, his friend critically injured, and their SUV crashed through a child's bedroom.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The First 48 Season 26 Episode 7 - Death by Username
    6.2/10(6 votes)

    S26:E7

    Mobile homicide follows a trail of social media messages to track down the killers of a 17-year-old.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The First 48 Season 23 Episode 4 - Think Twice
    6.9/10(15 votes)

    S23:E4

    In Mobile, a father of four is found dead inside a car after a mysterious crash, and detectives discover that his death was no accident.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The First 48 Season 28 Episode 5 - The Wrong Girl
    6.5/10(8 votes)

    S28:E5

    In Tulsa, when a man is gunned down at an apartment complex, detectives run up against elusive witnesses and dead ends in their search to figure out who wanted him dead.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The First 48 Season 25 Episode 4 - Deadly Spree
    6.6/10(9 votes)

    S25:E4

    When an attempted robbery ends in the murder of a retired sheriff's deputy, Gwinnett County detectives believe the suspects will strike again and race to track them down before more blood is shed.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The First 48 Season 13 Episode 9 - The Girl Who Knew Too Much/The Guardian
    7.1/10(26 votes)

    S13:E9

    In Dallas, an unidentified girl is found brutally shot in a field. Detectives Scott Sayers and Esteban Montenegro discover that she may have been killed for her silence. Then in Cleveland, a young father is shot in the head trying to break up a fight. Without any leads, Detectives Ignatius Sowa and Raymond Diaz must rely on an outraged community to help track down his killers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Insider; Paradise Lost; Bad Debt" is the worst rated episode of The First 48. It scored 3.2/10 from 34 votes. Written and directed by Unknown, it aired on January 6, 2011. This episode scored 3.5 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Cold Fury".

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