Is The First 48 on Netflix?

The First 48 is one of TV’s longest-running reality shows, and a favorite of true crime fans. But is it one of the true crime shows available to watch on Netflix?

Airing throughout the week on cable network A&E, the series follows homicide detectives from all over the United States, with a focus on the first two days of their investigation (hence the title). It’s been on the air since 2004, with more than 400 episodes set in cities like Dallas, Cincinnati, Tulsa and New Orleans.

With that many episodes, and Netflix’s library of true crime, it’s only natural to ask “Is The First 48 on Netflix?” But it’s also easy to figure that out.

Is The First 48 on Netflix?

Unfortunately, Netflix users can’t watch The First 48. You’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise, though, considering that the series is on a wide variety of other streaming services, and even a few free streamers like Pluto TV.

With that in mind, it’s possible that episodes will eventually get added to Netflix since they’re widely available elsewhere.

Why isn’t The First 48 on Netflix?

It’s not clear why Netflix doesn’t have the show available yet. It doesn’t seem to be a rights issue of any kind, because episodes are on some different platforms. For example, even though it’s an A&E show it can be viewed on NBC’s streaming service Peacock.

However, different streamers seem to have different episodes, so you might have to bounce around to a couple places if you’re trying to watch a certain season. Some episodes from the later seasons also haven’t turned up online at all yet.

Where to stream The First 48

There are plenty of places to watch The First 48 online. Episodes can be seen for free on Pluto TV, and you can also find them on Hulu, Peacock and Amazon Video.

Pluto TV and Hulu also have some of the spinoffs, including After the First 48 and The First 48: Missing Persons. The one that hasn’t turned up is Marcia Clark’s quasi-spinoff entitled Marcia Clark Investigates The First 48, which ran for just one season.

A&E has also recently launched their own true crime streaming service called A&E Crime Central, which can be accessed on their website or through Amazon Channels. It offers a selection of the network’s reality programming.

New episodes continue to air Thursdays on A&E and reruns are also on throughout the week, with marathons on Thursdays and sometimes on Fridays as well. With all these options, it’s a wonder that you aren’t able to watch The First 48 on Netflix.