48 Hours 1988
What is 48 Hours?
48 Hours is an American documentary news magazine television show that has been broadcast on CBS since its creation by Judy Tygard. The show investigates intriguing crime and justice cases, offering an in-depth look into each story with the emphasis on solving the mystery at its heart.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1988
- Status
- Returning Series
- Episodes
- 1,167
- Runtime
- 42 minutes
- First aired
- Jan 19, 1988
- Last aired
- May 23, 2026
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- CBS
- Genres
- News, Crime, Documentary
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
StackTV Amazon Channel
fuboTV
Citytvplus Amazon ChannelWith ads
Global TV
Pluto TVStream
NetflixfuboTV
Paramount+ Amazon Channel
Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel
Netflix Standard with AdsWith ads
The Roku ChannelPluto TVBuy
Apple TV StoreStreaming availability data provided by JustWatch via TMDB. Availability changes by country and date; verify on the provider before subscribing or purchasing.
How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 1,167 episodes and an average 42-minute runtime.
Trailer
No official trailer is available for this title yet.
Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
48 Hours is an American documentary news magazine television show that has been broadcast on CBS since its creation by Judy Tygard. The show investigates intriguing crime and justice cases, offering an in-depth look into each story with the emphasis on solving the mystery at its heart. CBS News correspondents are involved in the show, which has been on the air since January 19, 1988. Over its long run, the series has helped exonerate wrongly convicted people, driven the reopening and resolution of cold cases, and changed numerous lives. The show is known for its journalistic integrity and cutting-edge style, and is considered one of television's most popular true-crime series. It has been broadcast under different titles, including 48 Hours Investigates and 48 Hours Mystery. The series has a long history of exploring complex and compelling real-life dramas.
Should you watch it?
“This long-running newsmagazine investigates complex crime and justice cases to uncover the truth behind mysteries.”
- in-depth reporting
- real-world impact
- subject matter may be distressing
Watch it if you enjoy true crime stories that focus on investigative journalism and justice.
The series covers serious criminal investigations and may not be suitable for all audiences.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 29 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Hospital Jan 19, 1988
- E2 In Las Vegas Jan 19, 1988
- E3 Airport Feb 2, 1988
- E4 In the Promised Land Feb 9, 1988
- E5 In the Campaign Feb 16, 1988
- E6 On Runaway Street Mar 10, 1988
- E7 Miami Fights Back Mar 17, 1988
- E8 More Than a Game Mar 31, 1988
- E9 In Hollywood Apr 7, 1988
- E10 Faith Under Fire Apr 14, 1988
- E11 From Disaster to Discovery Apr 21, 1988
- E12 In the Cocaine War Apr 28, 1988
- E13 Top Dog May 5, 1988
- E14 Beating Heart Disease May 12, 1988
- E15 Rags to Riches May 19, 1988
- E16 The Warriors May 26, 1988
- E17 Gold Medal Fever Jun 9, 1988
- E18 Hitting Home Jun 16, 1988
- E19 On Gang Street Jun 30, 1988
- E20 Wedding Day Jul 7, 1988
- E21 The 24 Hours of Le Mans Jul 14, 1988
- E22 Time and Punishment Jul 28, 1988
- E23 In the Wild Aug 4, 1988
- E24 In the Cocaine War Aug 11, 1988
- E25 Showdown at Cheyenne Aug 25, 1988
- E26 On Runaway Street Sep 1, 1988
- E27 Smoking War Sep 8, 1988
- E28 Hurricane Watch
- E29 Hard Sell
Season 2 · 61 episodes
- E1 Smoking War Sep 8, 1988
- E2 Hurricane Watch Sep 15, 1988
- E3 Hard Sell Sep 22, 1988
- E4 Not on My Street Sep 29, 1988
- E5 Making Babies Oct 6, 1988
- E6 In Aids Alley Oct 13, 1988
- E7 Abortion Battle Oct 20, 1988
- E8 Who's Watching the Kids? Oct 27, 1988
- E9 Gun Fight Nov 3, 1988
- E10 Drunk or Sober? Nov 10, 1988
- E11 Nightmare Next Door Nov 17, 1988
- E12 In the Rhino War Dec 1, 1988
- E13 Assignment: Gorbachev Dec 8, 1988
- E14 Inside the Vatican Dec 15, 1988
- E15 America for Sale Dec 29, 1988
- E16 Behind the Badge Jan 5, 1989
- E17 In High School Jan 12, 1989
- E18 Critical Condition Jan 26, 1989
- E19 Animal Rights Feb 2, 1989
- E20 Victim of Divorce Feb 9, 1989
- E21 On Homeless Street Feb 16, 1989
- E22 After Hirohito Feb 23, 1989
- E23 Hot TV Mar 2, 1989
- E24 Murder Capital Mar 9, 1989
- E25 Armed and Deadly Mar 16, 1989
- E26 L.A. Justice Mar 30, 1989
- E27 Toy Money Apr 6, 1989
- E28 Dying Wish Apr 13, 1989
- E29 Working High Apr 20, 1989
- E30 Lottery Fever Apr 27, 1989
- E31 Crystal USA May 4, 1989
- E32 Death Row Kids May 11, 1989
- E33 China Rebellion May 18, 1989
- E34 Lights, Camera, War! May 25, 1989
- E35 The Deprograming Jun 1, 1989
- E36 Abortion Battle Jun 22, 1989
- E37 On the Border Jun 29, 1989
- E38 Drunk or Sober? Jul 6, 1989
- E39 Revolution '89 Jul 13, 1989
- E40 Crude Awakening Jul 27, 1989
- E41 Out of Mind Aug 3, 1989
- E42 Behind the Badge Aug 10, 1989
- E43 Behind the Soaps Aug 17, 1989
- E44 Murder Capital Aug 24, 1989
- E45 No Place Like Home Aug 31, 1989
- E46 Making Babies Sep 7, 1989
- E47 Return to Crack Street Sep 14, 1989
- E48 Hurricane Watch Sep 21, 1989
- E49 The Tarnished Years Sep 28, 1989
- E50 On Lonely Street Oct 5, 1989
- E51 Home Grown High Oct 12, 1989
- E52 Earthquake Oct 19, 1989
- E53 Fire Oct 26, 1989
- E54 Women Doing Time Nov 2, 1989
- E55 Sex Under Seventeen Nov 9, 1989
- E56 Trauma Nov 16, 1989
- E57 At Freedom's Gate Nov 23, 1989
- E58 Inside West Point Nov 30, 1989
- E59 Inside West Point Dec 7, 1989
- E60 Another America Dec 14, 1989
- E61 Crystal USA Dec 28, 1989
Season 3 · 1 episodes
- E1 Don't Touch My Child Jan 4, 1990
Season 4 · 1 episodes
- E1 Street Stories Sep 11, 1991
Season 5 · 1 episodes
- E1 Kidnapped Sep 16, 1992
Frequently asked questions
What is the focus of the show?
The show focuses on investigating crime and justice cases that explore the human experience.
Who reports the stories?
CBS News correspondents provide in-depth looks into each featured case.
Does the show affect real cases?
Yes, the series has helped exonerate the wrongly convicted and assisted in resolving cold cases.
What is the goal of each episode?
Each episode emphasizes solving the mystery at the heart of the story.
How long has the show been on air?
The series has had a long run investigating various legal and criminal matters.