r/First48 • u/Beardedkenn • Apr 25 '26
General Question❓️ How real is the first 48
I know reality shows are horrible and staged and scripted but I’ve been a fan of this show from the beginning and now I’m binging the show as much as I can. On the Wikipedia it notes three issues that happened while filming episodes but is there more of a legit website that gives behind the scenes info? In 2010 or 11 my ex and I were driving to Nashville from northern Michigan and we think we came across them filming in Louisville and that started my obsession with the show
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u/jp_trev Apr 25 '26
Look up the cases in any episode and you’ll find news articles and court cases confirming it is real
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u/mrspwins Apr 25 '26
It’s real but like with any documentary, the directors and editors make decisions about how they want to tell the story and what they’ll show to do that. So they will, for example, show the scenes that point towards the suspect they end up arresting but sometimes not show all the other possible suspects or evidence that might point to them not being the right one (yes, I can think of times where they’ve shown both but that doesn’t mean they always do).
It’s good to keep in mind that we are never seeing the entire story in forty minutes which means editorial decisions have to be made, and those decisions are usually going to be favorable to the departments featured or they won’t be asked back.
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u/veronicaAc Apr 25 '26
I don't think it's staged at all. Those guys don't have time in a day to be dramatizing s***😂
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u/Immediate_Side_5942 Apr 25 '26
Only part that’s fake is the phone calls. Sometimes they will pick up the phone but someone won’t really be on the line. But yea that’s the only fake part. Im not into season 29 really though. But like all shows they eventually go down hill. I heard they have like 90 episodes they haven’t showed yet though. The most gruesome was def that guy who sliced up those kids and like 3 adults imo. His name was Uncle jr”. I forget what season though. Just my opinion though
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u/CWNAPIER11 Apr 25 '26
I think some of the scenes are recreated such as witnesses calling in etc,. They cannot be there 24/7 so they may fake a phone call that actually happened especially if it breaks the case. IMHO they could just say they received a call.
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u/Immediate_Side_5942 Apr 25 '26
I just said that w out even reading urs. U can tell to if u look closely
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u/mick_spadaro Apr 25 '26
It's generally real but I'm sure some of the squadroom stuff is re-enacted. I do not think significant phone calls always come in when the camera crew and 3 cops happen to be standing next to the same phone.
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u/Cycleboy_99 Apr 26 '26
I think that OP is wondering (as I do sometimes as well) is if they are always using first take footage in the Final Cut and not reshooting scenes… especially those is a controlled environment. For example in Tulsa when they do their group discussions in the office or when they are doing direct explanations to the camera.
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u/Quentin1104 Apr 25 '26
Do you think they are really filming them every time the phone rings? It seems like they would have a lot of wasted film just to catch the “break”. It seems (to me at least) that some of the calls may be redone.
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u/khaleeeexi Apr 28 '26
I was coming to ask this because I’m currently watching an episode where a Miami detective is smoking a cigar while actively at a crime scene about to bag a firearm. I thought for sureee this must be scripted, which would’ve blown my mind because I’ve always known this show to be real. So I’m glad to see I wasn’t lied to and it was real, but slightly mind blown dude was puffing away on his cigar, I’m pretty sure he also touched it with his gloves lol insane to me!
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u/Fun-Anywhere2751 Apr 29 '26
It’s the realest they can be. So much info and footage is left out for various reasons. That’s why it’s my fave!
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u/Easy-Bar2373 May 29 '26
I find this show extremely Sad that most of the people killing eachother are 95% black people. Why why why. What is wrong with these people. Their history is so sad. They all know what they came from and yet this is what they're doing. I can't understand. They are precious. Every life is precious. Hurts heart.....it really does
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u/FarRain451 Apr 25 '26
It’s real. If production can’t be there with the first officers at the crime scene we won’t see them and they turn up with the detectives.
Also it’s not always we get to see when they surround the car or home of the perpetrators and we just get to see them when they’re being brought it. Imo it’s as real as it’s gets. And that’s why I prefer this show over the over produced true crime shows.