The First 48 is an American documentary television series that airs on A&E. Filmed in various cities in the United States, the series offers an insider's look at the real-life world of homicide investigators. While the cinema-verite series often follows the investigations to their end, it usually focuses on their first 48 hours, hence the title.

While most cases are solved within the first 48 hours, some go on days, weeks, or months after the first 48. The shortest investigation was led by Det. Brenda Wescott, who arrested a suspect, just 6 hours into the investigation.

In 2006, the series was nominated for a Distinguished Documentary Achievement Award, in the Continuing Series category, by the International Documentary Association, eventually losing out to American Experience.

Dion Graham is featured as the narrator, and is the only member of the cast to be in every one of the episodes.

On March 3, 2009, it was renewed for its 9th season by A&E, and currently^[when?] has 152 episodes. By season 6, The First 48 had become the highest rated non-fiction justice series on American television, and had gained considerable critical acclaim along with controversy. The season 8 premiere on January 1, 2009, garnered a domestic audience of 2.3 million viewers making it the series' most watched episode, thus far.

Michael Elliot "Mike" Epps (born November 18, 1970) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, film producer, writer and rapper. He is best known for playing Day-Day Jones in Next Friday and the sequel-to-the-sequel, Friday After Next, and also appearing in The Hangover, as "Black Doug". He was the voice of Boog in Open Season 2 (the sequel to Open Season), but was replaced by Matthew J. Munn in Open Season 3.

As of 2010, Epps was the executive producer on a documentary about the life story of a former member of Tupac Shakur's Outlawz, Napoleon: Life of an Outlaw.

Epps was born Michael Elliot Epps at Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis, IN . Epps' natural comedic ability was encouraged at an early age, and he began performing stand-up as a teenager. Epps moved to Atlanta where he worked at the Comedy Act Theater, before moving to Brooklyn to star in Def Comedy Jam in 1995. Epps ended up on the Def Comedy Jam tour and starred in two of HBO's Def Comedy Jam broadcasts.

Epps began his professional career by joining the Def Comedy Jam tour in 1995 and starred in two of HBO's Def Comedy Jam broadcasts.