(Photo: CBS)
It wouldn’t be Saturday night on CBS without 48 Hours. Still, it wasn’t always that way and I suspect that the show won’t go on forever (will viewers always be interested in true crime stories?). Could this be the year when the network decides to try something new? Will 48 Hours be cancelled or renewed for season 39? Stay tuned.
A documentary and newsmagazine series, the 48 Hours TV show premiered in 1988. The program features correspondents telling engaging, compelling stories that often reveal new information, feature first-time interviews, and tap into the nation’s fascination with murder mysteries. The series’ segments have shed new light on cases long overlooked by law enforcement and the public and have resulted in cold cases being reopened and solved. The team’s focus on questionable and wrongful convictions has led to eight people being released from prison. Correspondents include Erin Moriarty, Peter Van Sant, Natalie Morales, and Anne-Marie Green.
Nielsen Ratings
The Nielsen ratings are typically the best indication of a show’s chances of staying on the air. The higher the ratings, the better the chances of survival. This chart is updated as new ratings data becomes available.
10/1 update: You can see the latest night’s ratings in context.
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For comparisons: Season 37 of 48 Hours on CBS averaged a 0.17 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 2.24 million viewers.
Note: These are the final national ratings, including all live+same day viewing and DVR playback (through 3:00 AM). While these numbers don’t include further delayed or streaming viewing, they are a very good indicator of how a show is performing, especially when compared to others on the same channel. There can be other economic factors involved in a show’s fate, but typically the higher-rated series are renewed and the lower-rated ones are cancelled.
TV SHOW STATUS
As of October 2, 2025, 48 Hours has not been cancelled or renewed for a 39th season. Stay tuned for further updates.
What do you think? Do you like the 48 Hours TV series on CBS? Should it be cancelled or renewed for season 39?