Forty Eight Hours

IN 1988,CBS had created "48 Hours",a daring news-magazine show meant to cover one topic(examples: Immigration,police stakeouts,on duty with soldiers in Kuwait,Prom nights,etc.)over the course of(wait for it)forty-eight hours!

This ran for a while,but something changed and the producers at CBS News decided to retool this show. It would no longer truly hinge on the time dynamic of covering a story,but would take on a much more methodical,studied examination of a story or event. For probably the better part of a decade now,it's mostly centered around a murder case,usually ones that have murky results or contentious verdicts.

Perfectly fine filler entertainment for those who don't like sports,are shut-in on Saturday nights or have an interest in cases like the ones they showcase,this show has had a flux of correspondents,but some such as Erin MOriarty,HArold Dow and Susan Spenser,have been staples of the show's run,through the format changes.Probably a bit pulpy to be considered serious journalism anymore,more of a counterbalance to stuff like "DAteline" and "DAteline:To CAtch a Predator". NArrative and somewhat reminiscent of documentaries on A&E. A show one usually doesn't seek out,yet will most likely be drawn in once they give a show a look.

Great justice won. Sadly good folks lost their lives.

These are one of those shows that keep you hooked until the end. The suspense is also really well done. The best time to watch this is at night, it's really a great experience. You sometimes don't know whether the cases get resolved at the conclusion.

It is a intriguing show that is edited in such a sure-handed way. You hear different sides to the story, from the authorities to lawyers and from criminals to the friends & family of the victim(s). There's a lot that goes on within that hour!

48 Hours Mystery and 48 Hours on ID are the ones I like the most but the original 48 Hours is just as great as its successors. The genres are mixed so well, like drama and sometimes horror, and I'm glad there are so many to watch. If you don't have/use DVR for your cable, you can easily find full episodes on YouTube and the CBS News website. Give it a watch and you'll want to know more about the story in each episode from beginning to end.

The show is interesting, but it does the unspeakable: It asks viewers to weigh in, as though gossip should ever be considered. The judicial process is problematic enough without armchair jurors. It's a dangerous gimmick, and shame on them.

I do enjoy this show and watch it regularly. There are two things that I do not like about the series and one is the return of Susan Spencer.

I don't find her pleasant and her facial expressions and demeanor are unpleasant. Always appears like she is challenging the person she is interviewing. Her voice is not great for an announcer. The second of my dislikes is that they tend to focus far too much on the grief of the victims family and have parents and loved ones upset and crying . Some of these poor people have horrible voices and there participation should be kept to a minimum. They really over do it with this. Just stick to the story and the investigation.