What channel does the new First 48 come on?

The following contains spoilers for The First 48 Season 24, Episode 1, "Unforgotten: Mothers and Sons," which debuted Thursday, Nov. 3 on A&E. It also contains discussion of violence.

A&E's The First 48 has set the true crime standard for nearly 20 years -- but Season 24 may be about to change the whole series. The season premiere, "Unforgotten: Mothers and Sons," deviated from the show's plan in multiple ways. While it's still entertaining as well as informative, the episode suggested that the network may have a different idea of what The First 48 looks like as it approaches its second decade.

"Unforgotten: Mothers and Sons" focused on the Mobile Homicide team as they investigated two murders that took place at the same apartment complex. What sounded like one of the show's most epic installments turned out to be something completely different. And if taken in context with A&E's promotion of the new season, that different might just be the new normal.

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The First 48 Started With a Wildly Different Episode

"Unforgotten: Mothers and Sons" was only the second two-hour episode in The First 48 history. The first was Season 21, Episode 1, "Chain of Death," which featured veteran Tulsa detective Michael Zenoni investigating a double murder. And unlike "Chain of Death," there was no real connective tissue to create one propelling narrative. While the cases in "Mothers and Sons" initially seemed related due to taking place in the same location and around the same time, they couldn't have been more different. If not for the window of time, they could've aired as two separate episodes. Instead, A&E promoted a two-hour event that didn't quite live up to that hype.

The episode was also the latest example of experimenting with the show's format. The network has aired three "Unforgotten" installments, which specifically focus on cold cases. However, doing so is somewhat counter-productive because the title is a major spoiler; it automatically tells viewers the case won't be solved. Some fans find this off-putting while others appreciate the extra attention given to unsolved homicides. But it's an odd choice, particularly to start off a brand new season when viewers want to see the detectives at their best.

Will Season 24 see more of these episodes that give away their own ending? Or other one-offs like Season 21, Episode 42, "Close to Home," which solely focused on one detective? There were also episodes in Season 23 that started with victims' loved ones being interviewed instead of the initial police response, which severely slowed down the narrative. It's clear the production wants to try new things, but it has to be careful when those new things challenge the aspects viewers know and love.

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The First 48 Shifted Its Focus to Mobile

Even before Season 24 premiered, The First 48 fans noticed A&E's near-complete emphasis on Mobile. Commercials for the new season exclusively featured the Mobile homicide detectives; the fan-favorite Tulsa detectives and the officers of Gwinnett County were nowhere to be found. "Mothers and Sons" also broke the show's pattern of starting its last two seasons in Tulsa, which is the show's longest active and best-known department. This prompts the question of if A&E is trying to bolster Mobile so they reach the same popularity as Tulsa, or preparing for them to take over the top spot because Tulsa is finally leaving.

From a marketing standpoint, it would be smart for the network to elevate Mobile. The city has incredible detectives such as Glenn Barton, Jermaine Rogers and Julius Nettles. And with only three teams currently on the show, it's unintentionally become somewhat one-dimensional; there's Tulsa and everyone else. Having viewers get to know and root for the Mobile crew like they do the Tulsa squad would strengthen the entire series.

However, if Mobile's success is coming at Tulsa's expense, that's an even bigger problem. Tulsa has carried the show since Jason White introduced the city in Season 16. Its officers are top-notch, and while many of the original squad have transferred or retired and are no longer on The First 48, others have arrived to win fans over. The show can't lose any department, let alone its most beloved. What ought to happen is A&E promotes everyone -- and instead of relying on format changes, lets the strength of its detectives drive what's still a great show.

The First 48 airs Thursdays at 9:00 p.m. on A&E and streams on the A&E app, Discovery+, Hulu, Peacock and Pluto TV.

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