The First 48’s ‘House of Cards’ Broke True Crime’s Unwritten Rule

“House of Cards” is one of The First 48‘s most infamous episodes—for the most surprising reason. It’s not a particularly shocking or suspenseful hour of the A&E show; there are plenty of others that have kept true crime fans up at night. What’s led this episode to go down in First 48 history is the fact that it’s completely different from any other, not just in the series but in the entire true crime genre. And like many other aspects of the series, it provokes conversation.

True crime is a very specific genre. As it’s risen in popularity over the last decade, the amount of content has expanded, but most of it remains very much the same. Certain conventions are almost always adhered to. Chief among those is the idea “House of Cards” shattered when it aired in 2016: true crime is never allowed to be funny. This episode of The First 48 was as close as the TV series has ever gotten to comedy.

‘HOUSE OF CARDS’ BALANCES REALITY AND ABSURDITY

“House of Cards” focuses on the death of 21-year-old Jared Dick, who was shot in the backyard of a house during an evening with his friends. There is nothing funny about the loss of anyone’s life, and the episode doesn’t make light of it at all. The humor in the episode comes purely from the strange details that come out throughout the investigation, and Detective Justin Ritter’s reactions to a case that gets increasingly ludicrous.

Justin Ritter is a fan-favorite among The First 48 viewers because he functions as the voice of the audience. Ritter—a 14-year veteran of Tulsa Homicide at the time of the episode—always says exactly what he’s thinking, which usually happens to be what the people watching at home are thinking. With several of the witnesses / potential suspects in the case under the influence of drugs, it doesn’t take long for things to stop making sense, and Ritter is the perfect person to handle that.

He does his job as seriously and professionally as he would on any other murder case, but he’s also not afraid to point out that something is weird. Weirdly, there’s an assortment of swords in the house. It’s weirder that one of the witnesses claimed to be working for a Mexican drug cartel. And it’s especially weird that another one climbed up onto the roof and was acting as a lookout because they all thought the cartel was coming to visit them.

These are all things that sound like they’re out of a TV crime drama, not real life. As “House of Cards” goes on, Ritter is tasked with separating truth from paranoia and rumors, and his confusion, frustration, and ability to laugh parallel what the audience is feeling. He shoots straight even when no one else seems to be thinking straight, and ultimately closes his case after Sergeant Dave Walker suggests putting several people in the same room and making them sort out their conflicting stories.

Ritter describes it as “a little soap opera,” and he’s right. But Ritter, with his dry wit and his ability to handle craziness, handles it perfectly. And The First 48 finds the exact balance between treating the case with the gravity it deserves, while also recognizing how absurd the whole affair is. The popularity of the episode comes from the fact that it shows homicide detectives can have a strange day at work just like anyone else.

WHY THE FIRST 48’S ‘HOUSE OF CARDS’ MATTERS

“House of Cards” is easily the most entertaining episode of The First 48, but in the years since it’s aired, it’s taken on a larger significance because it runs counter to the entire true crime genre. It stands out for not being what a true crime episode should be. And in so doing, it points something else out: true crime as a genre takes itself too seriously.

There’s an unwritten expectation that true crime has to be stoic and serious—to the point that it’s created melodrama. Look at the advertising for any other true crime show: it’s all dark colors, suspenseful music, and soundbites of people saying the most dramatic things. This ethos carries over to the programs themselves, where every case is the most shocking or gruesome or emotional thing ever, and officers are usually seen being very stern and speaking directly to the camera about what they remember. True crime has developed this archetype of a world where everything is grim and everyone is the same.

But part of that also comes from the audience. Viewers perceive law enforcement as a faceless institution rather than actual people. An example comes from this First 48 outtake, which involves Ritter’s colleagues John Brown and Nathan Schilling joking about Brown’s driving while on the road. One YouTube comment declares that their “laughing while investigating a homicide doesn’t sit right [with] me,” completely ignoring that they’re not investigating anything at that moment. In the eyes of that person, they’re not allowed to have the workplace banter that everyone else takes for granted. They’re not perceived as normal people. The thing The First 48 has done for true crime is humanize everyone: victims, family members, sometimes even suspects, but homicide detectives.

“House of Cards,” particularly Justin Ritter’s conduct in the hour, is one of the best examples of that. Yes, the episode is so strange as to be humorous, but the point is that someone died because of people misunderstanding each other while on crystal methamphetamine. Ritter is still empathetic to the witnesses’ emotions, such as having to tell Jared’s best friend Chris that Jared has died—and assuring Chris that it’s okay for him to be upset. He’s practically surgical with his questioning, making sure that everyone understands what’s going on.

And his quips are saved for out of the interrogation room—such as when he calls Robin to his Batman, now-retired Detective Matt Frazier, to locate the murder weapon. “Oh my God, what are they doing, unwrapping a UPS package?” Ritter comments while waiting for Frazier and the crime scene unit to confirm the gun exists. He treats this like any other murder investigation, but he also doesn’t pretend it’s an ordinary day at the office.

That’s one of the many reasons Justin Ritter remains a favorite among The First 48 fans and something that deserves greater awareness. The public perception of law enforcement is defined by news headlines—largely negative—and now true crime shows, which are becoming increasingly sensational. But The First 48 steps back from all that and serves as a reminder that homicide detectives are individuals, with specific personalities, and their workplace can change just like anyone else’s.

The way that viewers connect with officers is by finding parts of them that they respond to, not by showing them a generic or idealized image. And changing the negative perception of law enforcement also means seeing that not everything is the same. “House of Cards” is one of the most honest episodes in show history, because it’s something different led by a detective who never fit into a mold. In making audiences laugh, it also gives them something to remember.

The First 48 airs on Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. on A&E. Limited episodes are streaming on the A&E app, Discovery+, Hulu, Peacock, and Philo. As of March 2024, “House of Cards” is not one of them.