The Weekly Drop: December 29, 2025- January 4, 2026 New True Crime Premieres & Episodes
- The Emerald Sleuth
- 6 hours ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 10 minutes ago
Welcome back, couch detectives. The Weekly Drop returns for December 29, 2025 through January 4, 2026, carrying us out of one year and straight into the next. As always, this roundup gathers every confirmed true crime premiere, new episode, and continuing series across streaming platforms, cable, and network TV into one clear reference point. Whether you’re easing into a post-holiday haze or starting the new year with a fresh watchlist, this is the evidence board for what’s landing, what’s ongoing, and what’s worth keeping an eye on as the calendar turns.
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While I track every release as carefully as possible, schedules can shift and networks occasionally update listings without notice. If something is missing or changes, feel free to let me know in the comments section at the bottom of this page.
Monday
December 29th, 2025
Live PD: Greatest Shifts
Live PD: Greatest Shifts airs Monday with two back-to-back new episodes (Episode 30 and Episode 31) airing on A&E starting at 9 p.m. ET, followed by the second episode at 10 p.m. ET. A&E lists “Stream Next Day” availability on its site and app for on-demand viewing.
The series revisits the most intense and memorable moments from Live PD, presenting real police encounters through curated footage and commentary.
Critical Incident: Death at the Border
Critical Incident: Death at the Border is a feature-length documentary film premiering December 29, 2025 on HBO Max. The film revisits the 2010 death of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas, an undocumented Mexican immigrant who died while in U.S. Border Patrol custody after an encounter at a border checkpoint.
After eyewitness video of the incident surfaces, the documentary follows journalists, attorneys, and Hernández-Rojas’ family as they examine Border Patrol’s actions and allegations of internal misconduct connected to the case.
Head to December’s Surveillance Report to view the trailer and full details.
Tuesday
December 30th, 2025
American Monster
American Monster Season 13, Episode 10 (“Double Take”) drops Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on Investigation Discovery, and streams on Max.
American Monster is a documentary series that looks at offenders who appeared ordinary until their crimes came to light. Episodes use home videos, and interviews to show how these individuals fit into everyday life and how investigators uncovered what they were hiding.
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story
Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story is a feature-length documentary film premiering December 30, 2025 on Netflix. The film examines the case of Utah therapist Jodi Hildebrandt, whose arrest alongside parenting YouTuber Ruby Franke brought wider attention to allegations of child abuse and manipulation.
The documentary focuses on the events surrounding the case and Hildebrandt’s role in what Netflix describes as a “twisted tale of manipulation,” presenting the story as laid out through the film’s interviews and available evidence.
Head to December’s Surveillance Report for the trailer and full details.
Wednesday
December 31st, 2025
There are no confirmed true crime premieres or returning episodes scheduled for Wednesday, December 31 (New Year's Eve).
Thursday
January 1st, 2026
The First 48
The First 48 Season 29, Episode 1 (“Four Shots”) returns Thursday at 8 p.m ET with a 2 hour season premiere on A&E with next day streaming on the A&E app.
The First 48 is a long-running documentary series that follows homicide detectives during the critical first two days after a murder, when time-sensitive evidence, witness cooperation, and investigative momentum matter most. Through real-time casework, forensic analysis, and interrogations, the series documents how quickly leads can emerge or disappear as investigators work to prevent cases from going cold.
Crime in Progress
Crime in Progress Season 1, Episode 1 (“Nowhere to Hide”) premieres at 10 p.m. ET on A&E streams next day on the A&E app.
Crime in Progress is a documentary series that follows criminal investigations in real time using only body cam, dash cam, and surveillance footage. With no narration or reenactments, each episode tracks a case from the initial 911 call through investigative decisions and courtroom outcomes, presenting an unfiltered view of how cases unfold as events happen and choices are made under pressure.
View the trailer in January's Surveillance Report (not yet published at the time of this writing).
The Cult of the Real Housewife
The Cult of the Real Housewife is a three-part documentary miniseries premiering Thursday, January 1, 2026 on TLC. All three episodes air back-to-back from 8–11 p.m. ET. The series will be available to stream the following day on Max and Discovery+.
The docuseries investigates Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast member Mary Cosby and Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, which she shares with her husband, Robert Cosby Sr. Through archival material, recorded sermons, and interviews with former congregants, family members, journalists, and a cult expert, the series examines allegations of spiritual and financial misconduct and traces the church’s evolution following a disputed transfer of leadership.
Friday
January 2nd, 2026
Dateline NBC
A new episode of Dateline NBC (season 34 episode 12) airs Friday at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.
Dateline NBC is a long-running newsmagazine that investigates crime, mystery, and other real-life stories through in-depth reporting and interviews. The series examines a single case or topic each episode, using detailed storytelling and investigative journalism to provide full context behind the events.
The Murder of Joanna Yeates
The Murder of Joanna Yeates is a feature-length documentary arriving in the U.S. on January 2, 2026 via Sundance Now and AMC+. The 91-minute film originally premiered in the U.K. in April 2025.
The documentary revisits the 2010 killing of Bristol-based landscape architect Joanna Yeates, examining how the case unfolded amid an intense media spotlight. With a focus on investigative missteps, public perception, and the damage caused by speculation, the film explores the broader impact of media sensationalism while tracing the path toward accountability.
Head to the January Surveillance Report to view the trailer.
Saturday
January 3rd, 2026
Cold Justice
Season 8 (“Inside the Investigation 807") will air Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with streaming availability following the network premiere. This special episode offers additional insights and behind-the-scenes details from the case.
Cold Justice follows former prosecutor Kelly Siegler and a team of seasoned investigators as they partner with local law enforcement to work active and long-dormant homicide cases. The series focuses on evidence review, field investigation, and collaborative detective work aimed at moving real cases closer to resolution.
Accident, Suicide or Murder
Accident, Suicide or Murder Season 6, Episode 7 (“Three Causes, One Death”) airs Saturday, at 8 p.m. ET on Oxygen with streaming available on the Oxygen app and website thereafter.
The series reexamines suspicious deaths where the cause is unclear, following investigators as they work to determine whether a life was lost by accident, by self-harm, or at the hands of someone else.
48 Hours
CBS is scheduled to air 48 Hours season 39 episode 11 on Saturday, January 3, at 10 p.m. ET, with streaming available on Paramount+. Specific episode numbers/topics have not been confirmed.
The long-running investigative series presents in-depth reporting on real cases, using interviews, archival material, and field investigation to trace each story from the first questions to the final outcome.
Stolen Girl
Stolen Girl is a Lifetime original docu-drama premiering January 3, 2026 on Lifetime as part of the network’s Ripped from the Headlines slate.
Inspired by real events, Stolen Girl is a movie based on the true story of Maureen Dabbagh, who spent 17 years searching for her daughter after she was taken by her ex-husband in 1993. The film dramatizes the personal toll of international parental abduction while grounding the story in the persistence behind a long and unresolved search.
Head to the January Surveillance Report to view the trailer.
Sunday
January 4th, 2026
Snapped
Snapped Season 36, Episode 1 (“Heather Hoffman”) premieres Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 6 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with streaming available on the Oxygen App.
Snapped is a long-running true crime series that examines cases involving women accused of murder, focusing on personal histories, relationships, and the circumstances that led to the crime. Through interviews, recreations, and firsthand accounts, the series traces how investigations unfolded and how motives emerged as each case came to light.
Killer Relationship With Faith Jenkins
Season 4, Episode 9 ("A Cruel Secret") airs Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on Oxygen, with streaming availability on the Oxygen app and website after broadcast.
Killer Relationship with Faith Jenkins explores cases where romantic or personal relationships unravel into violence. Former Manhattan prosecutor Faith Jenkins guides each episode, using her legal background to examine how trust, affection, and intimacy shifted toward jealousy, manipulation, and murder. Through interviews with families, friends, and law enforcement, the series traces each story from its promising beginnings to its fatal end.
Wrapping Up: December 29, 2025- January 4, 2026 New True Crime Premieres & Episodes
That closes out the new true crime premieres and returning episodes scheduled for the week ahead. Whether you’re mapping out your watchlist or tracking which investigations are still unfolding, this Weekly Drop keeps everything in one place so nothing slips through the cracks.
January’s Surveillance Report is on deck and will be published shortly, offering a full month-long look at new true crime releases, platforms, air dates, and upcoming documentaries. For a look at December, head over to December’s Surveillance Report.
If I missed a release or something new pops up, drop it in the comments and I’ll update the list.
All social links are below if you’d like to follow along, join the discussion, or stay current as new cases drop.
See you next week,
