TV Show Review - Under the Banner of Heaven (Mini Series)

Season: Mini Series
Genre: Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Number of episodes: 7
Year: 2022
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Denise Gough, Gil Birmingham, Billy Howle     

Description: A devout detective’s (Andrew Garfield_ faith is tested as he investigates a brutal murder seemingly connected to an esteemed Utah family’s spiral into LDS fundamentalism and their distrust in the government.

Review: “Under the Banner of Heaven” tells the true story of the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her young daughter Erica. This horrific event took place against the backdrop of the Mormon faith, and the series shows us how fundamentalists wish to take the world of God especially “literally” when it benefits their own desires. When detective Jeb Pyre investigates the murder and sees how his faith is abused, he begins to doubt the Mormon community and his rock-solid faith in it.

This seven=part miniseries manages to unfold a complex psychological drama at an even pace. Jeb and his partner, Bill Taba, discover bit by bit who is driving the madness. Andrew Garfield convincingly portrays Jeb’s inner struggle. Bill offers some level-headedness and humor to compensate, making him a much-needed sidekick. The dynamic between the two is very interesting, but underlit.

At the beginning of the series, the focus is mostly on the life of the murdered Brenda. She is portrayed as a woman who will not let anyone tell her what she can and cannot do. She is a firm believer, but refuses to simply conform to bossy men and the entrenched patriarchy. Brenda has her own dreams and ambitions and stands by the other women in the Lafferty family. Daisy Edgar-Jones gives Brenda both strength and vulnerability, making her a nuanced and equally sympathetic character.

Then there are the Lafferty brothers. Throughout the series it becomes clear who played what role in the drama that unfolded. Strong is how seemingly good people slowly turn into monsters. Although religion condones their actions, it is a misplaced sense of power that really drives them. In doing so, the series does not condemn strict believers and religion, when it easily could have. It does, however, strongly show how a religious community can hold its hands over people who commit bad acts for the sake of its reputation.

The nuance the series brings to these issues makes you want to keep watching. Jeb is so sympathetic, the viewer can easily imagine the appeal of a solid faith, but also how its faltering can turn your whole life upside down. How Jeb deals with this is enough to hold the attention, and trying to find out what happened to Brenda. Even though the series is a slow burn.

In the end, Under the Banner of Heaven brings everything together nicely. There is a good balance between Jeb's disillusionment and the hopeful twist that is ultimately attached to the tragedy. The viewer is challenged to think about faith and crime and what the connection between them is. Above all, however, it is a deeply human story in which inhumane acts ensure that at times you are really grabbed by the throat.