Under the Banner of Heaven was a major streaming hit three years ago after airing on Hulu and Disney+. Two years after its initial release, the seven-part crime drama was added to ITV, and now it has found a new home: Prime.
The series is based on the real-life murders of Brenda Lafferty and her baby daughter, Erica, which had previously been written about in 2003 in a book carrying the same title as the series. Although based on a true crime, the series itself isn't intended as a historical adaptation, with police and relatives of the victim noting fictionalised elements.
A synopsis for the series reads: "A devout detective's 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."
Away from its A-list cast, which includes Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones, the series was created by Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. As well as the crime, another key aspect of the show is lead detective Jeb Pyre's crisis of faith, with the murder taking place within a family of Latter-Day Saints, also known as Mormons.
Dustin himself grew up in a Mormon household, having his own crisis of faith due to his sexuality.
Reception
Under the Banner of Heaven immediately gripped fans, with many showering the drama with praise. One penned: "What an amazing show. Whilst I agree with all the other reviews stating Andrew Garfield being superb you can't forget the rest of the cast, they are all fantastic and make this show a definite must see. It is infuriating at times that there are actually people out there like this but that makes it even more gripping and keeps you hooked.
A second added: "This show is worth watching for Garfield's performance alone. He leads a star-studded cast who all do an outstanding job," while a third wrote: "The writing and acting for this show is fantastic and I binged through the entire season in just a few days."
© Alamy Stock PhotoMeanwhile, a fourth commented: "This plot is intricate and emerging so if you don't appreciate a slow build and want something simplistic, don't watch and certainly don't review. Every episode gets better as we are immersed more deeply in a world digging backwards to a dark history."
However, the series received mixed critical reviews, including from Philip Concannon of the BFI, who opined: "Dustin Lance Black's seven-part true-crime miniseries has been in the works for years – but despite fine performances from Andrew Garfield and Gil Birmingham, the show’s gestation period has left it unwieldy and unfocused."
© Alamy Stock PhotoDespite this, it still boasts an 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with its consensus reading: "While Under the Banner of Heaven gets bogged down by an overabundance of backstory, its procedural through-line is enriched by a thoughtful introspection on personal faith."
Who stars in Under the Banner of Heaven?
The miniseries boasted an A-list cast, including The Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Byrne and Normal People's Daisy Edgar-Jones as murder victim Brenda Lafferty. They're joined by Gil Birmingham (Twilight), Adelaide Clemens (The Great Gatsby) and Sandra Seacat (The Rose).
© Alamy Stock PhotoAlso featured in the cast are Billy Howle (The Serpent), Wyatt Russell (Black Mirror), Chloe Pirrie (Dept. Q), Sam Worthington (Avatar), Denise Gough (Andor), Seth Numrich (Madam Secretary), Rory Culkin (Signs), Britt Irvin (Chesapeake Shores), Christopher Heyerdahl (Stargate: Atlantis) and Megan Leitch (The X-Files).
