Under the Banner of Heaven (miniseries)
| Company type | Miniseries |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | April 28, 2022 |
| Founder | Dustin Lance Black (developer) |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | True crime drama television series |
| Website | www |
Under the Banner of Heaven is a true crime drama miniseries from the United States, developed by Dustin Lance Black. It adapts Jon Krakauer's 2003 nonfiction work, which recounts the story of brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who committed the murders of their sister-in-law and her child in 1984. The show debuted on April 28, 2022, via FX on Hulu. Leading roles feature Andrew Garfield and Gil Birmingham portraying detectives probing the homicide and its connections to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Critics largely praised the series, particularly highlighting the performances of Garfield and Wyatt Russell. Nonetheless, it reignited debate concerning its depiction of the LDS faith, with family members of the victims and law enforcement officials pointing out notable discrepancies from actual occurrences.
Premise
Detective Jeb Pyre confronts a crisis of faith while investigating the murder of a Latter-day Saint mother and her infant, a case intertwined with the doctrines and community of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).
Main
- Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre, a Latter-day Saint investigator based in East Rockwell, Utah
- Gil Birmingham as Detective Bill Taba, a Southern Paiute who is not affiliated with the LDS Church
- Adelaide Clemens as Rebecca Pyre, spouse of Jeb
- Sandra Seacat as Josie Pyre, Jeb’s mother living with dementia
Lafferty Family
- Daisy Edgar-Jones as Brenda Lafferty
- Billy Howle as Allen Lafferty
- Wyatt Russell as Dan Lafferty
- Chloe Pirrie as Matilda Lafferty
- Sam Worthington as Ron Lafferty
- Denise Gough as Dianna Lafferty
- Seth Numrich as Robin Lafferty, character inspired by Mark Lafferty
- Rory Culkin as Samuel Lafferty, based on Watson Lafferty, Jr.
- Britt Irvin as Sarah Lafferty
- Christopher Heyerdahl as Ammon Lafferty, family patriarch modeled after Watson Lafferty
- Megan Leitch as Doreen Lafferty
- Taylor St. Pierre as Jacob Lafferty
Recurring
- Darren Goldstein as Mr. Wright
- Andrew Burnap as Joseph Smith
- Tyner Rushing as Emma Smith
- Scott Michael Campbell as Brigham Young
- Nicholas Carella as Bernard Brady
- Barclay Hope as Chief Rick Belnap
- Rohan Mead as Officer Morris
- Dean Paul Gibson as Prophet Onias
- Daniel Libman as Stake President Roy Ballard
- Jerod Blake as Desk Cop
- Scott Olynek as Officer Denney
Production
Initially envisioned in 2011 as a feature film, the project evolved into a miniseries by June 2021, with Dustin Lance Black penning the script and David Mackenzie directing. The principal cast was led by Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones, with additional actors such as Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell, Denise Gough, Rory Culkin, and Gil Birmingham confirmed by August.
To ensure cultural and historical accuracy, consultants included Lindsay Hansen Park from the Sunstone Education Foundation and Troy Williams representing Equality Utah. Park described her contribution as a means to "keep us honest," assisting in portraying the insular community authentically.
Filming occurred in Calgary between August and December 2021 to optimize production logistics and manage costs. The series sought to strike a balance between faithful representation of events and compelling narrative, targeting audiences interested in true crime intertwined with religious drama.
Release
The series made its debut on April 28, 2022, via FX on Hulu and was later launched internationally on Disney+ through the Star hub, as well as on Star+ in Latin American markets. Its first appearance on traditional cable television occurred on the FX channel on March 7, 2023.
In November 2023, Disney Entertainment finalized a distribution agreement with ITV, enabling the series Under the Banner of Heaven to be streamed on ITVX in the United Kingdom, where it premiered on February 26, 2024.
Viewership
According to data from Whip Media, which monitors over 21 million users of its TV Time application, Under the Banner of Heaven was identified as April 2022’s most eagerly awaited new series. The market intelligence company Parrot Analytics observed a 98% increase in viewer demand following the third episode, placing it fifth in demand rankings between late April and early May. Additionally, streaming aggregator Reelgood listed it as the seventh most-watched show across platforms in early May, with its ranking varying between fifth and ninth through the end of that month.
After the series finale aired on June 2, 2022, Parrot Analytics noted a further 9% rise in demand, with the show achieving nearly 19.4 times the average demand for U.S. television series.
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 87%, based on evaluations from 52 critics, with an average score of 7.50 out of 10. The critical consensus remarks that although Under the Banner of Heaven sometimes becomes overwhelmed by extensive backstory, its procedural narrative is enhanced by a nuanced exploration of individual faith. Meanwhile, Metacritic assigned a score of 71 out of 100 from 25 critic reviews, indicating generally favorable feedback.
Historian Patrick Q. Mason commented that the show perpetuates a longstanding tradition in American media of depicting Mormons as inherently violent. In The Atlantic, journalist McKay Coppins criticized the series for portraying Mormons in a demonizing manner and for lacking authentic faith perspectives, noting that no practicing members of the Church were involved in writing or consulting roles. Contrarily, Lindsay Hansen Park asserted that numerous Latter-day Saints—including bishops and Relief Society Presidents—were consulted during production, some choosing to remain anonymous.
Randy Johnson, who served as American Fork police chief during the original 1984 murder investigation, stated that while the book is considerably more accurate than the television adaptation, the series does not accurately represent real individuals or investigative procedures and is "clearly a work of fiction." Sharon Wright Weeks, sister to victim Brenda Lafferty, expressed no resentment toward actress Edgar-Jones but remarked that she did not see an authentic portrayal of her sister in the show.
Accolades
External links
- Under the Banner of Heaven available on FX
- Under the Banner of Heaven streaming on Hulu
- Articles with short description
- 2022 American television series debuts
- 2022 American television series endings
- 2020s American crime drama television series
- 2020s American drama television miniseries
- 2020s American police procedural television series
- Cultural depictions of Brigham Young
- Cultural depictions of Joseph Smith
- FX on Hulu original programming
- Mormonism in fiction
- Television series by Imagine Entertainment
- Television series set in 1984
- Television shows based on non-fiction books
- Television shows filmed in Calgary
- Television shows set in Utah
- True crime television series