FX’s “Under the Banner of Heaven” is the latest miniseries to explore the grizzly details of a real-life murder case, as television’s true-crime fascination continues to saturate Hollywood. Set in mid-1980s Salt Lake City, Utah, the story centers on devout detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) as he unravels the mystery around the murder of a single mother, Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones), and her 15-month-old child.
What begins as a horrifying tale in a mellow, religion-dominated suburb soon gives way to the dark underbelly of Latter-day Saints fundamentalism and violence, leading Pyre to question his own faith as he investigates the Lafferty family’s history.
Below, TheWrap breaks down everything you need to know about the series prior to your viewing, including where and when to watch.
When does “Under the Banner of Heaven” premiere?
The limited series, from Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black (who was brought up in the Mormon faith), premiered exclusively on Hulu April 28, as part of FX’s lineup of original programming developed for the streaming platform. The first two episodes are currently available to stream.
Where can I watch “Under the Banner of Heaven”?
You can watch the seven-episode series on Hulu, with weekly drops on Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET. The series finale will air June 2. Despite being an FX series, it is not airing on FX. You can only watch it on Hulu.
Who else is starring in “Under the Banner of Heaven”?
Aside from series stars Garfield and Edgar-Jones, the cast includes Taylor St. Pierre, Rohan Mead, Britt Irvin, Scott Michael Campbell, Tyner Rushing, Christopher Heyerdahl, Alayna Edwards, Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell, Rory Culkin, Gil Birmingham, Billy Howle, Denise Gough and newcomer Beau McHattie.
Is the limited series based on a true story?
Yes. “Under the Banner of Heaven” is inspired by “Into the Wild” non-fiction author and journalist Jon Krakauer’s 2003 best-selling true-crime book, “Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith.”
While Black largely follows the facts of the case presented in Krakauer’s book, Garfield’s character was created for the show.
What other shows and movies can I watch the cast in?
Garfield has had a stand-out year, earning an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of playwright Jonathan Larson in Netflix’s “Tick, Tick…Boom!” He also portrayed another religious figure (this one, being very real) in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” opposite Jessica Chastain (currently streaming on HBO Max). He also starred in “The Amazing Spider-Man” films, “Hacksaw Ridge” and “The Social Network” (streaming on Netflix).
Edgar-Jones is most known for another Hulu series, “Normal People,” based on novelist Sally Rooney’s book of the same name. She was also in the streamer’s black comedy-thriller “Fresh,” opposite Sebastian Stan.
Worthington is most known for his role in “Avatar,” while Russell was recently in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Birmingham’s credits include “Twilight,” “Yellowstone” and “Hell or High Water.”