True crime dramas are having a complete moment on TV right now, it’s a fact. So when the news that Under The Banner Of Heaven was finally making its way to the UK via Disney+, it was music to many a true crime fan’s ears.

The series, which lands on the streaming platform today (27 July), has been shrouded in controversy since it aired in the US. It’s been criticised by the Mormon church over its portrayal of the community, something that was widely expected given the subject matter – a murder within the Mormon community. In a day and age where the more controversial a TV show can be, the better, many would probably expect this series to be outright blasphemous. Instead, it’s quietly thought-provoking in the best way possible.

The plotline is a heavy one – the series explores the brutal real-life 1984 murders of Brenda Lafferty and her 15-month-old daughter, Erica. Brenda is played by Daisy Edgar-Jones and in the first episodes of the series, we start to get a sense of Brenda’s character, her motivations and her relationship with husband Allen Lafferty (Billy Howle), who we meet covered in blood and who is the prime suspect in the case. 

The series relies on flashbacks and present-day scenes with the Lafferty family and the investigating officer at the helm of the murder case, Detective Jeb Pyre, played by Andrew Garfield. His relationship to the case is the driving force behind this series – as well as uncovering what actually happened to Brenda and Erica – but it’s his growing inner turmoil around his religion that makes for a compelling watch.

True crime dramas often rely on the same tropes: shock, deceit, gore and anguish. Under The Banner Of Heaven certainly has all of those elements but its exploration of the Mormon church and the origins of the religion is what makes this such a different watch to other true crime content.

As Pyre investigates the Lafferty family, he is forced to confront his devotion to the faith, which may be the reason behind Brenda and Erica’s deaths. The series forces us to ask the question: what are you left to do when the belief system you’ve always lived by is responsible for such a disaster? 

As well as a chilling subject matter, the series also benefits from how close everything feels; proximity is something you just can’t hide from. Utah forms the backdrop of everything and, like the people in the series who live there, it feels like there’s no escaping from the prying eyes, judgment and whispers that dominate the community here.

It’s part of the intrigue behind Brenda, the beaming, bright new member of the Lafferty family who seems to be well-meaning and friendly to her husband’s brothers. The aspiring newsreader soon becomes a point of contention within the family who onced welcomed her with open arms, though, as she seeks to rock the boat when it comes to confronting the patriarchal community she’s found herself in.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has its largest religious denomination in the state of Utah and the series does a good job of showing just how religiously minded this community is. 

Police officers are devout religious people, letting their beliefs guide them in their investigations – like Pyre – and most people we meet are of the same belief system, white and connected to the church in some way. Apart from Pyre’s partner, Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham), there doesn’t seem to be much understanding (or recognition) of the world outside of Mormonism. For that reason, it feels sinister and claustrophobic. The church, the community, the Lafferty family all begin to feel as if they’re piling on top of you, making Under The Banner Of Heaven a seriously dark watch. 

Although the series is a slow-burning one and the episodes are wrapped up in emotion, history and questions, you simply can’t tear your eyes away. Blink and you may miss a facial expression change that points to a wider issue, look away and you may not see just how the Lafferty brothers are looking at Brenda. The clues are there in this true crime drama – but not in the way you may expect.

All episodes of Under The Banner Of Heaven are available to stream on Disney+ now. 

Images: Disney+