by Aaron Schweitzer, Editor
When I saw the promo for Under the Banner of Heaven, I knew it was going to be must-see television. It’s well known, especially in my recent The Amazing Spider-Man 2 article, that I am a big fan of Andrew Garfield. I am also a big fan of detective stories, and psychological thrillers are my favorite genre. Going into this show, my guess was that this would essentially be comparable to the first season of True Detective, but with a little more emphasis on religiosity. Under the Banner of Heaven is must-see television, but not in the way that must-see television typically presents itself. Telling a semi-familiar tale, the true heart of this story makes you focus on, question, and re-evaluate your worldview.
Before we get into that, there are a couple of things that absolutely deserve to be recognized. The standout of this show is the script. Based on a book by Jon Krakauer, Under the Banner of Heaven tells the true story of the complexities of the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her 15-month old child, Erica, in 1984. While I am unfamiliar with the book (I’ve bought it since the show premiered), it is a story that I had heard, but knew nothing about. So, as a disclaimer, I have no idea what is factual and what is made up for storytelling purposes. Either way, the script delivers in this tightly told, seven-episode series. The show also intertwines the modern story with the story of Joseph Smith leading the early Mormons, and shows their connections to the modern day context. Each scene feels necessary, and plays into the larger narrative of what is really going on.
Speaking of things that are made up for the screen, I am aware that at least Andrew Garfield’s character, Jeb Pyre, is fictional for the purposes of the show, but Garfield gives an incredible performance, and you can expect him to be a big name at this years’ awards shows. He excels with roles involving faith-based people who wrestle with their ideology and convictions (see: Silence and Hacksaw Ridge). It should be no surprise, then, that he is the standout performer of this series.
Another noteworthy performance in this series is Gil Birmingham as Jeb’s partner, who is every bit as good as Garfield. Birmingham’s Detective Taba has a crucial role in this series by being the voice of reason in a story so intertwined with the world of the LDS Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) in Utah. His role also involves him not being a total jerk in doing so. Daisy Edgar-Jones, Wyatt Russell, Sam Worthington, Denise Gough, Chloe Pirrie, Seth Numrich, and Rory Culkin are given some of the most to work with, and excel in their respective roles.
Okay, let’s get to why this show is probably going to be my favorite of the year. When I started it, I expected a detective story that focuses on the wrestle and likely collapse of faith of our main character. As the show went on, there seem to be two clear related messages it is trying to explore. The first is a cautionary tale of the dangers of radical faith unchecked, and the second is about community, or really lack thereof, with those people.
There is a scene around episode four where it really clicks what the show is trying to accomplish. As the detectives are unraveling this complex case, they get a piece of the story that helps them establish their theory, which winds up being correct. Essentially, after already understanding the Lafferty’s movement to avoid taxes and all other government regulations, they find out about their exploration of polygamy again. As they continue to break laws of both government and Mormon Church, the question Pyre and Taba ask is if they can justify not paying taxes or obeying the police, then move to justifying multiple marriages, how soon before they justify blood atonement? It is a big jump to make, but in the context of the show, the clear mental distress of Ron and Dan Lafferty, and even the context of modern day religious people and institutions, it doesn’t seem that far-fetched anymore!
Leading to the second message, the show then turns with Garfield’s Jeb Pyre wrestling with his association to those people via the LDS Church. These people who would brutally murder Brenda and her infant child claim to adhere to the same moral values as Jeb, who is a very faithful, abiding person. At the end of the show, it is clear that Garfield doubts what he has grown up believing, but the show doesn’t necessarily reveal where he stands, other than his happiness to still be with his family and for justice to be served to the murderers.
I do not think I stand alone when I say, as a Christian, even as an ordained minister, it becomes increasingly hard to associate with people who claim to believe the same thing, but go against everything I believe that means. Looking at the way that churches and religious individuals have responded to masks, vaccines, Roe v. Wade, gun rights, election results, Pride Month, racial discrimination, and so many other issues, this show perfectly exemplifies what my biggest struggle over the last few years has been. The thing that is trying to pull me away from the Church is not things from outside, but from people inside. We have this motto in Christianity that we like to throw around saying that nobody is perfect, and the Church isn’t a club for the holy, but a hospital for the sick. While I firmly believe that to be the ideal, it certainly isn’t the reality. To be clear, I am not saying I don’t believe or anything like that, but what I am trying to say is that Jeb is the character I have most related to in a long long time. And just like Jeb, I wrestle with this every single day and understand why people are abandoning or distancing themselves from their faith.
Sorry if that got too preachy for you, but that is why I think this show was so impactful for me. The show itself doesn’t feel preachy — if anything it feels anti-preachy. Under the Banner of Heaven connected to me in a way I think most people connected to Bo Burnham: Inside last year. It just feels so raw and like this was made just for me and my experience. I simply cannot recommend this show enough, and it should impact you no matter what worldview you hold; but it may just rock you to your core like it did me.
Score: 10/10
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