The first two episodes of Hulu's newest series, Under the Banner of Heaven, transport viewers back into the 80s where horrific crime has shaken a small Mormon town to its core. As expected, the premiere episodes set the tone for the grizzly true story, including the introduction of the victim, the suspects, and the history of the LDS Church. The format of the series is inspired by Jon Krauker's 2003 non-fiction novel, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith, which explored the horrid 1984 murders of Brenda and Erica Lafferty, and the history of the LDS Church.
The Hulu series' first episode, "When God Was Lovely," establishes the personal contradiction that Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) begins to endure after exploring the brutal crime scene of Brenda (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her 15-month-old daughter Erica. The Lafferty name's heavy association with the LDS Church and Mormonism strikes a nerve with Jeb, who is not only a Mormon himself, but previously had personal associations with the family through the church. "Rightful Place" builds on the investigation, throwing a few surprises in the faces of the detectives.
"When God Was Lovely" alternates between the initial investigation of the crime that begins with the interrogation of Brenda's husband Allen (Billy Howle), glimpses into Brenda's life with the Laffertys, and the history of the LDS Church. Allen recounts early memories of his relationship with Brenda, beginning with the time he first introduced them to one another. From their first meeting, Brenda is a notable standout from the rest of the family due to her outspoken and ambitious nature, making the tension between her and the Laffertys clear. Allen himself is portrayed as the black sheep amongst his brothers. Allen also suggests that because of Brenda's beauty, that several of his brothers took a liking to her upon their initial meeting. Despite Allen's initial impression, both "When God Was Lovely" and "Rightful Place," quickly reveal the not-so-subtle warnings for Allen to get Brenda to fall in line, just as the other Lafferty women have.
As information continues to come to light regarding Brenda and the Lafferty family's behavior and beliefs, Jeb struggles to make sense of such a brutal crime toward a mother and child. With two young daughters and a wife of his own, the Lafferty murders resonate with Jeb to an alarming degree. He is balanced and grounded by his fellow detective, Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham). Unlike Jeb and a majority of the town, Bill isn't Mormon and has experience with crimes like this. Bill's previous experience working in Las Vegas makes him a valuable asset to the team. Rather than a traditional good cop, bad cop dynamic, Jeb and Bill are simply two detectives hailing from two different understandings. Rather than his experience with horrid crime, Jeb uses his own knowledge and understanding of the church and his faith to connect with and extract information from the Laffertys in custody.
In two, hour-long episodes, Allen provides tons of unnerving details about his family. He recalls his father Ammon (Christopher Heyerdahl) killing a dog to teach them about responsibility, and leaving Dan (Wyatt Russell) in charge to spite his oldest, Ron (Sam Worthington). Ammon also appoints Robin (Seth Numrich) as Dan's right hand, creating further tension amongst the brothers. Ammon's authority within the family is rooted in intimidation, and Dan and Robin's pressure to keep the business afloat in Ammon's absence is amplified by their need to prove themselves in his eyes. Brenda's attempts to provide helpful insight only alienate her from the brothers further, while making her much more alluring to their wives.
Edgar-Jones is virtuously confident and nearly angelic in her performance as Brenda in these early episodes. Her interactions with Dan's wife, Matilda (Chloe Pirrie), demonstrate her appreciation of her faith and support for women's equality. Brenda's confidence causes issues between the men but impresses the wives, and only makes Allen fall further in love with her. Edgar-Jones' crowning moments in the premiere episodes are best demonstrated in two scenes: where Brenda comforts Matilda as she struggles to acclimate to her new role, and one between Brenda and an older colleague who locks her inside a broadcast room with him. Brenda calls out his inappropriateness and leverages it to get time on television, which excites Allen, and further upsets the Lafferty brothers.
While Edgar-Jones, Russell, Worthington, and Pirrie do amazing work in the flashback sequences, there are some wonderful scenes set in the present. As Jeb explores the crime scene for the first time in "When God Was Lovely," Garfield is phenomenal at telling the story of his findings, without the camera having to show a thing. His tear-filled eyes as he peers into the presumed nursery, say more than any shot of the crime scene could. The interrogation scene between Garfield, Birmingham, and Howle, is also one of the highlights of the first episode. Garfield and Howle's remarkable chemistry continues in "Rightful Place," as Garfield continues to seek answers. Allen repeatedly tries to challenge Jeb by asking questions about Jeb's own beliefs, and the thin border between his personal life and the nature of the crime, and Allen's questions, upsets Jeb.
From the sets to David Mackenzie's direction and Dustin Lance Black's writing, there is a lot to value in Under the Banner of Heaven's first two episodes. In setting the scene of not only the crime but the stripped origins of the faith that the Laffertys turn to for guidance, the performances of the series' cast are spectacular. Garfield and Birmingham are exceptional on-screen together and Howle, Numrich, Russell, and Worthington, all deliver unnerving performances as various Lafferty brothers. Though only seen briefly in these first two episodes, Rory Culkin's role as Sam Lafferty is sure to become another impressive performance in the grim climate of Under the Banner of Heaven. The glimpse of him in the trailer for the series suggests that he, like his brothers, will be found and brought in for questioning.
The first two episodes of Under the Banner of Heaven are now streaming on Hulu.