Under the Banner of Heaven: Everything we know about the Hulu drama series from cast to plot and how to watch it

published 2 May 2022

When it comes to the best TV shows, we're always after something new to sink our teeth into. Whether it's one of the new Netflix shows like Bridgerton Season 2 or the new Persuasion on Netflix, it's clear that our appetite for a binge seemingly has no end. The latest show that has everyone talking is Under The Banner of Heaven has recently dropped, and it has caused quite the stir.

The new true-crime drama series is based on the non-fiction book of the same name, written by Jon Krakauer, which was published in 2003.

Now, almost 20 years later, the chilling text has been created into a seven-part FX limited series on Hulu.

The production, which stars Spiderman star Andrew Garfield and Normal People actor Daisy Edgar Jones, is definitely one to watch, but what is the plot about, and how can we watch it? We have all the details.

Under The Banner Of Heaven is based on Jon Krakauer's 2003 book, and is set in the backdrop of the western frontier in America and Mormonism.

The series, and book, depict the double murder of Brenda Lafferty (born Wright) and her 15-month-old daughter Erica in 1984.

The plot follows Brenda's journey from being a beauty queen and local TV presenter with her sights set on a career in journalism, which is completely flipped on its head when she meets her husband Allen Lafferty.

Brenda is admired by women and the go-to for women wanting advice, support and to feel empowered, but this angered some in the community - in particular Allen Lafferty's brothers Dan and Ron, who murdered her and her baby after they believed Brenda was the reason Ron's wife left him.

In the series, an investigation is carried out by detectives Jeb Pyre, played by Andrew Garfield, and Bill Taba, portrayed by Gil Birmingham, to find out who was behind the bloody killings.

Under The Banner of Heaven has an impressive cast, which includes Andrew Garfield as detective Jeb Pyre, and Gil Birmingham as fellow detective Bill Taba.

Daisy Edgar-Jones, who shot to fame on the BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney's Normal People, takes on the role of Brenda Lafferty, while Billy Howle portrays her on-screen partner Allen Lafferty.

Rory Culkin stars as Samuel Lafferty, while Sam Worthington portrays his murderous brother Ron Lafferty.

Denise Gough, as well as Wyatt Russell and Adelaide Clemens, are also among the star-studded line-up.

Many TV and film buffs are eager to watch the series and questioned if Under The Banner of Heaven is on Netflix. Sadly, it's not.

However, Under The Banner of Heaven is available to watch on Fx on Hulu, and the first episode was released on 28 April on the streaming service.

Viewers can watch Under the Banner of Heaven on Hulu now, as the first instalment has dropped. If you're in the UK, you can get access to all of Hulu's services with a VPN - a piece of software that lets you change your online location. Our favourite VPN service is ExpressVPN - just FYI, it's rated the best VPN service in the world by our colleagues over on TechRadar.

It has been reported the series could also be making its way to Disney+, so stay tuned.

How many episodes are there?

There are seven episodes in the first series of Under the Banner of Heaven, which is plenty for you to sink your teeth into over the Bank Holiday weekend, or weekends in general.

Maisie is a writer and editor, covering Royal News, Showbiz, Lifestyle content, as well as Shopping Writing and E-Commerce, for print and digital publications, including Marie Claire, Hello!, Fabulous, Mail Online and Yahoo!.