‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ flies high, while ‘Shining Girls’ doesn’t

Taking part in like a cross between “True Detective” and “Massive Love,” “Below the Banner of Heaven” begins with the grotesque homicide of a girl (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her youngster, exposing the form of darkish secrets and techniques that small communities elevated to true-crime standing invariably appear to comprise.

Tailored from Jon Krakauer’s e book by Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”), the seven-episode sequence stars Andrew Garfield — coming off “Spider-Man: No Approach Dwelling” and his Oscar nod for “Tick, Tick … Growth!” — as Jeb Pyre, the detective who catches the case, which leaves widowed husband Allen Lafferty (Billy Howle) because the prime suspect. However the investigation finds extra insidious roots that trace at a bigger conspiracy, one which entails the sprawling Lafferty household’s embrace of fundamentalist ideas and the sordid practices associated to them.

The framing is somewhat flabby, because the flashbacks slowly putty in how the outspoken girl may need grow to be a homicide goal. Nor does it assist that the narrative flashes approach again to the story of church founder Joseph Smith and people origins — a component of the e book that, as offered on this format, considerably distracts from the extra modern plot, as if the story has taken an abrupt detour right into a Historical past channel docudrama.

Nonetheless, the central thriller supplies a strong hook, and the fabric is elevated by an inordinately good forged, with Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell and Rory Culkin as Allen’s older siblings, with Allen chillingly saying, “I could not hear the holy spirit in the identical approach my brothers may” after telling Pyre, “You won’t be pretty much as good a Mormon as you suppose.”

“Below the Banner of Heaven” is not fairly an incredible present, nevertheless it’s a solidly good one, which is greater than will be mentioned for “Shining Women,” which largely squanders a forged headlined by Elisabeth Moss, who doubles as its producer.

Jamie Bell co-stars because the mysterious time-traveler, whereas Phillipa Soo (“Hamilton”) is one other potential sufferer. But the reason for this science-fiction-style spin on a serial-killer story is left moderately obscure regardless of the compulsory flashbacks — it is unclear what the principles are — not that these particulars make an entire lot of distinction because the challenge kicks into thriller mode down the stretch.

Moss is clearly a draw, however even she will be able to solely achieve this a lot with skinny and complicated materials. Whereas “Shining Women” appears probably intriguing at first look, by the point one has watched to the tip of its disappointing eight episodes its gentle is flickering, and for viewers, it’s going to be too late to hit the reset button.

“Below the Banner of Heaven” premieres April 28 on Hulu.

“Shining Women” premieres April 29 on Apple TV+. (Disclosure: My spouse works for a division of Apple.)