‘Below the Banner of Heaven’ and ‘Shining Women’ overview: Andrew Garfield and Elisabeth Moss megastar in crime dramas that obtain a combined verdict

Enjoying like a pass between “True Detective” and “Large Love,” “Below the Banner of Heaven” starts with the grotesque homicide of a lady (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her kid, exposing the type of darkish secrets and techniques that small communities increased to true-crime standing invariably appear to include.

Tailored from Jon Krakauer’s ebook via Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”), the seven-episode sequence stars Andrew Garfield — coming off “Spider-Guy: No Method House” 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 high suspect. However the investigation reveals extra insidious roots that trace at a bigger conspiracy, one who comes to the sprawling Lafferty circle of relatives’s embody of fundamentalist rules and the sordid practices associated with them.

The framing is a little bit flabby, because the flashbacks slowly putty in how the outspoken lady would possibly have turn out to be a homicide goal. Nor does it lend a hand that the narrative flashes as far back as the tale of church founder Joseph Smith and the ones origins — a component of the ebook that, as offered on this structure, rather distracts from the extra recent plot, as though the tale has taken an abrupt detour right into a Historical past channel docudrama.

Nonetheless, the central thriller supplies a formidable hook, and the fabric is increased via an inordinately just right solid, with Sam Worthington, Wyatt Russell and Rory Culkin as Allen’s older siblings, with Allen chillingly pronouncing, “I could not pay attention the holy spirit in the similar approach my brothers may” after telling Pyre, “You is probably not as just right a Mormon as you assume.”

“Below the Banner of Heaven” is not fairly a really perfect display, however it is a solidly just right one, which is greater than will also be stated for “Shining Women,” which most commonly squanders a solid headlined via Elisabeth Moss, who doubles as its manufacturer.

Jamie Bell co-stars because the mysterious time-traveler, whilst Phillipa Soo (“Hamilton”) is any other doable sufferer. But the rationale for this science-fiction-style spin on a serial-killer tale is left somewhat obscure regardless of the necessary flashbacks — it is unclear what the foundations are — now not that the ones main points make quite a lot of distinction because the challenge kicks into mystery mode down the stretch.

Moss is clearly a draw, however even she will handiest do such a lot with skinny and complicated subject material. Whilst “Shining Women” turns out doubtlessly intriguing to start with look, by the point one has watched to the tip of its disappointing 8 episodes its mild is flickering, and for audience, it’s going to be too overdue 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 department of Apple.)