True crime can be very random to me – a disturbing scene in the second episode of The staircase was enough to get me off the show – but I was really compelled by FX’s limited run Under the banner of heaven, starring Andrew Garfield as a Mormon policeman investigating the grisly murder of a woman and her 15-month-old baby by religious fundamentalists. (Many others have been similarly coerced; it’s the most requested new show right now according to data reported in the Wrap)
The series is an adaptation of John Krakauer’s 2005 non-fiction book of the same title, and like the book, it investigates two twin histories: that of the Church of Latter-day Saints (or LDS, a movement of Christian restorationist who practices Mormonism), and the 1984 murder of Brenda Lafferty and her daughter Erica. (Honestly, I’m not that big of a fan of historical flashbacks; I think I’m too intellectually lazy at this point in my life. I should just read the Wikipedia page on LDS history and I’ll really understand what’s going on .) The modern story is interesting enough on its own: who are these men with braided beards who are currently suspected of the murder – aside from almost certainly polygamists and violent misogynists – and who are they targeting next? I also love watching Andrew Garfield, who is wonderful as always. —Shannon Keating
Where to watch: Hulu
I like it for you
I only saw four episodes of I like it for youand it would generally be difficult for me to make a strong recommendation after seeing so few shows, but this one is an exception.
The show stars SNL alum Vanessa Bayer as Joanna Gold, a childhood cancer survivor who dreams of becoming a host on home shopping channel SVN. When an opportunity arises for an opening on the beloved network, Bayer seizes it. She finally gets to work with her longtime hero, Jackie Stilton, a 30-year channel veteran played by the ever-perfect Molly Shannon. But the job isn’t as easy as it seems, and right after a disastrous moment on camera that costs the network money, Bayer is fired by the head of the network, Patricia (the iconic Jenifer Lewis). . To save herself, Bayer lies and says she has cancer, even though she hasn’t had the disease since she was a child. Patricia sees it as an opportunity to play on viewers’ emotions and boost sales.
Joanna keeps her lie close to the waistcoat (the only people who know about it are her parents), and you see the internal strife it causes as she rises through the ranks of the network while her co-workers grow increasingly jealous. Las Culturistas’ Matt Rogers notoriety shines as the irascible Darcy, Patricia’s devoted assistant, fulfilling all of his bosses’ wishes even as he sometimes opposes the logic behind his thinking. Darcy, along with Ayden Mayeri’s skeptical Beth, are co-workers who are complaining about Joanna’s apparent overnight rise on the network, which means it may only be a matter of time before the fake cancer story begins to unravel. Even if Darcy or Beth don’t find out Joanna’s secret, the ending of episode 4 complicates her lie in a way that will surely make viewers more uncomfortable the longer she continues the charade. The show is a delight, and the four episodes I saw left me wanting more, wishing I could binge the rest of the season. —Michael Blackmon
Where to watch: Showtime