Dark Winds

Dark Winds is an American psychological thriller television series created by Graham Roland based on the Leaphorn & Chee novel series by Tony Hillerman. It premiered on AMC and AMC+ on June 12, 2022, with the first season consisting of six episodes. After its premiere, the series was renewed for a six-episode second season, which premiered on July 30, 2023. In September 2023, the series was renewed for a third season.
Premise
The series follows two Navajo police officers, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, in the 1970s Southwest. The first season is primarily based on Listening Woman (1978) and elements of People of Darkness (1980). The second season adapts People of Darkness.
Cast and characters
Main
Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn, a veteran tribal police lieutenant based in Kayenta, a town in Navajo County.
Kiowa Gordon as Jim Chee, an undercover FBI agent who becomes Leaphorn's newest deputy.
Jessica Matten as Bernadette Manuelito, a Navajo tribal police sergeant who is sharp as a tack and works closely with Leaphorn.
Deanna Allison as Emma Leaphorn, Leaphorn's wife and a nurse.
Rainn Wilson as Dan "Devoted Dan" DeMarco (season 1), a degenerate missionary and used-car dealer who relies on his faith to recruit followers.
Elva Guerra as Sally Growing Thunder, a pregnant teenager who is taken in by the Leaphorns.
Jeremiah Bitsui as James Tso / Hoski (season 1), a secretive Navajo priest.
Eugene Brave Rock as Frank Nakai (season 1), a Vietnam War veteran and member of the Buffalo Society, an extremist group.
Noah Emmerich as Leland Whitover (season 1), a burned-out FBI agent whose career is dying and who is Chee's handler.
Nicholas Logan as Colton Wolf (season 2)
Recurring
Natalie Benally as Natalie Bluehouse
DezBaa' as Helen Atcitty
Ryan Begay as Guy Atcitty
John Diehl as B.J. Vines (seasons 1–2)
Jonathan Adams as Lester (season 1)
Rob Tepper as Pete Samuels (season 1)
Amelia Rico as Ada Growing Thunder (season 1)
Jeri Ryan as Rosemary Vines (season 2)
A Martinez as Sheriff Gordo Sena (season 2)
Jacqueline Byers as Mary Landon (season 2)
Episodes
Season 1 (2022)
Season 2 (2023)
Production
Development
In July 2021, it was announced that AMC had greenlighted Dark Winds for a six-episode order. The series is created by Graham Roland, who executive produces with Zahn McClarnon, George R. R. Martin, Robert Redford, Tina Elmo, Vince Gerardis, Vince Calandra, and Chris Eyre. Redford previously produced four other adaptations of the Leaphorn & Chee series: The Dark Wind (1991), Skinwalkers (2002), Coyote Waits (2003), and A Thief of Time (2004). Calandra served as showrunner, and Eyre directed the pilot. The series is produced by AMC Networks and Dark Winds Productions. In May 2022, Sanford Bookstaver was announced as an additional director.
In June 2022, AMC renewed the series for a six-episode second season. John Wirth replaced Calandra as showrunner for the second season. Billy Luther, who wrote for season 1, directed an episode of season 2.
In September 2023, the series was renewed for a third season, which is expected to premiere in early 2025.
Writing
The writers' room is all Native American. In addition to Roland, writers on the series include Anthony Florez, Maya Rose Dittloff, Razelle Benally, Billy Luther, Erica Tremblay, John Wirth, Rhiana Yazzie, Max Hurwitz, DezBaa', Steven P. Judd, and Jason Gavin.
Casting
Alongside the series announcement, Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon were cast as Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. In August 2021, Noah Emmerich was cast as Whitover. Jessica Matten was cast as Bernadette Manuelito. Rainn Wilson was cast as Devoted Dan in early September. In February 2022, it was revealed that Deanna Allison would make her television acting debut on the show as Leaphorn's wife, Emma.
In the second season, Nicholas Logan and Jeri Ryan joined the cast as Colton Wolf and Rosemary Vines, respectively.
Filming
Filming took place in numerous locations in the Navajo Nation, which occupies portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southeastern Utah. Filming for the first season took place in all three states, beginning on August 23, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Location shooting in New Mexico occurred in Española, Tesuque Pueblo, Cochiti Pueblo and Abiquiú. In mid-October, the series filmed in Mexican Hat, Utah, and Arizona's Monument Valley and Kayenta. Filming was expected to wrap on November 11, 2021.
The second season began filming in November 2022 in Santa Fe and Tesuque Pueblo and wrapped in March 2023.
Reception
Critical response
For the first season of Dark Winds, review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.1/10, based on 30 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Zahn McClarnon is riveting as a coiled cop in Dark Winds, a solid procedural that derives much of its texture from an underrepresented cultural milieu." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 80 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.3/10, based on 12 reviews. The critical consensus reads, "Dark Winds sophomore season is just as captivating as its predecessor, with Zahn McClarnon reaffirming his indispensable gravitas as a leading man." Metacritic assigned a score of 84 out of 100 based on 9 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".
The Navajo Times criticized the series for lacking authenticity in its representation of Navajo people and language. Series director Chris Eyre responded to the criticism, and commented, "It's critically important to all of us that we represent the culture correctly. If there's course-correction to be made, we're happy to do that." For the second season, the series hired Navajo cultural advisor George R. Joe to help create more accurate portrayals of the Navajo culture.
Awards and nominations
In April 2023, the first episode of the first season, "Monster Slayer", was honored as an Outstanding Fictional Television Drama by the Western Heritage Awards of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
In May 2023, Dark Winds received several Vision Awards from the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC). It received the award for Best Drama, and for Best Performance in a Drama Series, awarded to Zahn McClarnon.
Notes
References
External links
at AMC
2022 American television series debuts
Neo-Western television series
Psychological thriller television series
2020s American crime drama television series
2020s Western (genre) television series
Television series set in the 1970s
Television shows filmed in New Mexico
Television shows set in the United States
Television series based on American novels
Television shows about Native Americans
AMC (TV channel) original programming