There is an unspoken truth about television that the medium is oversaturated with programs about law enforcement officers solving crimes in their local communities. Tune into nearly any network on most weeknights, and there will be a police-based drama of some sort waiting for you. On occasion, these shows can excel far beyond the “cop drama” label, taking on a distinct life of their own with complex mysteries and compelling characters that soon brand the series as unique, groundbreaking, or perhaps even provocative. AMC’s Dark Winds is a series that has set a high bar for itself from the very beginning, aiming to tell niche but accessible stories about a very specific place and time (1970s Navajoland) that grip the viewer tightly. Every new season works, urging us to come back for more — and Season 3 is no exception to the rule. It certainly helps that the show has strong source material to pull from in Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee novels, as well as an impressive cast that includes Zahn McClarnon in the career-defining role of a lifetime.
‘Dark Winds’ Season 3 Throws Joe Leaphorn Into the Deep End

Image via AMC

Like previous seasons, Season 3 throws our heroes head-first into a new season-long (eight episodes this year, as opposed to the usual six) mystery that threatens to devour them whole. Based loosely on Dance Hall of the Dead and The Sinister Pig, this time around, our favorite members of the Navajo Tribal Police find themselves in differing starting positions. Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) has left the Navajo Nation behind to seek a career opportunity with the U.S. Border Patrol, while Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) has returned to the force, finally reconciling with his upbringing on the Rez. But easily the most riveting arc this season comes from McClarnon’s Lt. Joe Leaphorn, who wrestles with the weight of a secret that is bound to be found out, a secret that threatens to destroy his life beyond repair. After having left B.J. Vines (John Diehl) to die at the end of Season 2, Leaphorn is haunted by his sins. So, when a monster — known to the Navajo as a “Ye’iitsoh” — targets our hero directly, whether Leaphorn deserves his fate becomes the question at the forefront of our minds.
Dark Winds Season 3 opens with a powerful image of Joe Leaphorn lying wounded in the dirt, with a dart sticking out of his neck. David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” plays, baptizing us in the fear that he may not make it out alive. When he does awaken, he is as afraid as we are. Zahn McClarnon expertly conveys the terror in Leaphorn’s heart as he hides from the hideous creature beckoning him to the great beyond. It’s a harrowing picture to start with, but a thoughtful one nevertheless. It’s here that Dark Winds offers a quick glimpse of what’s in store for this season, with Leaphorn’s emotional turmoil at the very center. Horror, danger, and deep recesses of guilt plague our hero. While his prior actions may feel justifiable due to Vines’ involvement in the death of his son, Joe Leaphorn is a man of honor. He’s a man of principle. And that very code that the Navajo lieutenant has lived by for so long, has now been broken. It’s no wonder he is on the brink of death, though not merely in the physical sense.
As has been the case throughout all of Dark Winds, the biggest strength of this season is in McClarnon’s performance. Watching him play Joe Leaphorn is like watching a master craftsman at work. This was the role he was born to play, and if his work on Dark Winds was forever solidified as his most notable, it would be well worth it. As Leaphorn investigates this season’s case — which begins with the disappearance of two young boys — layers upon layers of character growth, personal history, and a tormented inner-thought life bubble and boil beneath the skin. Though McClarnon has played tribal law enforcement before on shows like Longmire and Reservation Dogs, those roles pale in comparison to the emotive prowess he brings to Joe Leaphorn. His ability to make us feel each and every mental tick as he adds up the surrounding circumstances is exceptional, and it feels as if some ominous countdown to destruction hangs overhead.

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‘Dark Winds’ Fate Decided Ahead of Season 3 Premiere on AMC

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Don’t Count Chee and Manuelito Out Yet in ‘Dark Winds’ Season 3

Image via AMC

Of course, McClarnon is not the only driving force behind Dark Winds. The themes of this new season stretch beyond just secrets and cover-ups, but also into the realms of criminal conspiracy and, yes, even love. At the center of these ideas is Matten’s Bernadette Manuelito, whose work with the Border Patrol makes her something of a fish out of water. Unlike what we’ve seen of Bern before, she’s a bit more reserved this season, at least at first. Away from Joe and the family she had on the Navajo Nation, she learns to be more private in her investigations, though remains as bold and decisive as ever. Matten does a terrific job offering a different look at Bernadette here while simultaneously maintaining the character’s moral values and deeply held beliefs. At the risk of spoiling anything, she more than holds her own opposite the likes of Alex Meraz’s Ivan Muños and Bruce Greenwood’s Tom Spenser, who each factor in as major players this season, albeit in different capacities.
When Season 2 ended, Bernadette and Jim Chee (Gordon) were seemingly going their separate ways, despite their obvious desire for one another. Season 3 continues to play the line here, offering very little in the way of clean romantic progression. While fans hoping for a more traditional romance between the pair may be disappointed by the intentional lack of development, don’t rule them out quite yet. If the books alone are our guide, there still remains hope for these two. However, Dark Winds makes it clear that each of them has work to do first — important work that speaks to who they are as individuals, as law enforcement officers, and as members of the Navajo community. While Bern uncovers a criminal conspiracy on the border, where Mexican women and God-knows-what-else are being trafficked into the U.S. under her nose, Chee is busy coming to terms with his past, reinserting himself into the community in a more positive light than before.
Speaking of, Kiowa Gordon is always a delight to watch as Jim Chee. He brings an earnestness to the role that simply can’t be beat, and this season enforces that in full. Last season, he was a bit of a lone player, working in the private sector without the help of a badge. That is not so here. Despite Leaphorn and Bernadette driving much of the narrative, Chee is the reason that Season 3 feels so cohesive. It would be easy to allow each of the three leads to follow their own story threads, only weaving them together at the very end, but Dark Winds doesn’t fall into that trap. Chee is the thread that connects Joe’s story with Bernadette’s, and each main plotline together. Not only does he insert himself organically back into the Navajo Nation (taking the proper steps to make amends with those he once found himself at odds with), but he does the same with the other cast members as well. Seeing Leaphorn and Chee work together again as a more traditional Tribal Police duo is a breath of fresh air, and Chee’s moments connecting back with Bern likewise feel direct and meaningful.
‘Dark Winds’ Season 3 Is Show’s Best Installment To Date

Having seen six of the eight episodes of Season 3 — which would have been the entire season any other year — it can be honestly said that this is the best season of Dark Winds yet. Season 1 certainly blew many viewers out of the water and Season 2 maintained that same excitement, but Season 3 proves that there is still plenty of life left in this show. It’s challenging, self-assured, and willing to go places that it hasn’t gone before. The way this series honors Navajo culture, as well as the spirit of Hillerman’s source material, is a particularly noteworthy achievement, but even so, Dark Winds refuses to be bound by the books. Additionally, newcomers like Bruce Greenwood, Alex Meraz, Jenna Elfman, and Raoul Max Trujillo feel quite natural this season, and Longmire fans will be happy to note that A Martinez returns as Scarborough Acting Chief Gordo Sena as well.
Of course, it would be a crime to talk about this season of Dark Winds without highlighting Deanna Allison, the talented actress behind Emma Leaphorn. Prior to the season premiere, McClarnon mentioned that the true heart of Dark Winds is the love story between Joe and Emma. We have seen their love survive the death of their child and their respective grief previously, but Season 3 challenges this marriage like never before. Allison, who had barely any acting credits to her name before this show, proves McClarnon’s belief right this season. If you thought she was good in Season 2, wait until you see what she has in store for Season 3. We won’t risk spoiling anything further, but this season puts the Leaphorns through the wringer. If Dark Winds is to survive (and it seems it will, now that the show has been renewed for a fourth season), we can only hope they can too.
Frankly, it’s hard to find things about a show like Dark Winds to nitpick. The longer season may contribute to a bit of an uneven pace, and it (at first) feels strange that Bernadette is so separated from the rest of the cast. Indeed, certain elements of each respective mystery could have been condensed, offering audiences a more easily digestible plot. However, more Dark Winds is never a bad thing. The show is clearly well-crafted by showrunner John Wirth and the rest of the writers, who have well-succeeded in their construction of a mystery series that continuously lives up to the hype.
Dark Winds Season 3 premieres March 9 on AMC and AMC+.

Dark Winds

Dark Winds is as riveting as ever, with a third season that continues to exceed expectations.

Release Date

June 12, 2022

Pros & Cons

Zahn McClarnon is at his A-game and Leaphorn’s story is profound.
Complex themes of guilt and love make Dark Winds feel deeply human.
Leaphorn and Chee are back together as partners, building on the first season’s strengths.
Excellent mysteries keep audiences well-engaged.

Some of the plotlines could have been condensed.
Fans of Chee and Manuelito’s romance may find it lacking.