The unmissable series returns for its best season to date, which is saying something as Dark Winds has been essential viewing since its launch.
Returning six months after the explosive events of season two, Dark Winds once again proves why it stands apart from the crowded crime drama landscape. Season three doesn’t simply pick up the pieces; it digs deeper, darker, and more confidently into the emotional and moral fault lines that have always defined the series.
We rejoin Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) at his most fractured yet. Haunted by the sins of his past, Joe carries the weight of unresolved guilt that hangs over every decision he makes. Alongside Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), now more battle-worn but no less principled, the pair are drawn into the investigation of two missing boys. With little more than a broken bicycle and a bloodied patch of earth to guide them, the case unfolds with a quiet menace that perfectly suits the show’s unhurried, deliberate pacing. Across its episodes, season three wastes nothing, building tension steadily rather than relying on cheap shocks.
Zahn McClarnon continues to deliver one of the most compelling performances on television. His portrayal of Leaphorn remains restrained and internal, yet devastatingly effective. Every glance, every pause, feels heavy with meaning. While I’m on the subject of Zahn McClarnon turning in another layered and powerful performance, how the heck does this man NOT have a single Emmy nomination? How is that even possible, Dark Winds is three seasons in and no nomination has arrived. Now, I’ll do my best to get this review back on track. Continuing to be formidable support, Kiowa Gordon’s Chee brings balance to the partnership, his moral clarity often clashing with Joe’s growing sense of compromise. The arrival of FBI agent Sylvia Washington (Jenna Elfman) adds another fascinating dynamic, her sharp instincts and relentless probing unsettling an already fragile equilibrium. Elfman has come along way since Dharma & Greg.
Meanwhile, Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) embarks on a storyline that is every bit as gripping as the central investigation. Now working with the US Border Patrol, Bernadette’s fierce sense of justice and unshakable curiosity lead her into dangerous territory. Her arc broadens the scope of the series, tackling grim realities with the same care and gravity Dark Winds has always afforded its storytelling. Matten is outstanding, giving Bernadette a steely independence without losing the vulnerability that has made her such a vital presence since season one.
As ever, the land itself is inseparable from the story. The sweeping dunes and vast desert expanses are captured with haunting beauty, reinforcing both the isolation and the deep-rooted connection between the community and its surroundings. The cinematography once again elevates the series, reminding us that Dark Winds understands place as powerfully as it understands character. Season three continues to confront systemic issues facing Indigenous communities with honesty and respect. These themes never feel forced or performative; instead, they are woven organically into the narrative, echoing the spirit of Tony Hillerman’s original novels while remaining painfully relevant today.
There is also an unexpected double cameos in the first episode, series producers George R. R. Martin and the late Robert Redford in his final screen role. The Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee books were always a passion project for Redford. He produced a movie adaption The Dark Wind, in 1991 that starred Lou Diamond Phillips, and a TV movie that was attempting to launch a series, Skinwalkers, in 2002 (starring Adam Beach and Wes Studi), which was written by his son James Redford. Bringing these characters to the screen was a decades-long pursuit for Robert Redford, and his cameo is a fitting swan song for the legendary actor and filmmaker.
Dark Winds season three is confident, atmospheric, and emotionally resonant. With layered writing and career-defining performances across the board, it reinforces the show’s status as one of the most distinctive and essential crime dramas on television. With a fourth season already on the horizon, there has never been a better time to lose yourself in this richly textured, haunting world.
Dark Winds season 3 and a season 1-3 box set are out now on Digital, DVD, and Blu-ray.
