
- Details
- By Kaili Berg
AMC’s Dark Winds continues to build tension as it heads into its sixth episode of the season, titled “Ábidoo'niidęę (What He Had Been Told),” airing Sunday, April 13 on AMC and streaming on AMC+.
The episode puts Lt. Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) squarely in the spotlight, as he faces personal demons in an effort to stop another murder.
Directed by Erica Tremblay and written by Max Hurwitz and Billy Luther, the episode promises a turning point in the story, with Leaphorn drawn deeper into a case that continues to unravel his past.
The noir thriller has been steadily gaining traction thanks to its grounded storytelling and strong performances by its core cast, McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon (Jim Chee), Jessica Matten (Bernadette Manuelito), and Deanna Allison (Emma Leaphorn).
Season 3 picks up six months after the events of Season 2. Leaphorn and Chee are now investigating the disappearance of two boys, with only a blood-stained patch of dirt and an abandoned bike left behind.
The case hints at something darker brewing on tribal land. Meanwhile, Bernadette, now working with the Border Patrol hundreds of miles from home, finds herself entangled in a trafficking conspiracy that cuts deep into the border region.
This season expands to eight episodes and includes a range of guest stars. Jenna Elfman joins the cast as FBI Special Agent Sylvia Washington, and Bruce Greenwood plays Tom Spenser.
Other new faces include Raoul Max Trujillo, Tonantzin Carmelo, Alex Meraz, and Christopher Heyerdahl, among others.
Dark Winds is based on the classic Leaphorn & Chee novels by Tony Hillerman, with the latest season taking creative liberties while still drawing from the source material.
Graham Roland created the series, with John Wirth serving as showrunner. Executive producers include McClarnon, Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin, and Chris Eyre, among others.
More Stories Like This
Actor Jonathan Joss, Voice of John Redcorn, Killed in Texas ShootingCelebrate Summer and Father’s Day at the Chickasaw Cultural Center – June 14
After 30 Years, Berkeley's Turtle Island Monument Foundation Will Be Built
Chris Eyre's Jim Thorpe Documentary to Debut on The HISTORY Channel on July 7
Muscogee Opera Soprano Kirsten Kunkle Stars in Tosca Production in June
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher