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- By Kaili Berg
AMC’s critically acclaimed series “Dark Winds” returned for its third season yesterday. Set in the 1970s Southwest, the series follows Navajo Tribal Police officers Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, and Bernadette Manuelito as they confront a string of increasingly complex and dangerous cases.
Season 3 takes place six months after the dramatic events of the previous season. Leaphorn and Chee find themselves deep in an investigation into the disappearance of two young boys, with only an abandoned bicycle and a blood-stained patch of earth as their starting point.
Meanwhile, Manuelito, now working with the Border Patrol, stumbles upon a far-reaching smuggling conspiracy that threatens to shake the entire region.
In an interview with Native News Online, executive producer John Wirth reflected on his journey as a showrunner, the evolution of "Dark Winds," and the challenges of bringing Indigenous storytelling to life.
What themes are you exploring in Season 3
I joined the show in the second season, and I was looking for a way to frame the season’s narrative. Since Dark Winds is a detective show, I thought we could embrace a "Navajo Noir" approach, similar to the classic film noir detective stories from the 1930s-50s. That was our approach for Season 2.
For Season 3, we wanted to push the storytelling into a new space for the viewer. This time, we thought, "What if we told a story in the style of Navajo horror?"
We wanted to explore psychological horror while ensuring we didn’t misrepresent or expose sacred aspects of Navajo culture. Instead, we created our own story, characters, and mythology that feel authentic while respecting real traditions.
Who are some of the new characters introduced in Season 3 and what is their impact on the story?
One of the primary new characters is FBI agent Sylvia Washington, played by Jenna Elfman. She arrives on the Navajo Nation to investigate open FBI cases, cases that were likely going to be swept under the rug.
However, she stumbles upon the B.J. Vines murder case and begins uncovering secrets that Joe Leaphorn wants to keep buried.
Bernadette Manuelito also has a major storyline this season. She is now working with the Border Patrol along the U.S.-Mexico border, where she encounters a powerful rancher named Tom Spencer, played by Bruce Greenwood. She’s warned not to get involved with Spencer, but she can’t help herself. Her investigation leads to a high-stakes confrontation with Spencer’s enforcer, Budge, played by Raoul Trujillo.
Another storyline follows an archaeology team conducting an excavation on the Navajo Nation. Throughout history, archaeologists have often acted as grave robbers toward Indigenous people, and we wanted to explore that idea within the show’s larger "monster" theme.
Season 3 was filmed in Santa Fe and on Pueblo lands. How did these locations enhance the storytelling?
Dark Winds is set on the Navajo Nation, primarily in Arizona, but we film in New Mexico, outside Santa Fe and on the Tesuque and Pojoaque Pueblos. We’ve also filmed in Monument Valley and other parts of the Navajo Nation.
Monument Valley has a stunning, unique look, but the areas we filmed in near Santa Fe have more yellow earth tones compared to the red earth of the Navajo Nation. To maintain continuity, we adjust the color timing of the film in post-production.
We also had to make sure Bernadette’s storyline at the U.S.-Mexico border felt distinct from the Navajo Nation. Even though we shot both in the same locations, we used different production design techniques to create a visual contrast.
What were some of the biggest production challenges you faced this season?
More characters, more costumes, more vehicles, more action sequences — all of these things required more resources.
We don’t have the massive budget of shows like Game of Thrones, so we have to be strategic. We make the most of the landscapes we shoot in. We can drive just half a mile and suddenly be in a completely different, breathtaking location. That’s one of the best parts of filming this show; it allows us to create a visually expansive world on a tight budget.
What do you hope audiences take away from this season?
I think the biggest draw of the show is Zahn McClarnon. He carries the series in a way that’s essential. He’s brooding and intelligent and conveys so much through his mannerisms and expressions.
We pushed him hard. He joked that we put him on his belly in the desert at the start of the season and never let him get up. But that’s because we’re digging deeper into his character’s psyche this season. I don’t know if people can relate to Joe Leaphorn, but they are definitely drawn to his drama.
Finally, if you could describe Season 3 in just two words, what would they be?
Navajo horror.
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