Plot Synopsis

Based on the Leaphorn & Chee book series by Tony Hillerman, DARK WINDS is a psychological thriller that follows two Navajo police officers in the 1970s Southwest, as their search for clues in a grisly double murder case forces them to challenge their own spiritual beliefs and come to terms with the trauma of their pasts. Navajo Tribal Policeman Joe Leaphorn must solve a series of crimes and he partners with new deputy, Jim Chee, who is back on the reservation for the first time since he was a child. Leaphorn and Chee begin by interviewing the surviving witness to the Big Rock Motel murders. Later, Chee meets with the coroner, but the cause of death remains a mystery; meanwhile, Sgt. Manuelito makes a chilling discovery of her own. Together they face down evil forces, both earthly and supernatural. Executive produced by George R.R. Martin, Robert Redford, series creator/writer Graham Roland, and series star Zahn McClarnon, DARK WINDS debuted on Sunday, June 12, 2022 early morning with two episodes on AMC+ and later that day at 9pm ET/PT on AMC with the series opener.

The six-episode second season of DARK WINDS premiered on AMC on Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT, with a simulcast on BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV. AMC+ made the debut episode early on Thursday, July 27. This season, Lt. Joe Leaphorn reunites with Jim Chee, his former deputy turned private eye, when their separate cases bring them together in pursuit of the same suspect. They find themselves in the high desert of Navajo Country chasing a killer who's turned his sights on them to protect a secret that rips open old wounds and challenges Leaphorn's moral and professional code. With the help of Sgt. Manuelito and Valencia County Sheriff Gordo Sena, Leaphorn and Chee must thwart their would-be assassin and restore balance not only to their own lives, but to the reservation that depends on them. Season 2 guest stars include: Jeri Ryan as Rosemary Vines, a femme fatale whose physical frailties hide her naked ambition as she plays Jim Chee, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake; Nicholas Logan as Colton Wolf, a twisted assassin with a secret that puts him on a collision course with Lt. Joe Leaphorn; A Martinez as Valencia County Sheriff Gordo Sena; Joseph Runningfox portrays Henry Leaphorn, Lt. Joe Leaphorn's father.

The eight-episode third season of DARK WINDS debuted on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT on AMC, with a simulcast on BBC America and SundanceTV. Season 3 picks up six months after the events of Season 2 and follows Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee as they investigate the disappearance of two boys, with only an abandoned bicycle and blood-stained patch of ground left in their wake. Meanwhile, Bernadette Manuelito attempts to settle into her new life 500 miles from home with the Border Patrol, but stumbles across a conspiracy involving human and drug smuggling with far-reaching implications. Joining this season as guest stars are Jenna Elfman as FBI Special Agent Sylvia Washington, Bruce Greenwood as Tom Spenser, Raoul Max Trujillo as Budge, Tonantzin Carmelo as Border Patrol Agent Eleanda Garza, Alex Meraz as Border Patrol Agent Ivan Munos, Terry Serpico as Border Patrol Senior Chief Ed Henry, Derek Hinkey as Shorty Bowlegs, Phil Burke as Michael Halsey, and Christopher Heyerdahl as Dr Reynolds. This season also sees the returns of guest stars A Martinez as Scarborough Police Department Acting Chief Gordo Sena and Jeri Ryan as Rosemary Vines.
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On Sunday, April 27, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT, AMC premiered "Beesh tii (Iron Horse)," the Season 3 finale of DARK WINDS. Leaphorn and Chee call upon all their resources to solve the case and serve justice after learning the identity of the killer. Bernadette fights for her life after coming face-to-face with the truth. Directed by Chris Eyre. Written by John Wirth & Steven Paul Judd

DARK WINDS has been renewed for a fourth season.