Dark Winds is about too (two) good Native American cops. Set in the 1970s Southwest region of North America, this cop drama focuses on the cases of the Navajo Tribal police.
Notably, the murder investigation case was carried out by the two Navajo Tribal police officers in this show. While chasing the elusive murderers, these two indigenous police officials (Joe Leaphorn & Jim Chee) are forced to confront their belief system. Thus this mysterious case challenged their spiritual beliefs when they investigated murder cases.
Trailer of the Dark Winds (Season 1/2022) Series
Synopsis [official] of the Dark Winds (Season 1/2022) Series
Set in 1971 on a remote outpost of the Navajo Nation near Monument Valley, it follows Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) of the Tribal Police as he is besieged by a series of seemingly unrelated crimes. The closer he digs to the truth, the more he exposes the wounds of his past.
He is joined on this journey by his new deputy, Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon). Chee, too, has old scores to settle from his youth on the reservation. Together, the two men battle the forces of evil, each other and their demons on the path to salvation.
Spoiler-Free Review of the Dark Winds (Season 1/2022) Series
The introduction
Over the years, we have seen a few Native American stories in the Hollywood industry. Windtalkers (2002) movie was one of those movies. In that 2002 film, set during the Second World War, the Native speakers of the Navajo language conveyed vital military information over the open air in their obscure indigenous language that the Japanese could not decode. Thus Navajo contributed to the successful outcome of the Second World War. That movie has stars like Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach. Now, once again, we came across this well-made crime drama about the indigenous Navajo community.
About this Native American crime thriller
This neo-Western drama introduces the elements of Navajo tribe mysticism. Plus, this psychological crime thriller maintains a sense of drama. It also touches upon the sensitive political and social issues of Indigenous people. For instance, the forced sterilization of Indigenous Native American women in the USA, that we have read about.
American Doctors began sterilizing indigenous women in the 1930s and grew at a faster rate in the 1970s when Congress passed the Family Planning Services Act, which subsidized said sterilizations for Medicaid and Indian Health Service patients. The rationale for these procedures was centered around fears of global overpopulation and increases in welfare spending which would put an undue strain on the budget of the local community and the Federal Treasury.
WXXI News
A bunch of talented actors from the Native American community
Interestingly, Joe Leaphorn – played by actor Zahn McClarnon is half Hunkpapa Lakota. His partner Jim Chee – played by actor Kiowa Gordon is half Hualapai. Both the Lakota and the Hualapai tribes are neither ethnically nor linguistically remotely related to the Navajo tribe. Also, Bernadette Manuelito – the actress Jessica Mattenred plays the third Native American police officer. She traces her roots to the Red River Metis-Cree tribe.
However, it must be reiterated that all three actors are good. No doubt that they have done commendable acting jobs in the show. It is heartening to note that these days the usually ignored and invisible Native American people are getting long-overdue recognition in the Hollywood entertainment industry. We hope to see more of their stories.
The conclusion
We like this new positive development, as indigenous native people are being able to tell their stories to the world. Nowadays, we are witnessing a course correction and inclusion of Native American tales in mainstream movies/series, and such steps are praiseworthy. So, we repeat that we highly recommend this crime series set in the 1960-1970s era in the Native American land.
Plus you get to learn about the mysterious world of indigenous Native American society and the various issues that affect their tribal society. This crime mystery series with only six episodes in season one is perfect for marathon watch on any given day. So, go ahead and follow the Dark Winds.
Ratings of the Native Navajo Tribal Cop Drama (S1/2022) Series
| FM’s rating | 4.15/5 |
| Rotten Tomatoes ratings as of the date | 100% Tomatometer & 84% Audience Score |
| Critics Consensus / Rotten Tomatoes | Zahn McClarnon is riveting as a coiled cop in this show, a solid procedural that derives much of its texture from an underrepresented cultural milieu. |
Poster of the Dark Winds (S1/2022) Series
Key details about the Native Navajo Tribal Cop Drama (S1/2022) Series
| Genres | Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller |
| Creator | Graham Roland |
| Age-Restrictions | A (18+) |
| Released | June 2022 |
| Cast | Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, Jessica Matten, Elva Guerra, Deanna Allison, etc. |
If you like the Native American series, then perhaps you can check out the Reservation Dogs series and the second season of the Dark Winds (S2/2023) series, too.
Dark Winds series is based on the Leaphorn & Chee novel series by Tony Hillerman. Check out the said novel series on the Goodreads website.
Featured & Other Images: Dark Winds | AMC.
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