Dark Winds

So I have AMC+ and have seen the first 2 episodes and it just gets better and better. It's part mystery, thriller, dark humor, and drama- a bit of everything with wonderful acting. I absolutely love Zach McClarnon in everything I've seen him in, the series Fargo, Reservation Dogs, Westword, can't recall what else, but the guy has range and I can't wait for him to have an Academy type role, he is due.

Noah Emmerich from the Americans plays a self-important FBI agent, Rainn Wilson plays a used car salesman and another sleezy part in the story I'm sure, lol. Every character is interesting.

This 6 part series is executive produced by George RR Martin and Robert Redford, so you know it's gonna be a great story. I can't wait to see where it goes!

When I saw in the opening credits that Robert Redford and George RR Martin were executive producers, I knew this would be a good series. The lead cast are very good and the script is believable, the plot is interesting and the dialog is good. The setting is the Navajo Nation in the 1970s and their tribal police. The contrast in cultures, science versus tribal superstitions and the remote and vast reservation all add to the great story.

This show is as good as advertised. I've never heard of the books so I had no expectations going in so I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I like this. Zahn McClarnon has been good in just about everything he's ever been in but he's finally given a chance to be a lead and he excels at it. I could actually see him getting nominated for an Emmy for his work here, he's that good. Kiowa Gordon is an unknown actor who also does an excellent job and should have plenty of opportunities and a bright career after this. The rest of the cast (Noah Emmerich, Rainn Wilson, Jessica Matten, A Martinez, Jenna Elfman, etc) all hold their own here too. There are not many shows built around Native Americans so I'm glad this one didn't flame out and disappoint.

I have really respected Zahn McClarnan's work in the past and looked forward to this version. Acting was good but the script and concept is so far from Tony Hillerman's (and later Anne Hillerman's) vision that I elected not to pursue future episodes.

I admit that I am old and well steeped in the Leaphorn and Chee tradition from the excellent novels and the Robert Redford PBS American Masterpiece programs so this version- which discards the most basic elements in favor of superficial oh so predictable plot progression and politically correct characters that this is thin gruel indeed.

Joe Leaphorn is NOT Joe Leaphorn. Bernie is NOT Bernie. And Jim Chee is from another universe altogether. It could be that everything was changed to make the series more palatable to a younger audience which has not experienced the richness of the novels from Tony Hillerman and continued by his daughter Anne, but there is no there, there and Jim Chee is NOT Jim Chee- not even close.

Maybe as a stand alone with new names for the characters it might work, but it plods and skims along the surface of something that has great potential to tell a great story.

I hope that those new to the Lephorn Chee Manuelito canon might take the time to read or listen to the books as written by the Hillermans, both father and daughter there is much to be drawn from them and, in my opinion, provide a much greater return for the time invested.

I just finished the first season of Dark Winds and have to say it was so much better than I expected it to be. I'm not it's one of my favorite shows, not even close, but it's definitely worth watching. It does start a little slow, I don't mind a slow burner but even I almost gave up early but stayed with it and it just got better and better with each episode to the point I binged all six episodes of the first season in a weekend. Six episodes was perfect for a show like this, it could possibly go to eight but I like six. The writing and acting is what makes this show so good. It looks like most people who stuck with it really enjoyed it and the people who didn't gave up after the first episode. Stick with it, you won't be disappointed. It did well enough to be picked up for another season so I'm looking forward to seeing more!