‘Telling a Navajo story’: ‘Dark Winds’ takes Season 4 out of the reservation to LA

For the past four seasons of “Dark Winds,” Zahn McClarnon has jumped into the shoes of Lt. Joe Leaphorn and brought the character written by Tony Hillerman to life.

In that time, he’s learned many lessons.

“Being part of a TV show for this long is a blessing,” McClarnon says. “I’m an (executive producer) and director, as well as acting. I have my plate full. I’ve learned a lot about dynamics on sets. I’ve learned how to prepare for the production. As an actor, this is everything I could have ever asked for.”

The acclaimed TV series is back for its fourth season, which will air at 7 p.m. Sundays on AMC. Each episode is also available to stream on AMC+.

The series follows Leaphorn, Jim Chee and Bernadette Manuelito of the Navajo Tribal Police solving mysteries on the reservation as it is besieged by increasingly violent crimes in the 1970s.

This season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of the Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of Los Angeles as the trio races to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime, according to AMC. 

Before the fourth season premiered on Feb. 15, AMC greenlit Season 5, which is filmed out of Camel Rock Studios in northern New Mexico.

According to AMC, Season 5 of “Dark Winds,” will begin filming in Santa Fe in March and will consist of eight hour-long episodes set to debut in 2027.

McClarnon was thankful to AMC Networks for the early renewal.

“It’s such a privilege to embody the character of Joe Leaphorn, and I’m excited to return to Santa Fe with this amazing cast and crew to craft another thrilling season of the show that means so much to all of us,” McClarnon says.

Joining the cast in the new season is Franka Potente, who plays Irene Vaggan — a hired assassin.

Potente says many of her previous roles have been in the same vein.

“They had me at villain,” Potente says. “Somehow, I seem to be cast as the villain and Irene is the total opposite of me.”

Potente says she didn’t know too much about “Dark Winds” prior to the script landing in her view.

A conversation with showrunner John Wirth helped her make the decision to join the cast.

“I could tell John really cared about the show because he wants to make sure it is authentic and looks good. It’s very film noir,” Potente says. “I appreciate paying attention to details.”

While McClarnon and Potente are caught in a cat-and-mouse situation, Kiowa Gordon and Jessica Matten, who play Jim Chee and Bernadette Manuelito, have a journey of their own in the new season. 

During the course of the series, Gordon says viewers have been captivated by their “will they, or won’t they” storyline.

“It was a hoot,” Gordon says of filming. “There are moments of happy times, laughter, then moves to tears.”

Matten says she and Gordon have developed a sibling bond outside of the show, and when it came to filming the relationship scenes, it was awkward.

“The first kissing scene, it took us awhile,” Matten admits.

Gordon says McClarnon was directing and trying to give them pointers, which added some laughter to the scene.

“Zahn pulled me aside and told me to look at her in a different way,” Gordon says, “and to place my arm on her gently and romantically.”

Matten has enjoyed playing Manuelito, a strong female character. She’s also proud of being a part of a story about Native Americans.

“Overall, we are telling a Navajo story,” Matten says. “Diné people go through the same thing everyone goes through. I think that’s what ‘Dark Winds’ resonates on many levels.”