Take an exclusive look at Dark Wind's nightmarish season 3

In AMC’s poignant psychological thriller Dark Winds, the protagonists are always battling inner demons. Personal struggles as Navajo Nation’s police officers overlap with communal issues like gentrification, bigotry, and violence in the ‘70s. These clashes have made it a riveting neo-noir, but Dark Winds is upping its game—and purview—in the third season, debuting March 9. “This time, it’s all about being haunted by your actions,” showrunner John Wirth exclusively tells The A.V. Club. The newly released season three photos solidify his claim. 

The eight new episodes catch up with tribal lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) after he left his son’s killer to die—instead of arresting him—in the season two finale. Swayed by his emotions, Leaphorn eschewed his civic duty. Now he has to pay the price. “We explore what a person who has lived by a very strict moral code does when he’s violated that code,” Wirth shares. “What are the consequences of that on his relationships and his job?” The trailer already depicts a shadowy creature terrifying him, but Wirth notes his nightmares aren’t as scary as the mystery that falls into his lap. 

Kiowa Gordon, Zahn McClarnon in Dark Winds season three (Photo: Anna McMillan/AMC)

Based on Tony Hillerman’s acclaimed Leaphorn & Chee novels, season three adapts from a couple of different books, allowing the show to expand its scope. The challenge, Wirth says, was finding a way to intersect them. “One of our writers, Max Hurwitz, figured out a brilliant way to combine these stories and bring everybody together,” he shares. In Leaphorn’s case, he works with returning deputy Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) “in a case right out of Dance Hall Of The Dead, an early Hillerman novel that many, including our co-producer George R.R. Martin, consider his finest.” 

It begins with a bloody crime scene wherein Leaphorn and Chee discover two teens have gone missing. “It raises character issues because another boy has suffered, and Leaphorn has to deal with those consequences,” the showrunner teases. He’s not the only one going through it. Wirth promises an affecting arc for Chee that dwells on why he and his mother were kicked out of the reservation several years ago. “This new investigation forces Chee to confront the things that happened to him and why he was forced out. He has to reckon with his childhood.” His dramatic journey is balanced with a romantic development with his ex-colleague, Bernadette (Jessica Matten). Chee and Bernadette, after two seasons of longing, shared an impactful goodbye kiss as she left for a new job at the Border Patrol. “Their yearning carries forth,” Wirth assures The A.V. Club. 

However, it sounds like a long-distance pursuit. Bernadette is 500 miles away, burdened by her problems. “She finds out that in the world of law enforcement, you don’t know who’s a good or bad guy regardless of whether they’re wearing a police uniform,” Wirth says. After Bernadette left town in the previous season finale, fans wondered whether breakout star Matten would return to Dark Winds. But Wirth maintains that the actor gets plenty of screen time in season three: “When Bernadette gets to the Border Patrol, she finds out she is even less respected and her male bosses don’t expect much from her. So when she notices some people have been turning a blind eye towards certain things, she starts digging.” Her subplot is rooted in a later Hillerman book called The Silent Pig. 

Jessica Matten, Tonantzin Carmelo in Dark Winds season three (Photo: Anna McMillan/AMC)

One of the people Bernadette slyly looks into is a wealthy oil baron played by Bruce Greenwood. “Ultimately, the guy’s a villain, but we’ll discover that he’s a complex human being,” the showrunner says. Meanwhile, season three also welcomes Jenna Elfman in a major role. She plays one of the first female FBI agents, who is sent to the Navajo Nation to tie up loose ends. “She’s kind of like Colombo,” Wirth says. “She takes up residence at the tribal police station. The guys think she doesn’t have any ball and they’ll tolerate her, but eventually realize she’s savvy.” She goes toe-to-toe with Leaphorn, sensing he’s hiding a secret—and she’s not wrong. “They have tense scenes where suddenly he’s the antagonist because he becomes a suspect for her. It’s beautifully acted.” 

Wirth says season three allows McClarnon to depict his range further. We’re inclined to agree. For two seasons now, he’s anchored a pivotal drama that puts Indigenous stories at the forefront. Created by Graham Roland (with Robert Redford as a producer), Dark Winds also stars Elva Guerra and Deanna Allison, with Raoul Trujillo and Terry Serpico joining the ensemble. Here are two more exclusive season three photos: 

A. Martinez in Dark Winds season three (Photo: Anna McMillan/AMC)

Alex Meraz in Dark Winds season three (Photo: Anna McMillan/AMC)

Dark Winds season three debuts on March 9 on AMC.