Dark Winds Season 4 Review: Zahn McClarnon and a New Villain Elevate the Series

Even four seasons in, Dark Winds remains singular: a neo-Western noir that has grown into its own. AMC’s series, which benefited from early high-profile support, now stands largely on the strength of its cast and storytelling, led by Zahn McClarnon and bolstered by series newcomer Franka Potente.

Season 4 loosely adapts Tony Hillerman’s The Ghostway. Joe Leaphorn, recovering and reconnecting with traditional Navajo ways after Emma’s departure, reunites with Jim Chee and Bernadette Manuelito to find a missing girl, Billie Tsosie. Irene Vaggan, Potente’s ruthless hired gun, complicates the search, and the investigation races beyond Navajoland into ’70s Los Angeles.

An early diner shootout signals a more intense, urgent season than those before it. McClarnon, who also serves as an executive producer, gives Joe a renewed edge and a quieter hopefulness this year.

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