Sandra Hale Schulman
Special to ICT
If last season blew some “Dark Winds” through the res, this season may be even darker.
Returning to AMC on July 30, Season 2 of the hit series, “Dark Winds,” finds Navajo detective Lt. Joe Leaphorn, played by Zahn McClarnon, Hunkpapa and Sihasapa Lakota, reuniting with Jim Chee, played by Kiowa Gordon, Hulapai, his former deputy turned private eye.
The series, based on the novels by Tony Hillerman, brings the two together for the new season when their seemingly separate cases put them in pursuit of the same mysterious suspect.
Deaths begin to occur in the Navajo Nation, and Leaphorn is bent on unraveling the mystery. But the deeper he investigates the more sinister it becomes, and when he finds a belt buckle his son was wearing when he died, it begins to appear it is a personal vendetta against him.
The plot twists go beyond the physical and become surreal, shaking the characters’ spiritual beliefs and pushing them to question and rediscover themselves.
“There’s more levity within the show and with these characters,” McClarnon said in a Zoom call with ICT before the actors guild went on strike. “It’s so difficult not to spoil the show to tell you exactly what has happened, but I think you’ll see more levity. I mentioned Joe finds some evidence regarding his child. I think that this season, Leaphorn’s moral code is in question, is challenged by his morality and what he does with that evidence and the situations he finds himself in.”
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Executive produced by George R.R. Martin and actor Robert Redford, “Dark Winds” is a dark, psychological crime series set in the 1970s in a remote town in the Navajo Nation, and follows a series of inexplicable, violent crimes including murders and robberies. An earlier series featured actor Wes Studi as Leaphorn and Adam Beach as Chee.
The series is filmed in New Mexico in and around Santa Fe and at Camel Rock Studios, the former casino hall of the Tesuque. This season will feature Billy Luther, Navajo, directing an episode and also writing an episode, McClarnon said.
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Guest stars stars include Jeri Ryan of “Star Trek: Picard,” as Rosemary Vines, a femme fatale whose physical frailties hide her naked ambition as she leaves a trail of bodies in her wake; and Nicholas Logan, of “Dopesick,” as Colton Wolf, a twisted assassin with a secret that puts him on a collision course with Leaphorn.
Cracking cases
The two investigators find themselves in the high desert of Navajo Country chasing an Indian killer who’s turned his sights on them to protect a secret that rips open personal wounds and challenges Leaphorn’s moral and professional code.
With the help of Sgt. Manuelito, played by Jessica Matten, Red River Metis-Cree, Leaphorn and Chee must catch their would-be assassin and restore balance not only to their own lives but to the reservation that depends on them.
“Leaphorn has a lot of different choices to make in this season,”McClarnon said. “And I think people in general can relate to those kinds of characters because we all have to go through that within our lifetimes, within our lives, that we have many choices and many roads to take and which ones do we do.
“And he comes up against that quite a bit in this season,” he continued, “and what that means for his relationships — to his co-workers and with Jim Chee and Bernadette and what that means to his relationship with his wife and his community.”
But it certainly hasn’t hurt the relationships of the cast members, McClarnon said.
“I’ve known Jessica Matten and Kiowa, we’ve worked together in the past and we did a show together, and I worked with Kiowa on a Sundance series as well,” he said. “So I’ve known those guys for quite a while. We’ve all become close friends, and we stay in contact when we’re not working as well.”
The first season is based on the third book in Hillerman’s series, “Listening Woman,” and parts of the fourth book, “People of Darkness.” The second season also draws from the fourth book.
“Dark Winds: Season 2” follows the same episode count as its first season and is slated for six episodes set to release weekly, every Sunday, with the final episode expected to release on Sept. 3.
All new episodes are available for early access only for AMC+ subscribers.
‘Dark Winds: Season 2’
Here are details of the upcoming episodes for Season 2 in the popular AMC series, “Dark Winds,” according to AMC+.
*Episode 1, July 30: “Na’ni?kaadii”
Navajo Tribal Policeman Joe Leaphorn investigates the death of a man involved in a mysterious cult, while Jim Chee, moonlighting as a private investigator, works a case of his own. When their investigations collide, Leaphorn and Chee find themselves in grave danger.
*Episode 2, Aug. 6: “Wonders of the Unknown”
Leaphorn explores personal ties to an increasingly mysterious case. Chee is questioned by a reluctant Sgt. Manuelito, and the discovery of a body sends Leaphorn and Manuelito in pursuit of a child in danger.
*Episode 3, Aug. 13: “Antigonish”
After facing off with a dangerous man, Chee strikes out on his own. Leaphorn and Manuelito partner with the sheriff’s department, leading Leaphorn to identify a vital clue.
*Episode 4, Aug. 20: “The March”
Leaphorn risks his life in pursuit of a suspect, while Manuelito stands up to the sheriff in a bid to rescue her boss. Seeking answers on a case, Chee considers a dangerous proposition.
*Episode 5, Aug. 27: “Black Hole Sun”
With his suspect in custody, Leaphorn races against the clock to get a confession while Chee goes undercover at the cult that ties their investigations together. Manuelito counsels a teenager who is nervous about the draft.
*Episode 6, Sept. 3: “Hózhó náhásdl??”
Leaphorn and Chee discover evidence that connects their cases, only for Leaphorn to realize justice won’t be easily served. Meanwhile, Manuelito prepares for a big life change.
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