When does Dark Winds take place? Timeline of the series, explored

Among the highly popular American psychological thrillers is AMC's Dark Winds. Set in the 1970s, the series features Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon in the leading roles, with two successful seasons.

Dark Winds revolves around the expeditions of the Navajo police officers Joe Leaphorn and his deputy Jim Chee. The two are seen indulging in crime detection and encounter the challenges faced by Native Americans during that time.

McClarnon's thriller series is lauded for its perfect representation of cultural challenges. The show is based on Leaphorn & Chee novels by Tony Hillerman and has been greenlit for the third season.

While Dark Winds season 1 extensively highlighted the culture of the 1970s, it is believed that season 2 also continued the same timeline.

Zahn McClarnon's Dark Winds is set in New Mexico in 1971

If you wish to experience the struggles and an authentic portrayal of the Native Americans during the 1970s, then Dark Winds will undeniably be a good choice. The crime series begins with McClarnon's Joe Leaphorn and Gordon's Jim Chee tasked with investigating numerous crimes.

Throughout the series, the Navajo officers encounter several crimes, and the most notable is a double murder, through which Joe and Jim can connect the dots. The officers finally discovered that the crimes were linked and were rooted in a bombshell conspiracy, including the crime ring, corruption, and power struggles during 1971.

Dark Winds also showed how the conspirators tried to mislead the officers and exploit the Navajo land for their benefit. While all major crimes occur in New Mexico, Joe and his deputy are based in Navajo County.

Dark Winds explores the psychological and moral struggles of the Navajo Officers

Zahn McClarnon as Joe Leaphorn (Image Source: AMC+)

The Western-style storytelling of Dark Winds has played a crucial role in making it a triumphant thriller series. Unlike most crime dramas, Graham Roland's highly acclaimed show perfectly balances the psychological struggles of the Navajo officers and their quest to expose the conspirators.

The two seasons of Dark Winds are based on the two books, Listening Woman and People of Darkness, and with the arrival of new seasons, fans and viewers will get to experience other timelines as well.

What will happen in Dark Winds season 3?

AMC shared an exciting update in July 2024 about the upcoming season through its official Instagram account, saying that the production of season 3 has almost ended, and fans and viewers are close to witnessing the return of Leaphorn and Chee.

The new season will bring back the main three characters who are played by Zahn McClarnon, Kiowa Gordon, and Jessica Matten as Bernadette. The star-studded cast will be joined by some renowned figures in the industry, including Jenna Elfman and Bruce Greenwood, who will be guest stars.

Dark Winds season 3 will feature the time six months after the events of season 2, in which viewers saw Leaphorn caught up in another moral struggle as he indirectly caused the death of a boy.

The next chapter will begin with Leaphorn and Chee on a new quest to find two boys who disappeared from their land, but initially, they won't know how to start the investigation. However, season 3 promises another intriguing story and the constant struggles of the leading characters.