Actor Zahn McClarnon's thriller "Dark Winds" has turned out to be one of the consistently good shows on television/streaming. The actor, who is usually cast in secondary roles (his most notable appearance before this was in the second season of "Fargo"), got to play the principal lead in the gripping AMC-backed show that ran for four seasons and will return for a fifth season.
AMC has already confirmed that the streaming is set for a 2027 release window. Season 4 ended its run early this year, following which the network immediately renewed it for another eight-episode season, production for which commenced in March 2026 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. (For Indian viewers, the show is available on Prime Video, while international subscribers can catch it on Netflix.)
Season 5 will pick up directly after the high-stakes events of the season 4 finale. For those who haven't followed the show, stop reading because spoilers follow. The fifth season will see Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) dropping his retirement plans after the shocking murder of longtime friend and former Sheriff, Gordo Sena.
Zahn McClarnon (Joe Leaphorn), Kiowa Gordon (Jim Chee), Alice Benally (Geraldine Keams), and Jessica Matten (Bernadette Manuelito) will reprise their original roles. New additions include Paola Núñez as Luisa Alvarado, a U.S. Attorney’s office investigator with a past involving Leaphorn; Martin Sensmeier as Terry Bai, a Vietnam veteran and racetrack worker tied to Chee.
Created by Graham Roland, a Native American screenwriter and producer ("Choctaw Nation"), "Dark Winds" is based on the popular 'Leaphorn & Chee' mystery book series written by author Tony Hillerman. The show is backed by high-profile executive producers, including the late Hollywood veteran Robert Redford and "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin, alongside Graham Roland and Zahn McClarnon.
