Dark Winds

There is a texture to the way everything is constructed and, in many ways, this season is better than the first. It isn’t without its flaws, namely some occasional lines of clunky dialogue, but it remains riveting television.

What’s most exhilarating about the second season of “Dark Winds” is the complete lack of desperation. This isn’t a show that needs to pander or betray its characters for ratings. It’s only two seasons in, but these characters and the world they inhabit feel fully realized and rich with stories to tell.

What matters is how the characters — and Joe Leaphorn in particular — feel about everything that’s happening, and that material lands beautifully. It cannot be overstated how great Zahn McClarnon is in this role. .... Gordon, Allison, and Matten are also excellent. Even though the series is primarily a Leaphorn/Chee two-hander, the nature of this season essentially turns Manuelito into the second lead, and she more than justifies the extra screen time.

From side characters like Joe's wife Emma (Deanna Allison) finally being allowed to shine, to well-crafted action sequences, "Dark Winds" is finally able to flourish with the scale it was meant for.

Dark Winds continues to be a compelling show because of McLarnon’s lead performance and the complexities that its Indigenous setting brings to its mysteries.

Aside from a few repetitive cat-and-mouse moments between Leaphorn and the new Big Bad, “Dark Winds” benefits from its short run because it’s not bloated like so many streaming series are these days. The show makes every episode matter and keeps up a breakneck pace that relentlessly drives the story forward.

While it might seem awfully bleak, there’s humor too, including a four-legged troublemaker locked up at the jail. It’s a series that’s hard to resist.