If you watched Longmire, you’ll recognize the face at the center of Dark Winds.
Mathias.
Yes, the Cheyenne tribal police chief who could make it pretty clear he wasn’t pleased with Walt without raising his voice. The actor behind him, Zahn McClarnon, gets the lead here. And he’s a good reason to watch.
Dark Winds isn’t a Longmire spinoff, though it’s clear there’s a natural audience overlap. It has the open country, complicated loyalties and lawmen dealing with problems that a badge doesn’t necessarily help them solve. But the mood is darker, and the story takes us back to the 1970s.
A familiar face gets his own investigation
McClarnon plays Joe Leaphorn, the head of a Navajo Tribal Police office in the American Southwest. The series opens with a double murder, but investigating the deaths means dealing with more than evidence. There are personal wounds, community ties and federal authorities whose priorities don’t always match his.
Leaphorn is watchful and measured, but you don’t mistake that for having nothing going on underneath. This is a man you believe has spent years listening to people leave out the important part.
Should you watch it?
Don’t go in expecting a fresh case neatly wrapped up every episode like early Longmire. This is a continuing mystery, with room for suspicion to build and for a conversation to become uncomfortable before anyone reaches for a gun.
If you like Western settings, patient crime stories and a lead actor who doesn’t need to shout to hold your attention, this belongs on your list.
Longmire fans have an obvious reason to give it a look. But you don’t need to know Mathias—or Walt—to get into this one.
Missing Longmire? Give This Darker Western Crime Series a Look
A moody 1970s crime drama set in Navajo Nation, with great characters, terrific scenery, and a mystery-driven story that feels unlike almost anything else on TV.
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