--- title: "Dark Winds: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/dark-winds/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/dark-winds" critics_score: 83 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Dark Winds (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 83 from 9 reviews: 8 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews lean strongly positive, and they agree on one thing above all: Zahn McClarnon. Almost every critic singles out his Joe Leaphorn as the reason to watch, praising a restrained, inward performance that carries the mystery. The second cluster of praise is the setting: most critics find the portrayal of Navajo life authentic and lived-in, and several credit the Indigenous talent behind the camera as well as in front of it. Reviews of later seasons run warmer still, with more than one critic calling the third series the show’s strongest. The reservations gather around the plotting. The Hollywood Reporter finds the first season’s central mystery unconvincing and the whole uneven, while /Film thinks the genre elements sometimes stumble. Even admirers mention shoehorned side stories and uneven pacing. The spread is fairly narrow: no one dislikes the series, and the lone mixed notice treats it as a promising start rather than a failure. ## IndieWire — Kristen Lopez Rating A. 6 June 2022. The critic praises the series as a tightly wound, compelling murder mystery that reaches beyond familiar detective-show conventions. She singles out Zahn McClarnon’s magnetic performance and the show’s nuanced portrayal of Indigenous identity and mistreatment. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/dark-winds-review-amc-neo-noir-showcase-zahn-mcclarnon-1234729743/) ## The AV Club — Saloni Gajjar Rating A-. 28 July 2023. Gajjar finds the second season more focused, gripping, and effective than the first. She particularly praises Zahn McClarnon’s performance and the Indigenous talent shaping the series on both sides of the camera. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/dark-winds-season-2-review-amc-tv-1850677994) ## Vulture — Roxana Hadadi Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 March 2025. The critic calls season three the series’ strongest yet and argues that Zahn McClarnon delivers a career-highlight performance. She especially praises his nuanced, inward portrayal in the sixth episode, which deepens Leaphorn’s moral and spiritual struggle. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/dark-winds-season-3-review-zahn-mcclarnon-performance.html) ## The Guardian — Graeme Virtue Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 2023. Virtue finds the series a knotty, atmospheric mystery that feels brisk enough to binge. He particularly praises Zahn McClarnon’s multifaceted performance as Joe Leaphorn. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/oct/18/dark-winds-review-this-brooding-navajo-mystery-begs-to-be-binged) ## Variety — Daniel D'DAddario Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 8 June 2022. The review finds the series tightly told and welcomingly direct, with its Native perspective enriching a familiar crime-drama form. It especially praises Zahn McClarnon's compelling central performance. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/dark-winds-zahn-mcclarnon-amc-1235288542/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2022. Fienberg finds the first season an uneven but promising prelude, with an unconvincing central mystery. He praises Zahn McClarnon’s restrained performance and the show’s authentic, lived-in portrayal of Navajo culture. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/dark-winds-review-1235162769/) ## Collider — Michael John Petty Rating 9/10. 28 February 2025. The critic calls Season 3 the series’ best installment yet, despite some uneven pacing and plotlines that could be condensed. Zahn McClarnon’s performance as Joe Leaphorn is singled out for particular praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/dark-winds-season-3-review/) ## Paste — Shane Ryan Rating 8.7/10. 8 June 2022. Ryan finds the series engrossing and praises its atmospheric detective story and respectful portrayal of Navajo life. He singles out Zach McClarnon’s performance and says the subtle supernatural elements deepen the mystery, despite some weaker acting and shoehorned side stories. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/dark-winds/dark-winds-review) ## /Film — Joshua Meyer Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 June 2022. The critic finds the series watchable and worthwhile, though its genre elements sometimes stumble. They praise the cast’s chemistry and the distinctive sense of place and culture. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/871730/dark-winds-review-zahn-mcclarnon-leads-a-solid-cast-in-amcs-navajo-centric-foray-into-genre-thrills/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/dark-winds.md