Dark Winds is a critically acclaimed noir drama which airs on AMC and AMC+ exclusively. The first two season have been highly praised by critics and viewers and the third is sure to follow suit. The upcoming season has cast Fear the Walking Dead’s Jenna Elfman and The Walking Dead’s Alex Meraz.

AMC recently released new images for the upcoming season featuring Elfman in her latest role as FBI Special Agent Sylvia Washington. The series is set in the 70s, and Elfman’s amazing outfits are a great representation of the style of that decade.

Dark Winds is a psychological thriller created by Graham Roland based on Tony Hillerman’s novel series Leaphorn & Chee. Roland is best known for his work on Jack Ryan, Almost Human, and Fringe. Hillerman created 18 novels in the series and after his death, his daughter Anne Hillerman took up the story and created an additional nine novels.

The Dark Winds series stars Zahn McClarnon as Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Kiowa Gordon as a former undercover FBI agent who becomes Leaphorn’s deputy. They are joined by Sergeant Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), who assists them in their investigations. Roland and McClarnon also serve as executive producers with showrunner John Wirth (Hell of Wheels, Hap and Leonard), George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones), and award-winning actor and filmmaker Robert Redford.

Many talented actors have starred in the series during seasons 1 and 2, including Rainn Wilson, Elva Guerra, and Noah Emmerich. Additional actors with recurring roles are Natalie Benally, John Diehl, Jonathan Adams, Jeri Ryan, and more. Elfman and Meraz join a list of other newcomers to the series this season, including Bruce Greenwood, Raoul Max Trujillo, Tonantzin Carmelo, Terry Serpico, Phil Burke, Derek Hinkey, and Christopher Heyerdahl.

Dark Winds chronicles the investigations of Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito in the Four Corners area of the American South West in the 1970s. The third season will begin six months after events of season 2. Next, Leaphorn and Chee will investigate the disapperance of two boys with an abandonded bike and blood stained ground as clues to what happened.

Above is a first-look photo of Meraz as Border Patrol Agent Ivan Muños. Meraz is well known for his roles in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Walking Dead, and Landman. In 2024, Meraz starred as Carlos ‘Charlie Boy’ Ortiz in the FX sports drama based on the podcast Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football, Inc.

Dark Winds season 3 episodes and release dates

The third season of Dark Winds premieres on AMC and AMC+ on March 9 with new episodes weekly.

Episode 1 – “Ye’iitsoh (Big Monster)” – March 9
Episode 2 – “Náá’tsoh (Big Eyes)” – March 16
Episode 3 – “Ch’į́į́dii (Ghosts)” – March 23
Episode 4 – “Chahałheeł (Darkness Falls)” – March 30
Episode 5 – “Tsékǫ̨’ Hasą́ní (Coal Mine Canyon)” – April 6
Episode 6 – TBA – April 13
Episode 7 – TBA – April 20
Episode 8 – TBA – April 27

Season 1 and 2 of Dark Winds available to stream on AMC+ and via the AMC Collection on Netflix.