Dark Winds, the psychological thriller series, has achieved a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been named the number one Netflix original series to watch right now, according to the platform's updated list of the 100 Best Netflix Series for December 2025.
Created by Graham Roland and adapted from Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee novels, the series stars Zahn McClarnon as Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Kiowa Gordon as Jim Chee, an undercover FBI agent. Set in the early 1970s in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest, the plot follows a series of seemingly unrelated crimes that gradually reveal a darker, interconnected truth.
The show has been praised for its largely Native American cast and commitment to authenticity. Executive producers include George R. R. Martin and Robert Redford, with Redford making a brief cameo in the third season shortly before his death in September 2025. The series first premiered on AMC and AMC+ in June 2022, with the third season airing in March 2025 and a fourth confirmed for February 2026.
Critics and viewers alike have lauded the series. Graeme Virtue of The Guardian described the first two seasons as a 'brooding Navajo murder mystery that practically begs to be binged.' One Rotten Tomatoes reviewer called the third season an 'absolute masterpiece,' while another said it is 'the best show on TV period' and deserves Emmy awards.
