Mention George R.R. Martin and everyone automatically thinks of Game of Thrones. The author’s works have inspired GOT and its spinoffs House of the Dragon and the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. While fans still await the next novel from Martin, he still has a good hand at producing these shows set in Westeros.
However, there’s another Martin-produced show that’s becoming a major hit on Netflix, three years after premiering on AMC. Right now, Dark Winds sits at #8 on the ten most-watched shows list on Netflix, with all three seasons added to the streamer earlier in November. That’s building a whole new audience for this incredible series that more than earns its acclaim.
Why Dark Winds has taken off
Dark Winds isn’t based on a Martin book but rather the long-running series of novels by Tony Hillerman. Initially set in the early 1970s, the series takes place in the Navajo Nation in Arizona. The series brings together Hillerman’s most popular characters, police chief Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) and deputy Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), as each season presents them with a case that doesn’t seem that dangerous, only to lead them into a darker conspiracy.
The show is produced by Martin, Graham Roland, McClarnon and Robert Redford. In fact, season 3 boasted Martin and Redford in a cameo playing chess. It was notable for Redford in his final on-screen appearance, needling Martin on “you gonna finish soon?” which was an obvious joke about Martin infamously taking his time with his next novel.
The series has won wide critical praise for its tone, each season mixing gripping crime drama with hints of a supernatural element and always about the bond of the two leads. The show has also earned kudos for nailing every aspect of Navajo culture, thanks to the writer’s room being composed of actual Native Americans to ensure authenticity. The production is also excellent, making the Arizona landscape its own character and enhancing the mood.
The series owes a huge debt to Martin, as Redford had helped produce a 1991 film, The Dark Wind, based on Hillerman's books, which didn’t do well. In 2005, Redford got the rights back alongside Hillerman and Martin helped pitch it to HBO. They turned it down, so AMC stepped in (Hillerman himself died in 2008) to finally get it off the ground in 2021.
The series does have a fourth season coming to AMC in 2026, making this the perfect time to binge the first three years. Those who do will see a fantastic mystery series with some strange touches, just the sort of project up Martin’s alley, and viewers should be grateful for him helping to bring it to life.