Netflix viewers rewatching 'terrific' series you've probably never heard of

If you're on the hunt for the ideal series to binge this weekend, Netflix has just the ticket. All three seasons of Dark Winds, an American psychological thriller, are now available on the streaming giant, and it's been garnering rave reviews.

Dark Winds, a creation of Graham Roland, is adapted from the Leaphorn and Chee novel series penned by Tony Hillerman. The series features actors Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon in leading roles. Here's your complete guide to Dark Winds, including its storyline, full cast, and critical reception....

The narrative of Dark Winds revolves around three Navajo Tribal Police officers; Joe Leaphorn, Bernadette Manuelito, and Jim Chee. Set in the 1970s, the drama unfolds in the Four Corners region of the American Southwest, reports .

The plot summary reads: "Set in 1971 on a remote outpost of the Navajo Nation near Monument Valley, Dark Winds follows Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Tribal Police as he is besieged by a series of seemingly unrelated crimes. The closer he digs to the truth, the more he exposes the wounds of his past.

"He is joined on this journey by his new deputy, Jim Chee. Chee, too, has old scores to settle from his youth on the reservation. Together, the two men battle the forces of evil, each other and their own personal demons on the path to salvation."

All three seasons of Dark Winds are ready for streaming.

The ensemble of Dark Winds is headlined by Zahn McClarnon, who embodies the character Joe Leaphorn. Alongside him are Kiowa Gordon as Jim Chee and Jessica Matten in the role of Bernadette Manuelito.

Deanna Allison brings life to Emma Leaphorn, with Rainn Wilson portraying Dan DeMarco and Elva Guerra as Sally Growing Thunder. Jeremiah Bitsui steps into the shoes of James Tso, while Eugene Brave Rock takes on the character of Frank Nakai.

Noah Emmerich graces the first series as Leland Whitover, Nicholas Logan enters the fray in season two as Colton Wolf, and Isabel DeRoy-Olson is set to appear as Billie Tsosie in the upcoming fourth season.

The show also features performances from Jonathan Adams, Ryan Begay, Amelia Rico, Rob Tepper, Quenton Yazzie, Natalie Benally, Ryffin Phoenix, and John Diehl.

The Guardian has lauded Dark Winds with a four-star rating, particularly commending Zahn's leading portrayal.

Their critique highlighted: "It is a knotty, atmospheric mystery that still feels fleet enough to be tackled in one or two binges. One of the main pleasures is seeing McClarnon - a hard-working actor who has been a welcome presence in series such as Westworld, Fargo and the similarly hardscrabble cowboy cop show Longmire - belatedly take centre stage.

"Leaphorn is a watchful combination of empathy, intelligence and coiled-spring physicality, constantly having to weigh up his instincts against what will be best for his people. It is a terrific, multifaceted performance."

Over at Rolling Stone, critics lauded the third series of 'Dark Winds', bestowing it with glowing accreditations as "outstanding".

Their review raved: "The season's sixth chapter is absolutely stunning, as a wounded Joe either suffers an extended hallucination or takes a long visit to the spirit world in order to reckon with a dark secret of his past that ties into several of the problems he's recently brought upon himself. We're still pretty early in 2025, but it's definitely a contender for episode of the year."

Dark Winds is available to stream on Netflix