George R.R. Martin is back — but not where you expect him. Before he gave us Game of Thrones, Martin helped create one of the most gripping, underrated crime thrillers of the past decade — and it just resurfaced on streaming with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. Set in the hauntingly beautiful deserts of the Navajo Nation, Dark Winds follows two tribal police officers unraveling a web of murder, corruption, and secrets buried deep beneath sacred land. 
It’s not your typical whodunit — it’s a haunting journey through culture, justice, and the darkness that hides in plain sight. Produced by George R.R. Martin and Robert Redford, the series blends chilling suspense with cinematic beauty and unforgettable performances from Zahn McClarnon and Kiowa Gordon. Critics are calling it “one of the best modern crime dramas no one’s talking about.” But now that it’s back on streaming and climbing the charts again… the question is: How did we all miss this masterpiece the first time around?
After making waves upon its original broadcast, the neo-Western crime thriller Dark Winds has officially resurfaced on streaming platforms — and just in time to remind viewers why it holds a perfect 100 % score on Rotten Tomatoes. Edinburgh News+1
A Brief Reintroduction
Originally created by Graham Roland and co-produced by George R.R. Martin (of Game of Thrones fame) and the late Robert Redford, Dark Winds adapts the acclaimed Leaphorn & Chee novel series by Tony Hillerman. JOE.ie+1 The show is set in the early 1970s on the Navajo Nation reservation and follows Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and his deputy Jim Chee as they investigate a series of violent crimes that lead them deep into cultural, spiritual and criminal mysteries. Edinburgh News+1
Why It’s Generating Buzz Again
-
Critics have lauded Dark Winds for the authenticity of its setting, the performances (especially by Zahn McClarnon as Leaphorn) and the way the show blends procedural crime drama with indigenous-cultural storytelling. Edinburgh News+1
-
All three seasons to date have maintained a 100 % critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes — a rarity in TV series. JOE.ie
-
Streaming availability has expanded recently: the show has just become available on major services (including in the UK & Ireland via Netflix) and is climbing streaming-charts again. CBR
What Viewers Should Know
-
Although the series premiered in 2022, this renewed streaming push gives new audiences a chance to binge the full canon and join the conversation.
-
Viewers should expect more than standard crime-procedural tropes. Dark Winds uses its southwestern setting and Navajo cultural context to layer in themes of identity, trauma and sovereignty — letting the land and the people tell part of the story.
-
George R.R. Martin has stated that his involvement came from a desire to help bring Hillerman’s work to a wider audience and to ensure the show honoured the cultural grounding of the novels. Edinburgh News
With Season 4 reportedly on the horizon and renewed streaming exposure, now is an ideal time for audiences to dive into the series. For those who missed its original run, the 100 % rating isn’t hype — it’s an invitation.
If you thought you’d seen everything in crime-drama television… Dark Winds may just be the unexpected sleeper you’ve been waiting for.
