The second episode of Dark Winds Season 4 is officially set to arrive this month, and fans will not have to wait long to see what happens after that intense diner shootout in the premiere. The show, which returned Sunday night with its first episode titled “KวซโTsiitรกรกโ รlnรฉรฉh (Baptism by Fire),” has already kicked off a dangerous new case involving a missing Navajo teenager named Billie Tsosie .
The season opener ended with Lt. Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon), and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten) arriving too late at a diner where a shooting had just taken place. They found two dead bodies and a damaged jukebox but no sign of Billie or her cousin Albert, leaving viewers with plenty of questions about where the story goes next . The good news is that the next chapter arrives in just a few days.
Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 2 Release Date and Time
Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 2 will be released on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET on AMC . The episode, titled “Bikรฉรฉ’ Doo รรฉdahoozฤฏฤฏdฤฬฤฬgรณรณ (Toward Their Unknown Paths) ,” will continue the search for Billie Tsosie and take the investigation in a new direction .
For viewers on the West Coast, the episode airs at 6 p.m. PT simultaneously with the East Coast broadcast . The show follows a weekly release pattern, with new episodes arriving every Sunday night throughout the eight-episode season .
Streaming Details for Global Audiences
Fans who prefer to stream the show can watch Dark Winds Season 4 Episode 2 the same night it airs on television. The episode becomes available on AMC+ starting at 9 p.m. ET on February 22 . This means subscribers do not have to wait until the next day to catch the latest installment.
For international viewers, the release times vary based on location since the episode drops simultaneously worldwide. Here is when Episode 2 becomes available in different regions :
- United Kingdom (GMT) โ 2:00 am on February 23
- India (IST) โ 7:30 am on February 23
- Australia (AEDT) โ 12:00 pm on February 23
- Singapore (SGT) โ 10:00 am on February 23
- Japan (JST) โ 11:00 am on February 23
AMC+ offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers, which means viewers can watch Episode 2 without paying if they time their sign-up correctly . The streaming service costs $7.99 per month for the ad-supported plan or $14.99 monthly for ad-free viewing . AMC+ is also available as an add-on channel through Prime Video for those who already have an Amazon account .
A Major Directorial Debut in Episode 2
Episode 2 carries extra significance because it marks the television directorial debut of Zahn McClarnon, who has played Joe Leaphorn since the series began . McClarnon, who also serves as an executive producer on the show, steps behind the camera for this installment while continuing to lead the cast as the troubled but determined tribal police lieutenant.
McClarnon previously expressed his excitement about taking on the directing role. According to comments reported ahead of the season, he said he was looking forward to exploring his character further while also getting the chance to shape the visual storytelling of an episode . The episode title, which translates to “Toward Their Unknown Paths,” suggests the characters will move into unfamiliar territory both geographically and emotionally.
What Happened in the Season 4 Premiere
Episode 1 introduced the season’s central mystery involving Billie Tsosie (Isabel DeRoy-Olson), a 16-year-old Navajo girl who went missing from St. Catherine’s boarding school . The episode opened with a tense scene at a diner where Billie and her cousin Albert argued while sharing milkshakes. A van pulled up outside, and a blonde woman entered and opened fire. The two escaped, but Albert got shot in the process .
The story then jumped back 15 hours to show Leaphorn dealing with personal issues. His wife Emma (Deanna Allison) left him at the end of Season 3, and he spent time alone in the wilderness hunting and reflecting . He eventually told Manuelito that he planned to retire and wanted her to take over as lieutenant, a decision that puts her in an awkward position since Chee has been on the force longer .
Manuelito eventually decided to rejoin the Navajo Tribal Police after burning her Border Patrol uniform in a symbolic moment . She visited the Catholic school she once attended and got a frightened student to reveal that Billie had gone to the diner. The episode circled back to the shootout, with Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito arriving to find the aftermath .
Franka Potente plays the mysterious blonde shooter, a character named Irene Vaggan. Showrunner John Wirth explained that the character fills a similar role to the Season 2 villain Colton Wolf, and he wanted to cast a woman in the part this time . Potente told The Hollywood Reporter that she found the role liberating and was drawn to the show’s detailed world-building .
The premiere also included a surprise cameo from Linda Hamilton, who plays the wife of Sheriff Gordo Sena (A. Martinez). Her character is shown struggling with dementia, and Leaphorn offers advice to Sena about not giving up on her . The episode ended with a title card honoring Robert Redford, the executive producer who died in September 2025 at age 89 .
What Episode 2 Will Cover
Episode 2 will pick up immediately after the diner shooting and continue the search for Billie Tsosie. The investigation will start moving toward Los Angeles, marking the first time the series takes its main characters off the Navajo Nation reservation . This geographic shift opens up new dangers as the team encounters organized crime elements they do not normally deal with on the rez.
Titus Welliver joins the cast this season as Dominic McNair, a crime boss operating in Los Angeles who has connections to the case . The expanded story brings in federal involvement as well, with Luke Barnett playing FBI Special Agent Toby Shaw . Chaske Spencer appears as Sonny, a recruiter for the Los Angeles crime ring .
The case is based loosely on Tony Hillerman’s novel The Ghostway, though the show has always taken creative liberties with the source material . Wirth previously mentioned that the season deals with the Navajo concept of ghost sickness, which relates to what happens to a person if they are exposed to a dead body or present when someone dies . This spiritual element will likely play into the investigation as the team tracks a killer with obsessive tendencies.
Where to Watch Previous Seasons
New viewers who want to catch up before Episode 2 airs can stream all three previous seasons of Dark Winds on AMC+ . The show also found a massive new audience when Seasons 1 through 3 arrived on Netflix in October 2025 as part of The AMC Collection . The series frequently ranked in Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched shows after that debut .
The show has maintained a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes across its first three seasons, a rare achievement that speaks to its quality and cultural authenticity . Critics have consistently praised McClarnon’s performance and the show’s respectful treatment of Navajo culture and traditions.
The Cast Returning for Season 4
The main cast remains intact for Season 4. Zahn McClarnon leads as Joe Leaphorn, the stoic and spiritually connected lieutenant. Kiowa Gordon plays Jim Chee, the younger deputy who has grown more confident in his investigative skills. Jessica Matten returns as Bernadette Manuelito, now in a romantic relationship with Chee after years of tension between the characters . Deanna Allison continues as Emma Leaphorn, though her character’s whereabouts remain unclear after she left Joe at the end of last season.
A. Martinez returns as Acting Chief Gordo Sena, providing a link between the tribal police and outside law enforcement . New additions beyond Potente, DeRoy-Olson, Spencer, Barnett, and Welliver include Isabel DeRoy-Olson as the missing Billie Tsosie, whose fate drives the entire season’s action .
Dark Winds Has Already Been Renewed for Season 5
AMC showed significant confidence in the series by renewing Dark Winds for Season 5 on February 5, 2026, a full 10 days before the Season 4 premiere . The early renewal means the writers can plan longer story arcs without worrying about whether the show will continue.
Production on Season 5 begins in March 2026 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the show has filmed since its beginning . Season 5 will also consist of eight episodes and is scheduled to debut in 2027 . The quick turnaround between seasons suggests AMC wants to maintain momentum for one of its most acclaimed dramas.
The show draws its creative power from an impressive team of executive producers including the late Robert Redford, George R.R. Martin, creator Graham Roland, and showrunner John Wirth . Martin, best known for writing the Game of Thrones books, has been involved with the project since its development and continues to support the series.
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Why Viewers Keep Coming Back to Dark Winds
The series stands out for its authentic representation of Navajo culture. Starting in Season 2, the production added a Navajo cultural adviser following feedback from The Navajo Times about language use and cultural accuracy . Approximately 95 percent of the cast is Indigenous or part of the production team, a rare level of representation in television .
The show also benefits from its 1970s setting, which allows for period detail without feeling like a museum piece. The soundtrack mixes deep cuts from artists like Bad Company with traditional Navajo music, creating a unique atmosphere that separates it from other crime dramas . The cinematography captures the stunning landscapes of the Southwest, making the location itself feel like a character in the story.
Episode 2 of Dark Winds Season 4 arrives on February 22 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC and AMC+. The episode marks Zahn McClarnon’s directorial debut and continues the search for Billie Tsosie as the investigation heads toward Los Angeles. Viewers can catch up on previous seasons through AMC+ or Netflix before the new episode airs.
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