AMC's 4-Part Crime Thriller Masterpiece Shows 'True Detective' How It's Done

Published Aug 20, 2026, 6:58 PM EDT Erin Konrad's love for everything entertainment dates back to elementary school when she became obsessed with classic Hollywood musicals. When she's not catching up on all her favorite television shows, she's advising her friends and family on what they should binge watch next. She has her Bachelor's degree in Journalism and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Creating content for Collider gives her the opportunity to combine her writing skills with her passion for television and movies. She spends her free time trying to beat her personal record of reading 137 books in a year and cuddling with her dog, Gracie. When True Detective premiered back in 2014, the HBO crime drama quickly captured everyone's attention. Thanks to its haunting mysteries and compelling storylines, the anthology series remains one of HBO's best offerings. Each season has featured a brand-new setting and a rotating roster of legendary actors like Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Mahershala Ali, and Jodie Foster. While True Detective utilizes supernatural themes, sometimes that element feels a bit confusing. If you want to binge a series that actually surpasses True Detective in storytelling, there's one AMC thriller that should be added to your must-watch list. What Is 'Dark Winds' About? Dark Winds has already released four seasons of pure genius. Based on Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn & Chee books, the series is a gripping mash-up of several different genres, including Western, crime thriller, and neo-noir. With iconic producers including George R.R. Martin and the late Robert Redford, it's no surprise that Dark Winds consistently fires on all cylinders. The story follows the stoic, taciturn Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) in his work as a Navajo Tribal Police officer on a reservation in the Southwest U.S. in the 1970s. Joe's team consists of two younger officers, Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) and Bernadette Manuelito (Jessica Matten), whom he ends up mentoring. Each season, the three must work to solve an intriguing mystery, all while honoring the traditions on the reservation. Joe would already have his work cut out for him given the crimes he needs to solve, but his job becomes even more challenging because of the mystical elements also running rampant. 'Dark Winds' Infuses Twisty Mystery With Supernatural Themes Just like True Detective, Dark Winds incorporates supernatural obstacles that follow the characters. This unique storytelling results in episodes that feel insidiously frightening at times. By allowing the spiritual world to coexist alongside the natural realm, Dark Winds sets up villains that are often so much scarier than a criminal with a gun. In Season 3, Joe is besieged by a terrifying monster that attacks him at every turn. The following season, Jim has to fight off a hallucinatory curse that plagues him with flashbacks to a grief-filled memory. Both of these gripping storylines have ties to the supernatural and a foundation in real-life trauma. Similar to True Detective, sometimes something as simple as the weather serves as another representation of evil. Dark Winds does have many similarities to the paranormal twists found in True Detective, but at the end of the day, AMC's Western thriller manages to incorporate these elements in a much more riveting way. Previous seasons of True Detective, which will be returning for a fifth season in 2027, have included everything from unsettling symbols to creepy cults. However, the series is often bogged down by the mystical, so the narratives sometimes end up feeling muddled or confusing. Season 1's recurring theme, "time is a flat circle," feels so vague and esoteric that the storytelling doesn't seem all that relatable or engrossing. In comparison, the supernatural elements in Dark Winds are woven into the plot effortlessly, with the mystical used to further the mysteries or to provide additional background for characters' pasts. Although the supernatural plays a huge part in both True Detective and Dark Winds, the latter is definitely demonstrating its superiority. In fact, Dark Winds has an impressive 100% Rotten Tomatoes score across its four seasons, while True Detective can only boast a cumulative score of 78%. With a fifth season of Dark Winds also set to premiere in 2027, there's plenty of time for you to binge-watch all 28 episodes before the twisty show comes back. Just don't be surprised if you discover that you're more than happy to rank Dark Winds above True Detective on the list of your favorite shows.