Anyone watching this? I kind of like it but it's a bit slow. What's everyone else's opinion? Didn't see it posted here.

It is slow. I'm giving it time. I'm a teacher taking off his first summer in 35 years though, so I have the time to give.

Been watching it. It's actually on AMC, BTW.

It's good, enough that I will keep watching. The same Indian cop characters were played by Wes Studi and Adam Beach on a PBS series twenty years ago. I'd have to say the PBS series was a little better.

Jason_InfinityRoofer said:

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Anyone watching this? I kind of like it but it's a bit slow. What's everyone else's opinion? Didn't see it posted here.

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Looking for a new show. Can you provide some details?

Based in the 70s, murder mystery in Navajo country with an under-resourced department clashing with the regional FBI in their "efforts" to solve the crime.

I havent thought of it as "slow" yet but I enjoy slower stuff anyway so I'm the wrong person to ask.

My only suggestion would be to ignore the special effects...overall i've enjoyed it so far, (episode 3 airs tomorrow) it's different than anything I've watched recently.

AMC*

Yeah, I'd say it does very much have a Longmire feel to it. I like it so far. I especially like the rigs these folks are driving.

I didn't realize this was Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee from the Hillerman novels. I will give it a try, since those are very good and unique works.

Is anyone still watching?

The plot is complicated.

I appreciate Redford and Martin's desire to bring Hillerman's works to TV and their efforts to use Indian actors and culture.

The cultural aspects are pretty well done, though I don't think anyone has explained how a particular clan membership affects whether the two deputies are suitable romantic matches. And I confess I don't remember the answer from reading the books, either, but I suppose there is some taboo about marrying between certain clans of the Dine.

My major complaints involve the acting and the dialogue.

While there have been certain emotional moments that are well done, most of the acting and dialogue is stiff and forced and repetitive.

Zahn McClarnon just does not seem very natural at all. The two deputies do OK. Noah Emmerich is an old hand and it shows. The two Buffalo Society guys are not very good.

One more episode left.

PBS did one of Hillerman's books about 20 years ago, but I don't remember it well enough to say if it was any better.

There was actually a movie made from Hillerman's Dark Wind about 20 or so years ago that starred Lou Diamond Phillips. I think it was also produced by Redford since he has owned the film rights to Hillerman's Leaphorn and Chee books forever.

I'm still watching this series but it doesn't really have me hooked. They say it's based on Hillerman's novel Listening Woman, which I haven't read in many years. I've just ordered the paperback for a reread to see if there is any resemblance at all to the original story. Of course there were many liberties taken by the writers to flesh out the characters more. I sure don't remember Chee being an FBI agent.

I too appreciate the use of Native Americans as actors, writers and crew, although I doubt that any Navajos were consulted. I read one review by a Navajo critic that said he could not understand the "Navajo" language spoken by the actors.

Production is kind of low budget. All the business signs look like they came from the same prop department, printed on a laser printer. Some scenes are filmed in buildings with architecture too modern for the early 1970s.

PBS series from twenty years ago was much better.

Did E1 and this was pretty tough to swallow. I like Zahn Mclarnon(?) - but writing and story and set felt too stiff for my liking. That was coming from Shogun-> Blue Eye Samurai -> Dark Winds