Who is Taylor Roberts? The meaning behind 'Dark Winds' Season 4's emotional dedication
'Dark Winds' on AMC+ has been described as one of the best mystery shows on television in recent times. This reputation is further cemented by the perferct 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which was sustained by Season 4 of the AMC+ show. The second episode of Season 4 contained an in memoriam dedication to Taylor Roberts. While the Tony Hillerman book series and the characters of Zahn McClarnon's Joe Leaphorn and Kiowa Gordon's Jim Chee have become household names, not many members of the audience might be familiar with Roberts.
As a crew member of 'Dark Winds,' Roberts worked as the head of the make-up department on the third season of the show. While serving as the head of the makeup department, Roberts was directly responsible for styling all the characters, from the protagonists to the Ye'iitsoh depicted in Season 3. The show depicts a period series set against the backdrop of the 1970s, and it goes without saying that make-up and production design are crucial to making the show period-accurate. In this sense, Roberts had a formidable task in making each character appear distinct yet blend in effortlessly with the wider world of the show.
Moreover, the makeup of a show like 'Dark Winds' goes a long way toward establishing the tone and atmosphere. It goes without saying that her work contributed to the show's distinctive visual identity. Roberts passed away on November 12, 2024. The writers of her obituary recommended that if one partakes, one should take a sip of scotch or champagne in her honor. For those who don't partake, hugging a loved one or a pet shall suffice. Although Taylor is best known for her work on 'Dark Winds,' she also worked on productions including 'Happy Gilmore,' '3:10 to Yuma,' 'Bates Motel,' and many others.
On the other hand, the second episode of Season 4, which was titled 'Bikéé' Doo Éédahoozįįdę́ę́góó (Toward Their Unknown Paths)' featured a major turning point for one leading character. As is already known, the fourth season follows Chee and Leaphorn, aided by Bernadette Manuelito, as they investigate the disappearance of Billie Tsosie from the Navajo reservation. Towards the end of the episode, Chee, Leaphorn, and Manuelito discover the dead Albert Gorman at the home of Ashie Begay. While Manuelito and Leaphorn almost instantly recognized the home to be a death hogan and warned Chee against entering, the latter didn't heed their warnings and eventually fell victim to ghost sickness. According to traditional Navajo belief, a person's 'chindi' represents the negative aspects of their spirit, and contact with it can lead to what is known as ghost sickness.
