As “Reservation Dogs” prepares to start filming its third season, co-creator Sterlin Harjo is promising an episode that will explore the origins of Season 1’s deer lady. Speaking at the SCAD TV Fest in Atlanta on Thursday, Harjo gave a few hints about the new season.
“Everyone expects me to go wild Season 3, but I kinda wanna bring it back home a bit,” said Harjo. He said that the show does not particularly like shooting in Los Angeles, hinting at a potential return to Oklahoma. “There’s some darker places we go in Season 3.”
Harjo and star Paulina Alexis were on hand to discuss the series with Variety TV editor Michael Schneider as Harjo received Variety‘s inaugural Showrunner Award at the festival for his work on the series. “Reservation Dogs” follows four Indigenous teenagers from rural Oklahoma and their lives as they face the loss of one of their best friends and imagine what their futures might look like.
Season 1 of “Reservation Dogs” premiered in August 2021, and Season 2 in August 2022. In September 2022, the show was renewed for its third season.
Alexis plays Willie Jack, who was initially meant to be a male character. “I think I just rewrote the script lines. I was like ‘I think this would be better,’” Alexis said. The actor also said she wants to direct, produce and write again in the future. Harjo spoke highly of the actor’s talent and how he often provides her with little direction, giving the actor the space to take the series to new places.
Coming from an independent filmmaking background, Harjo acknowledges that experience in helping him bring new perspectives, such as including extras more behind the scenes. “I thought I’d be an independent filmmaker forever. No one wanted to make Native American feature films,” said Harjo. “Doors shut in my face, it didn’t matter that I went to Sundance labs or anything…back then it was like ‘Native films don’t sell.’” Harjo credits streaming with helping change the culture.
“We were able to go places where non-Natives might not feel comfortable going,” said Harjo, who brought in a Native crew to surround him in creating “Reservation Dogs.” “We were able to do things that might seem offensive. We were able to push that envelope because we’re Native and we weren’t afraid to do that, and we had each other’s back.”
