The Open Wounds of <em>Reservation Dogs</em>

Updated at 10:11 a.m. ET on August 31, 2023.

This article contains spoilers through season 3 of Reservation Dogs.

At first glance, the scene looks like a well-worn slasher setup: A woman approaches a weathered manor and cautiously crosses the threshold. The frightened look in her eyes signals impending violence, instructing audiences to brace themselves. But in a recent episode of Reservation Dogs, the stellar FX, the typical plotline gets a poignant overhaul. We soon learn that the eerie home, entered by the mysterious Deer Lady (played by Kaniehtiio Horn)—a character —stands on the same site as the boarding school that she was forced to attend with other Native children.