Season 2 Rant - Did they even read the books? (Spoilers)

I enjoyed the second season but I was a bit dismayed over the abandonment of the source material. The ending is totally different in the book. The show wanted to make the case for Indian justice over the US legal system's "white man justice" so Leaphorn abandoned Vines to die in the middle of the desert. In the books, the blonde guy shot Vines in his home and Mrs. Vines shot the blonde guy dead. The book was a Jim Chee mystery so I don't believe Leaphorn and Bernadette played a significant role in the story. I could have missed it but I don't recall the show detailing Vines' secret identity and the relationship between Vines and the blonde killer named Colton Wolf.

It's pretty cool to see the 1970's cars, decor and costumes. Bernadette isn't supposed to be in the story BUT the actress lights up the screen with her beauty and charisma. A Martinez has always appeared ageless to me but I noticed in this show that he talked, walked and looked like an old man. A Martinez is turning seventy-five in a couple weeks so he needs to write a book on his anti-aging tips. Jeri Ryan is still looking good but her beauty was hidden by the breathing apparatus.

I was also disappointed that Leaphorn relied on vigilante justice instead of strict adherence to the law. In the first season, Chee and Bernadette also deviated from the law by covering up the crime scene. This is a cop show where the cops do not follow the law.