Inspired by memoir The Pink Marine by Greg Cope White, Netflix’s 90s-era dramedy, Boots, takes aim at the homophobic realities of being a Marine during that decade. Gay people openly serving in the U.S. military was not legalized until 2011, well after some of the unfortunate events that take place during this compelling series. Undeniably, The Pink Marine is a better title, and thankfully carries over as the name of the debut episode. Closeted eighteen-year-old Cameron (Miles Heizer, 13 Reasons Why) enlists as a Marine, becoming our window into a world of toxic masculinity, intense tests of physical and emotional endurance, and ultimately, the bonds formed through forced camaraderie. Some viewers may be disappointed that the queer struggles materialize as more internal than external in Cameron’s specific viewpoint. But make no mistake—Boots is a very gay, very emotional series with an excellent ensemble cast to anchor its intensity. Presenting a critical analysis on the Marine lifestyle, 90s time capsule Boots houses a layered performance from Miles Heizer, and moving queer subtext.
Cameron serves as the central narrator and primary focus in Boots, a fascinating but self-critical teen who frequently chats with physically embodied alternate versions of himself. His perspective always feels distinct and insightful, if not necessarily functional in all the ways one desires from voiceover. The motif can occasionally feel overused when it emerges at pivotal moments. This surprising mixture of voiceover with actual onscreen manifestations of his thoughts gives us plenty to chew on where Cameron’s personality is concerned. At the start, Cameron has virtually zero self esteem, despite being a cute twink with a unique perspective on life. Longing to escape his small town life—and the constant stream of bullying—not even his mother, Barbara (Vera Farmiga, Bates Motel), thinks he is masculine enough. After his best and only friend, Ray (Liam Oh, The Thing About Harry), returns from the Air Force Academy, the two enlist in the Marines together, hopeful that the “Buddy System” can help counteract the illegality of Cameron’s sexual identity. Surely that has to be better than the monotony of his current existence.
Whilst Ray remains the sole person aware of Cameron’s gay identity, they charge into boot camp ready to face whatever challenges are thrown their way. A fresh batch of recruits with their own hopes for becoming Marines arrive barely prepped for the thirteen weeks that await them, all with different backgrounds and distinct personalities. Ray and Cameron are deeply interconnected as they enter the introductory stages. These include belittling and demeaning language from their drill sergeants, delivering distant messages to their families at home, extremely limited “chow time,” fully shaving their heads, and following strict orders to the letter lest they pay a strict penalty. Those familiar with onscreen military boot camp movies like Full Metal Jacket may have an idea of the world at play; Boots smartly dodges the tropes one would associate by grounding the affair in relatable scenarios and elaborate characterizations.
The drill sergeant side creates a compelling balance for the narrative, especially where Sergeant Bobby Sullivan (Max Parker, Vampire Academy) is concerned. He comes off ferociously harsh on Cameron at first, but hides secrets of his own that haunt him from time served at a Guam Naval Base. Parker disappears into the role, playing all sides of this complex character with an assured hand. He alternates between pushing Cameron to his limits and secretly pulling him up, morphing into a mentor despite having skeletons in his closet. Staff Sergeant McKinnon (Cedrick Cooper, Will Trent) also compels, being the senior drill instructor, and expecting a child at home. Sergeant Knox (Zach Roerig, The Vampire Diaries) is the only instructor truly one note, playing a racist tormentor with a penchant for getting under the skin of young recruits.
While the boot camp receives most of the focus, we are also supposed to care about Barbara’s home life as she grapples with “losing” her son to the Marines. Unfortunately, Boots devotes too little time to the relationship dynamic between Cameron and Barbara, to the point that any time it cuts back to her, it never feels necessary. The problem certainly doesn’t lie with Farmiga’s portrayal, but rather with the structure. We get that Barbara was cold and distant, but the only time we really see them interact in the wild is in “The Pink Marine.” Where some characters receive weighty flashbacks—such as the heart-wrenching conflict between twins, or Ray’s desperation to earn his father’s respect—Cameron’s backstory has been baked into the plot, so receives none of the expansion to help shape the mother/son connection.
The connectivity between Marine hopefuls is much more fluid and engaging. Cameron tries to fade into the background, but Sullivan’s pushing instead brings him directly under the spotlight. Still, his sexual identity never feels dangerous, other than when it becomes juxtaposed against another running storyline. The showers aren’t the only place we get some great eye candy, and Boots absolutely hints at homoerotic undertones between a couple of its primary players. But the strengths here instead rely on the interplay amongst the archetypes. Cameron’s friendship with Ray gets put to the ultimate test. Cameron’s bunkmate, Eduardo Ochoa (Jonathan Nieves, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels), is smiley on the surface, but desperate for love underneath. Potential love interest, Isaiah Nash (Dominic Goodman, First Kill), has reasons of his own for actually joining the Marines, and Santos Santos (Rico Paris, Parachute) maintains a strong connection to his daughter back home, despite the forbidden nature of contacting her at all. Even the bullies become a strong counter to Cameron’s newfound resilience. The vibe between the young men recalls Holes at times, that iconic Louis Sachar classic, albeit heavily mature-rated.
Is the series pro-Marine? Does Cameron’s queerness ever actually cause major conflicts within the framework of the story? The answers to both of these questions are a little complicated, but Boots still manages to leave their ultimate answers up to viewer interpretation. Showrunners Andy Parker and Jennifer Cecil celebrate the discipline and transformation these types of strict programs can have on men, yet also reveal the Corps as a system that emphasizes dehumanization and produces lifelong scars. Raw performances help add further texture, particularly from Heizer and Parker, who share incredible chemistry onscreen. If the ending is any indication, we could be in store for more from Netflix should they choose to renew the dramedy for a second season. Its central conceit would likely travel away from the basis of the first season, albeit with much of the hefty personal growth out of the way. Oorah!
Strap up your Boots and get ready for combat, marching exclusively to Netflix screens on Wednesday, October 9th.
