‘Boots’ marches in with comedy and combat boots

The first episode of “Boots,” which debuted Oct. 9 on Netflix, doesn’t begin with war drills or solemn flag-raising. Instead, it feels like the first day of summer camp: nervous arrivals, awkward introductions, and plenty of laughs. A classic flashback drops us into “how we got here,” quickly setting the tone. This is not your typical military drama.

Based on Greg Cope White’s memoir “A Pink Marine,” “Boots” is a coming-of-age dramedy about Cameron Cope, played by Miles Heizer (“13 Reasons Why”), a closeted gay teen who impulsively joins the Marines because his life “needs a change.” What follows is part boot camp comedy, part queer love letter to survival and part meditation on identity, belonging and resilience.

Creator and co-showrunner Andy Parker said that from the beginning, he knew the series had to sidestep the bleak tone of most military stories.

“There’s so much iconic media about the military and a lot of it is bleak and a lot of it is monochrome,” Parker said during a recent panel. “I didn’t want to do that. We were going in through Cameron’s eyes. His sensibility, the way he looks at the world, is funny, is refreshing, is unique. As a viewer myself, I want to laugh out loud and then get punched in the face.”

The making of a Marine
That vision has been years in the making. Netflix first announced the adaptation back in spring 2023 under the working title “The Corps.” Nearly a year and a half later, the series arrives with a new name but the same ambition: to blend sharp wit with a heartfelt look at queerness and survival in the 1990s Marine Corps.

That range of emotions is front and center in the pilot episode. The comedy lands hard: body-shaming jokes, though outdated in today’s media landscape, got big laughs in the room during a first-look screening at the recent National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association convention, held in Atlanta in September.

Racist jokes directed at Cameron’s Asian best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) sting in a different way, though the show takes time to let the characters address them directly. That willingness to both include and interrogate the harsh realities of the 1990s makes “Boots” feel unflinching without being exploitative.

The show also doesn’t take long to hint at its central theme: homosexuality. Cameron’s sexuality surfaces almost immediately, made more poignant by Heizer’s layered performance. Heizer, a gay actor himself, brings a subtle authenticity to the role: mannerisms that might ring false in another actor’s hands feel lived-in here. His Cameron is both bold and tentative, constantly balancing his desire to belong with the risk of exposure.

One of the show’s most inventive devices is the portrayal of Cameron’s closeted self, personified as a second character. This internal dialogue, equal parts self-talk and self-love, externalizes his experience of constantly negotiating identity. It makes Cameron’s inner life as vivid as the drill sergeants barking orders outside.

White, who lived the story the show is based on, said the heart of “Boots” is about who gets to belong in America’s most rigid institutions.

“We’re an all-volunteer military, and to exclude someone is ridiculous,” White said. “We are asking people to sign up and risk their life for our flag, and to tell someone that they don’t have the right to do that is absolutely ludicrous. Our country is worth fighting for, but we’re also individually all worth fighting for.”

Blending into brotherhood
Brotherhood, or “sisterhood” as co-star Angus O’Brien calls it, is another major theme. In the pilot alone, we see arcs begin to take shape: an interaction between two Black Marines introduces themes of solidarity; family drama and generational tension bubble up in discourse between a set of brother recruits; friends (or fun) already sparking in unexpected places. By the end of the episode, you’re left wanting to know how these characters will grow together or fracture apart.

The cast clearly bought into that theme as much as their characters. O’Brien said the role of Hicks, Cameron’s mischievous fellow recruit, clicked immediately.

“Hicks is so self-assured in his own identity that he doesn’t really care to prove anything to the people around him,” O’Brien said. “He just wants to have a good time, and I admire that about him.”

Off-screen, the camaraderie between O’Brien and Heizer became a real friendship, which spills into their on-screen chemistry.

Heizer called Cameron one of the most unique roles he’s played.

“For a lot of queer people, especially growing up, we hide ourselves and try to blend in,” he said. “We end up not putting ourselves in positions where we might fail, but in turn, we’re also not putting ourselves in positions where we might succeed. [Cameron] ends up discovering all these new things about himself, and it was such an exciting role for me.”

Even the small details, like a sly “Golden Girls” reference, showcase the show’s playful approach to military life. While some of the humor may be sharp-edged, Parker and White insist that levity is essential to telling the truth of this story.

“I want to go through the whole range of emotion, and I hope by the time you see the whole series, that you will have laughed, you will have gotten grossed out, you will have been mortified, you will be moved,” Parker said.

At its core, “Boots” is about resilience. Whether it’s facing racist barbs, surviving body-shame in the barracks or navigating the risk of being outed, Cameron’s story captures the contradictions of boot camp: brutal and bonding, humiliating and uplifting.

By the time the credits roll on the first episode, you’ve laughed, winced and maybe even teared up. More importantly, you’ve met a cast of characters who feel alive, distinct and poised for transformation.

In White’s words, “This show isn’t just about who gets to be a Marine. It’s about who gets to be an American.”

‘Boots’ streams now on Netflix.
https://www.netflix.com/title/81427990