There has been a long, tense relationship between queer identity and military service in the United States. Just think of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” or the recent transgender military ban. Based on the 2016 memoir “The Pink Marine” by Greg Cope White, the new Netflix coming-of-age dramedy “Boots,” produced by Sony Pictures Television, is a decent and humorous exploration of life for a young gay man at military boot camp, despite it lacking a stronger ensemble of characters, some critical depth and romantic relationships to root for.
During his time in high school, Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) is bullied relentlessly. The year is 1990 and he’s exasperated from getting his head flushed down the toilet (even on graduation day). He and his straight best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) enlist in boot camp to escape their lives. Along with a platoon of new recruits all with newly shaved heads, they are forced to assimilate into the very strict culture of rigorous discipline and body conditioning.
If you’re tuning in hoping for a smutty gay love story along the lines of “Young Royals” or “Elite,” “Boots” won’t scratch that itch: It takes at least half a season for the gayest parts of the story to emerge, with Cameron taking until the penultimate episode to have but a crush, and there are barely kisses to be seen. But it’s fair enough: He has a lot on his plate. Cameron is not yet in the same physical state as many of the other recruits, and is quickly targeted in similar ways he was in high school, despite Ray doing his best to defend him.
Over the season, he empowers himself to stand up to those who try to take advantage of him — a satisfying watch for anyone who’s been bullied in high school.
Over the course of the season, the show depicts the rampant racism, homophobia and fatphobia that persist within the culture of military masculinity, at the expense of vulnerable recruits who are essentially accosted into submission by sergeants. Ray faces anti-Asian sentiments from one sergeant (he is nicknamed “Bento”), and Cameron is targeted by one too many gay slurs despite only being out to his best friend.
Some of the worst traits of patriarchal masculinity are on display here, and the show rarely challenges them, entrusting the viewer to parse that out on their own. The show — and by extension, the military — suggests that enduring tests of the body and mind and becoming stronger and more violent as a result, are the imperfect solutions to inner turmoil. In each of the episodes, the recruits face various physical challenges meant to strengthen them physically, with the idea that they become real men in the process. They shout “kill” as a motivational mantra and face daily “incentivized training,” as one sergeant calls it — essentially, barrages of verbal abuse. As Cameron says in the first week, upon realizing he’s possibly made a grave mistake joining, this is not summer camp.
Helmed by first-time showrunner Andy Parker, “Boots” seems to have a reverence for the marine corps and isn’t particularly interested in tearing it apart. There is probably another version of “Boots” that is more self-reflexive about young men training to kill others. The idea that these men might end up in combat with other young men from another country barely comes up, and military PTSD is not discussed (one character experiencing panic attacks is able to overcome it by sheer will).
“Boots” also seems unsure of its own tone. Unless you find fatphobic remarks or sergeants yelling profanities at the top of their lungs humorous, this is one of the less humorous projects executive produced by the late Norman Lear, and barely reaches the bar of classifying itself as a comedy — especially compared to the Lear’s last project, “Clean Slate,” a genuinely funny sitcom starring Laverne Cox.
As a drama, it hits many marks, but doesn’t always lean in: Flashbacks are used to explore the pasts of a few of its characters, but not incorporated enough to provide a thoughtful exploration on par with “Lost” or “Orange is the New Black.” In one episode, two recruit brothers have their dynamic and backstory explored through flashbacks, only for one to later be transferred to a different platoon and relegated as a recurring character. In a later episode, one character whose background was actually being explored dies in a scene so sudden and unexpected that it felt nonsensical.
The show has a compelling protagonist in Cameron, but neglects to build up a stronger ensemble. Even Vera Farmiga is somewhat sidelined as Cameron’s mother, Barbara Hope, who’s back home trying to process her son joining the military in brief, scattered scenes. It is revealed that there is another, parallel platoon of women Marines, though it’s barely explored. Perhaps the lack of a deeper development of character is hampered by episodes that don’t surpass 40 minutes.
Fortunately, “Boots” makes up for the lack of complexity with a lot of heart and strong performances across the board, including multiple actors with very few roles under their belts. It’s easy to root for this crew of recruits as a whole, who learn to trust one another during the various exercises and belt out an encouraging “oorah” battle cry when the moment calls for it. There is a lot to admire in the production design of the various obstacle courses, too.
A pleasant surprise is the nuance brought to Sgt. Sullivan (Max Parker) as the platoon’s leader, who is trying to navigate his personal tribulations while also projecting them onto his recruits, making their training harder in the process. He makes for a compelling antagonist in the way that he’s written with humanity beyond his ear-ringing shouting and a targeted obsession with Cameron, and a warning of sorts on the toxicity of embracing this version of aggressive masculinity. A later recruit who joins the platoon, Jones (Jack Cameron Kay), also brings a fresh energy to the end of the season depicting another perspective on queer identity in the military.
One viewer could digest “Boots” as military propaganda. It’s difficult to disconnect the harsh reality of our current world — where countries are increasing military budgets to prepare for war — from watching barely legal young men learning to shoot rifles as a signifier that they are closer to achieving fearless masculinity.
On the other hand, other viewers may experience the series as an authentic and thoughtful portrayal of the experience in boot camp, from a rarely-portrayed gay perspective. Perhaps it’s a little bit of both. Regardless, there is a lot to enjoy in this season — if you can get past the military of it all — and it’s easy to see how this could be quickly binged, despite the lack of romantic plotlines and overall sexlessness.
As a character-based story, and with Norman Lear’s background in the military in mind,
“Boots” is an entertaining watch with the potential for an even stronger second season that raises the stakes — even if it’s hard to stomach this endearing platoon heading to war.
“Boots” is now streaming on Netflix.
