BOOTS

Created by Andy Parker

Directed by Phil Abraham, Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Silas Howard, Tanya Hamilton, and Peter Hoar (also Executive Producer Reviewed by Jason King

The Netflix dramedy BOOTS is a coming-of-age story about Cameron Cope, a gay teenager who enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps with his best friend in the early 1990s—an era when being gay in the military was illegal. Inspired by Greg Cope White’s memoir THE PINK MARINES, the series blends humour and grit as Cameron endures brutal boot camp, navigates a secret double life, and forges unexpected bonds with fellow recruits. It’s an intimate look at identity, friendship, resilience, and survival within a system designed to break you.⁣

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Let me start by saying this: BOOTS is my favourite piece of content for 2025, just edging out Leo’s ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER. I’ve long been a fan of Miles Heizer since his 13 REASONS WHY days (he also happens to look uncannily like my first love, but I digress). This was the first show all year that I immediately restarted after finishing.⁣

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At first glance, I thought BOOTS would be a witty, comedic take on sneaking into the testosterone-fuelled world of the Marines as a young gay man. Instead, it tackles serious themes head-on, and it is brutal. Joining the Marines is terrifying in itself; the training alone could kill you, and the job even more so. But layered on top of that is the constant threat of exposure under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” where simply being discovered could end your career, or even land you in prison. It’s a reminder of how absurd it is that anyone should have to hide who they are while serving their country.⁣

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The show is perfectly cast, with every gay character played by an openly gay actor, an important and refreshing choice. Miles Heizer is extraordinary as Cope; this feels like his defining role, one that will skyrocket his career. Though he’s 31, he embodies 18 flawlessly. Still, Max Parker steals the spotlight as Sgt. Sullivan, a hardened Marine legend turned trainer. From the moment he appears, he exudes presence. Sullivan begins as Cope’s fiercest bully but evolves into a complex, almost fatherly figure. Their dynamic is powerful, and the platonic love and respect in Cope’s eyes is genuinely moving; I cried more than once. Parker is destined to become a new queer icon.⁣

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Liam Oh shines as Ray McAffey, Cope’s straight best friend, their bond beautifully platonic with no forced romantic undertones. Angus O’Brien as Hicks is another standout, providing much-needed humour. I was in hysterics every time he was on screen. All the marines are amazing - but I can only write so much, haha.⁣

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Watching the recruits transform is incredible; it feels as though the series was filmed in sequence because you literally see these young men evolve into Marines before your eyes. Heizer’s progression, from timid, almost meek, to someone capable of facing down a fight to the death, is astonishing.⁣

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While Greg Cope White hasn’t written a sequel to THE PINK MARINE, I’d be surprised if Netflix and the studios don’t already have a treatment ready. BOOTS is exploding, sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and outpacing TRON: ARES in both acclaim and online chatter.⁣

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For me, BOOTS will finish as my number one of the year. I already have the audiobook lined up, and I’ll be keeping an eager eye out for whatever Miles and Max do next. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️