Marine recruit Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) is so close to reaching the stairway to heaven, an obstacle course. But of course, he can’t finish climbing it because of a shoelace and Sgt. Sullivan (Max Parker) rescues him. Rescuing him wasn’t a totally altruistic act, as Sullivan asks “why are there faggots still in the Marines?”. At first, Sullivan is indistinguishable from other sergeants like Howitt (Nicholas Logan) and Knox (Zach Roerig), but what does Sullivan know that he can make insinuations about Cameron’s sexuality? Most of the conflicts in Boots, set in 1990, is between the ranks, as recruits must deal with inspections. Other conflicts are within themselves, as fellow recruits like Ochoa (Johnathan Nieves) that they signed up to kill.

In Boots, recruiters sell the idea of a buddy system, like Cameron signing up because of a friend. But as it turns out, the marines may drive him apart from his sign up buddy Ray McAffey (Liam Oh). Ridding oneself of old friends means that new ones may come one’s way, like Jones. Jack Cameron Kay plays that new friend who may be hiding the same secret in a time before DADT. Nash (Dominic Goodman) was in the running as Cameron’s new friend until Santos (Rico Paris) comes along. Other friendships are precarious, like the one between brothers Cody (Brandon Tyler Moore) and John Bowman (Blake Burt).

This new Netflix series is an adaptation of The Pink Marine by Greg Cope White, also a producer alongside the great , late Norman Lear. Sitting in the directors’ chair are people like Kyle Patrick Alvarez and Silas Howard who have straightforward styles. This style exposes just how oblivious these teenagers are when signing up for the military, an imperialistic machine. One can say similar things about these teenagers; families, like Cameron’s mother Barbara (Vera Farmiga). That kind of style in Boots also complements Heizer’s performance as an awkward gay teenager, because we all were.

As Cameron, one must writer about Heizer’s performance here, miles – ha – away from his Drag Race judging stint. He makes for an atypical leading man which will hopefully make him stand out in an oversaturated Hollywood. Standing out, character wise, is important in Boots, a fictionalized world that assimilates different teens into jar heads. Another favourite is Brandon Tyler Moore, who reveals layers of trauma within an otherwise typical marine like Cody. In fairness, all of these actors have to express a lot with duh, their eyes and faces.

Another thing that sets Boots apart is its smart writing, even if it takes from real life. There’s a scene where Capt. Fajardo (Ana Ayora) quizzes Cameron on a ribbon, signifying a victory in Chapultepec, Mexico. Fajardo may or may not be Mexican, but this exchange reinforces diverse facades within a white supremacist structure. Another commendable aspects within the writing is how it juggles story lines outside of what Cameron is going through. Other marines have family problems to deal with while training for a part of the military where some fall but others rise.

Boots is available to stream on Netflix.