Norman Lear’s final credit score earlier than his dying in 2023 was government producer of “Boots,” an eight-part adaptation of Greg Cope’s memoir “The Pink Marine.” Based mostly on the latter’s experiences as a closeted U.S. Marine Corp in an period when it was unlawful for homosexuals to serve within the navy, the Netflix unique could also be set in 1990, however within the wake of Donald Trump’s transgender ban and Pete Hegseth’s claims that homosexual recruits are a part of a Marxist agenda, it proves that whilst a 101-year-old, the sitcom pioneer possessed the uncanny capability to remain forward of the societal curve.
In contrast to Amazon’s underrated “Clear Slate” (the final Lear undertaking to be accomplished in his lifetime), through which Laverne Cox’s trans lady is basically welcomed residence with open arms, “Boots” is much less warm-fuzzies and extra cold-blooded aggression. The forged should have required a boxful of Chloraseptic by the shoot’s finish, contemplating how an excellent third of the dialogue is shouted at intense decibel-shattering ranges.
Created by Andy Parker (“Tales of the Metropolis”), “Boots” facilities on Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer), a delicate homosexual teen cajoled into becoming a member of Marine boot camp by his supportive straight finest pal Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) throughout a summer time through which potentialities can appear each excitingly infinite and depressingly limiting. Whereas the latter shortly takes to navy life, motivated by the need to please his overwhelmingly stern conflict veteran dad (the daddy figures listed here are uniformly terrible), the previous instantly begins ruing the day he signed up.
“Boots” will get loads of comedian mileage from this fish-out-of-water situation. “We’ve solely been right here sooner or later?,” a crestfallen Cameron queries following a baptism of fireside through which he’s pressured to shave his head, scavenge leftovers from the trash, and take care of superiors gleefully proclaiming they’ll “snap your head off and s**t down your neck.” In a story gadget which, whereas gimmicky, helps to sign his shift in character, he additionally usually converses with the marginally extra effeminate, ever-disapproving alter-ego he spends 13 weeks desperately attempting to masks.
It’s a disgrace this facet doesn’t seem extra usually.
Whereas it’s spectacular that Heizer can nonetheless convincingly cross as an 18-year-old at age 31 — this isn’t a Ben Platt in “Expensive Evan Hansen”-style embarrassment — his efficiency feels a bit too muted to attach. Certain, we get why Cameron would repeatedly stifle his true self in entrance of the drill sergeants who bark the “different” F-word prefer it’s going out of vogue. Likewise with the emotionally stunted bros whose thought of leisure is a toilet-based problem dubbed the Brown Bomber (don’t ask). However even within the scenes with Ray, the one particular person he’s outed himself to, he’s one thing of a clean canvas. And when he does assume a bit extra company afterward, his actions — notably his willingness to drink the Kool-Help — make him tough to root for.
Fortunately, his fellow tryouts are a bit extra charismatic. Having spent his whole life within the shadow of Cody (Brandon Tyler Moore), the much more athletic twin brother primed for fight by their sadistic dad, John (Blake Burt) cuts a much more sympathetic determine. Late switch Jones (Jack Cameron Kay) serves because the anti-Cameron, a assured almost-openly homosexual man who treats all of the ultra-macho machinations with the contempt they deserve. Kieron Moore gives the mandatory boo-hiss issue as Slovacek, a Czech-American meathead who accepts the comparisons to Ivan Drago as a badge of honor.
“Boots” additionally fails to convey precisely why Cameron would topic himself to the whims of such a poisonous surroundings. In contrast to his comrades, his household life is extra dysfunctional than deeply troubled. Though mother Barbara (a sadly under-utilized Vera Farmiga) takes a number of days to comprehend her son hasn’t simply popped out for some milk, she’s no Norma Bates-esque monster. She undoubtedly cares — see how she castigates the world’s most brightly-colored recruitment workplace for signing up somebody so transparently ill-equipped (“These aren’t boys to you… they’re cannon fodder for when the nation wants an excellent distraction”). Whereas a heartfelt late-in-the-day monologue, the type which can have graced an Emmy clip had her character been extra fleshed out, expresses remorse at how she’s dealt with elevating such a delicate soul.
In actual fact, the present’s messaging is muddled all through, as if it’s by no means fairly certain whether or not it’s serving as a Marines recruitment advert or an lively deterrent. The sergeants act so relentlessly inhumane they make the “Full Steel Jacket” lot look as menacing as Pee-wee Herman. But there are events when the present seems to justify their excessive “man up” method as a way to an finish, as if all of the wayward recruits wanted was some racial and homophobic epithets to whip them into form.
Moreover, the one concern you’d anticipate to take entrance and middle is commonly relegated to the background. Certainly, Cameron’s wishes are barely addressed past just a few furtive glances within the bathe (anybody searching for a clandestine romance to ship ought to follow “Heartstopper”). And apart from ignoramus Slovacek, the recruits appear an unusually tolerant bunch with no qualms about leaning into the naturally homoerotic.
As an alternative of sticking the boot into navy homophobia, the present initially appears decided to tiptoe round it. It’s solely when delving deeper into the backstory of Sgt. Sullivan (Max Parker), a cartoonishly humorless ex-Recon who takes Cameron below his extremely warped wing, that it begins exploring the hardships of an period when even the Don’t Ask, Don’t Inform coverage appeared enlightened.
It’s additionally right here the place “Boots” lastly seems to seek out its stride, hitting simply the suitable stability of sitcom-esque quips and emotional beats whereas additionally posing an arsenal of powerful questions. Let’s hope that Netflix offers the present an opportunity to disclose the solutions. The closing scene’s breaking information of the Iraq Battle definitely offers loads of scope for a second season. And with a bit extra spit and a bit much less polish, it’d even be match sufficient to tie the laces of Lear’s best.
All eight episodes of”Boots” Season 1 at the moment are streaming on Netflix.
