Guest Review by Kwesi Kennedy
I wasn’t expecting to like Boots, the new series on Netflix, as much as I ended up doing, mainly because what I was expecting was something far campier than what I got. Make no mistake, Boots is very much a gay coming-of-age dramedy that makes good use of the Marines’ bootcamp setting. It shares the ups and downs of its main character, Cope (Miles Heizer), who joined on a mission to find his own way and escape a mother who seems indifferent to his usual experience as a punching bag for bullies.
Immediately, his and the other recruits’ reaction to the stress, abuse, and physical challenges of Marine life gives way to a very effective story, as each of them tries to reconcile their purpose in the world along with their friendships with each other. To be clear, I was shocked to find out what I got out of Boots was a deconstruction of masculinity and the different ways it can manifest in different men. Everyone on the show has an interesting arc. Each of them dealing with how to express themselves as men in this bootcamp situation, where they have to love and respect themselves in order to be successful in the squad. That requires reconciling past trauma, their own perceived inadequacies, and in some cases, their inability to get over petty differences.
Overall, it was far more affecting and enjoyable than I thought it would be. I’m very much looking forward to season two of Boots to see what eventually becomes of these guys who are just learning to fully be and to see themselves in season one.
Rating: B
Level of Enthusiasm: 95%
