Boots is an American military comedy drama television series created by Andy Parker, based on the memoir The Pink Marine by Greg Cope White. The series follows Miles Heizer as Cameron Cope, a closeted gay teenager from Louisiana who enlists in the United States Marine Corps alongside his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh). Set in 1990, when the military excluded gay people from service, the story depicts their boot camp training under Sergeant Sullivan (Max Parker), a drill instructor who takes special interest in Cope. The series also stars Ana Ayora, Blake Burt, Cedrick Cooper, Dominic Goodman, Nicholas Logan, Kieron Moore, Angus O'Brien, Rico Paris, and Vera Farmiga.
The series premiered on Netflix on October 9, 2025, and received positive reviews from critics, but received backlash from conservatives and The Pentagon under the Trump administration. Some also claimed that its portrayal of military life at the time it was set was an oversimplification. In addition, rather than being a resident of Louisiana who enlisted in 1990, Greg Cope White was actually a resident of Texas, with The Pink Marine also being set in 1979. It was canceled after one season on December 12, 2025.
Like Boots, a 1996 episode of JAG which had a similar title, "Boot," had also discussed potential unethical treatment at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, with one scene even suggesting potential violation of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy after one of the star characters was asked about her sexuality while serving undercover as a recruit at Parris Island.
In 1990, Cameron Cope, a closeted gay American teenager, impulsively follows his best friend Ray McAffey into the United States Marine Corps.
Boots is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Act III Productions, and is based on the 2016 memoir The Pink Marine by Greg Cope White, who is also a writer on the series and an executive producer. It received a series order from Netflix in May 2023, and entered pre-production on June 7 of that year. The series is created by Andy Parker, who adapted the book and serves as showrunner and executive producer, with Jennifer Cecil as executive producer and co-showrunner. Norman Lear and Brent Miller of Act III also executive produce, alongside Rachel Davidson and Scott Hornbacher. Peter Hoar executive produces and directs the first episode.
The main cast includes Vera Farmiga, Miles Heizer, Max Parker, Liam Oh, Ana Ayora, Blake Burt, Kieron Moore, Dominic Goodman, Angus O'Brien and Rico Paris, with many of the cast optioned for a possible second season in August 2025. Additional cast of the series includes Brandon Tyler Moore, Zach Roerig, Anthony Marble, Joy Osmanski, Ivan Hoey Jr., Logan Gould, Jack Kay, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson, Johnathan Nieves and Brett Dalton.
Production of the first season began in the summer of 2023 but was halted after one week due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming resumed in March 2024 and wrapped in August 2024.
The series was released on Netflix on October 9, 2025.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 90% approval rating based on 40 critic reviews. The website's critical consensus states, "Miles Heizer's terrific performance has the right stuff in Boots, a likable dramedy that explores masculinity and queerness to powerful effect". Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave a score of 73 out of 100 based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Writing for USA Today, Kelly Lawler calls the show "a sweet and funny new dramedy" and "the hidden gem TV show of the year." She goes on to write: "made of heart and soul, a military dramedy that eschews tired boot-camp tropes and wooden, stereotypical characters for a cast of complex and misunderstood individuals."
Nandini Balial for RogerEbert.com was critical of the show, saying the "flaws in 'Boots' arise from two very different creative decisions." Balial goes on to say that the show is "an oversimplification of what military life was and is actually like for queer service members, despite the creators' best intentions."
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was openly critical of the series, one of his spokespersons branding it "woke garbage". Following the remarks, the series doubled in viewership.