The conflict of military service and identity has never been this entertaining and ‘queer’. I watched Netflix’s 2025 series Boots as soon as it was released, but let’s keep it between us; I was a bit lazy about writing about it. Before us, there is not just a comedy, but a story of a youth finding himself in the gray world of the military, that is to say, a completely realistic Coming of Age drama.
In short, you will watch in the series not gay love or romance and rosy dreams, but on the contrary, the awakening of a gay youth who sees life through rose-colored glasses. I don’t know if a 2nd season will come, I hope it does. Now let’s take off our boots, lie back comfortably, and take a dive into this series.
I must say it again, Asia’s BL stories have now in a single word “gone to shit.” Idol actors, stories far from reality and only audience-focused… But LGBT series are always more realistic and profound. Boys’ love dramas are watched not for their plots but for “idol” actors. In non-Asian productions, we can find plots and real stories. Anyway, this is not our topic.
👉 Curator Recommendation: Movies and series worth watching
Boots (2025 – Netflix) Series
Beyond Rosy Dreams
I will make a tiny summary; as I said before, I don’t like summaries. I think it is unnecessary, but to understand the series, it is also necessary to briefly explain the flow of events. It is more necessary to talk about the plot, characters, and the script of the series. It is impossible to write every detail as a summary anyway.
Cameron is a gay youth. He decides to join the military with his friend. Although the military is a completely troublesome place in terms of his homosexual identity for Cameron, who has not yet been able to break away from rosy dreams and “takes life lightly,” the competition and insecure environment there is even harder for him than being gay. This story begins in 1990. Cameron wants to “be a man.” His mother, his brother all want him to be a tough and ruthless man. He is caught between the masculine and “the person everyone wants him to be” and his own personality. In the movie, Cameron’s own personality and the personality others want him to be frequently come together and talk to themselves.
Cameron, together with his only friend Ray who knows he is gay, joins the military and the adventure begins. He decides to join the marines. At the beginning of the series, the bus ride and the sudden turn of that peaceful atmosphere into chaos while I Want to Break Free (Queen) plays in the background is a tremendous absurd encounter of comedy with realism. Minute 1, goal 1. In a second it begins with humiliation; they are only “shit”. Cameron goes into shock in the first minute. Faulty information and “homosexuality” are also reasons for expulsion. Being both gay and in a homophobic environment against many competitors, he will struggle both to be himself and against the system and others.
There is no friendship and fellowship here. Racism, homophobia, selling out another, snitching—everything exists here. Did Cameron do wrong? Does he absolutely have to be a marine to develop and change?
Series Review and My Commentary
We have come to my favorite section: Review and commentary. Even though Cameron is at peace with his gay identity, he is constantly subjected to violence due to his naive nature. For this reason, he decides to become a marine to be a “tough” man. This theme is the starting point of the series. Although Cameron thinks he chose the wrong path for a change in his life, it is too late now.
Racism in the military is at a high level. Sergeants being not only racist but at the same time mistaking violence for training will also create tension in the audience in the series. Again, the ruthless competition among the military candidates and the insecure environment constantly require being on alert. For Cameron, it is harder than being homosexual. He thinks he is looking for the person he belongs to in the wrong place. Ray being exposed to racism is a breaking point.
On the other hand, the twins character is also very interesting. One is fat, the other is fit. Both of their personalities are different, and they are now rivals to each other. This rivalry causes them to be caught between their families and their brotherly relationships. While Cody and his twin are fighting with each other in civilian life and want to distance themselves, here they are mentioned together; during training, the two will be forced to act together, forced to be on the same team. This is a milestone for the psychological and character development of the twins.
While Cameron somehow wants to suppress his homosexuality, he will also meet someone new. He also thinks he found someone homosexual like himself. Now his goal is to survive and finish his training. The trainings, on the other hand, are inhuman.
With the inclusion of drill sergeant Sullivan, the balances change. Sullivan experienced a relationship with his homosexual identity that only the company commander knew about. When his partner was subsequently discharged from the military with the accusation of homosexuality, Sullivan was left alone and became more aggressive. He too is someone trying to look tough, having suppressed his identity.
Sullivan is just like Cameron; he thinks being tough will change everything. For him, being a soldier solely carries the purpose of suppressing himself. Meanwhile, military investigations also ruthlessly continue over homosexuality. The biggest breaking point of the series is right here. The other dramatic breaking point is the fate of the character Ochoa.
While the dramatic depth continues on three branches with the drill sergeant, Cameron, and the personal contentions during training, you will get hooked on the series. I loved the series, we can call it a quality LGBT series.
As the series progresses, drill sergeant Sullivan is cornered in the face of his hidden relationship and the news of his ex-boyfriend hitting the media. As a successful soldier, his path is open. The company commander also supports him, but he is tired of constantly hiding and threats. Being homosexual is difficult. While considering leaving, Sullivan also begins to pressure Cameron not to give up. The two are like the same person.
What should we understand from the series?
If we look in terms of the LGBT+ theme, we can say that divisions made through homophobia and gender roles bring at least as much evil as racism. Instructors are both homophobic and racist.
These two evils are the greatest source of evil in human history. A full drama among LGBT series. In terms of character development as well, the series reveals social realities. What makes life complex is actually nothing other than the conflicts and violence among us. Not just LGBT hatred, but the main cause of all chaos is certain: Imposing our own lifestyle, the subjective perception of reality in our brain, on others. Whereas, whereas everything comes into existence as a result of the electro-chemical processes in our brain. All our “existing” reality actually consists of the hallucinations of the electro-chemical reactions in our brain.
While a rookie dies in the series, the military starting to investigate whether Sullivan is homosexual instead of dealing with this represents the institutional reflection of an internalized hatred and paranoia even above homophobia. I hope this “institutional hatred and paranoia” stays away from us and from everyone.
