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4h ago

Boots Becomes a Netflix Hit as Series Recasts a Gay Marine’s Memoir

Set in 1990 before Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, it situates boot camp within the U.S. military’s long record of policing sexuality.

Former US President Barack Obama (C) after signing the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into law at the Department of the Interior in Washington, DC, on 22 December, 2010. (AFP/Jewel Samad via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • The eight-episode coming-of-age drama is currently the No. 3 show on Netflix after strong word of mouth and positive reviews, according to The Guardian and Forbes.
  • Inspired by Greg Cope White’s The Pink Marine, the adaptation expands into an ensemble, changes names and timelines, and shifts the book’s era to 1990.
  • To ground the portrayal, the writers’ room included Marine veterans, additional veterans served as consultants, and production filmed on a decommissioned naval base in New Orleans.
  • The story unfolds against policies that barred gay service, with Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell enacted in 1994, repealed by law in December 2010, and fully ended on September 20, 2011.
  • Critics praise performances and the focus on institutional homophobia, though some note tonal inconsistencies, and Netflix has not announced a renewal.