Boots' cancellation makes perfect sense – it's not just 'a win for Trump'

Weeks before Heated Rivalry sent the internet into a frenzy, Netflix's Boots had offered a similar mix of compelling LGBTQ+ drama and tongue-in-cheek thirst content. So, surely we should be outraged by news of its cancellation, right?

Well, not necessarily. It would be easy to jump to the conclusion that this decision is simply bowing to the Trump administration, after the Pentagon branded Boots "woke garbage" shortly after its release.

But first, let's take a second to meaningfully reflect on how Boots ended – and acknowledge that the show would have to change beyond all recognition in order to craft an authentic continuation.

The series wraps up with still-closeted Marine Corps recruit Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) graduating from basic training in the early 1990s; a time when homosexuals were banned from serving in the US military.

As he raucously celebrates with his fellow 'brothers' in a local bar, he catches a television news report in the corner of his eye, discussing Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the deployment of US troops in the Middle East.

One interpretation of this inclusion is that it's a tease for a second season, but I see it quite differently.

To me, this moment plays more like the powerful conclusion of Blackadder Goes Forth, where the characters in the sitcom are tragically killed after finally going 'over the top' to fight on World War I's horrific battlefields.

In a similar moment of dawning realisation, the boys of Boots have spent months pushing through their training regimen and settling petty rivalries between each other – but now the prospect of a deadly war is staring them in the face.

As viewers, this isn't a cue to start avidly theorising about season 2. Instead, we should reflect on how the characters we've come to know and love could lose their lives, or suffer life-changing injuries, as they're expelled from the relative safety of boot camp.

Viewed through this lens, the first (and now, only) season of Boots doesn't require elaboration. It's a fitting and genuinely moving note to end the story, completing a satisfying adaptation of Greg Cope White's memoir The Pink Marine.

A hypothetical second season would apparently move onto the events of the controversial Gulf War, inevitably requiring a major tonal shift that could strip away what made the show popular in the first place.

Boots didn't shy away from hard-hitting topics, but always had the frat-like atmosphere of its military training barracks to return to as a way of breaking the tension, allowing time for immature misbehaviour and comically macho peacocking.

This youthful sense of fun couldn't really be carried over to the context of a real-life war zone, and especially not one so closely associated with both military and civilian casualties as well as catastrophic environmental destruction.

Considering the implications of where this story goes next, and that there are so few unresolved plot threads (sorry, Sullivan fans), ending Boots with season 1 is arguably the right choice from a creative standpoint.

But, of course, there's also the broader context in which this announcement comes: chiefly, that "woke garbage" accusation, a frustrating and overly simplistic judgement of a show that actually presents a remarkably balanced depiction of military life.

Yes, it explores the dangers posed by toxic individuals and institutionalised discrimination, weighty questions about the ethics of war, and the anguish of parting with your loved ones for periods of great uncertainty.

But it also speaks to the strong sense of camaraderie formed amid such adversity, the sense of direction and purpose that the military can instil in some people, and the bravery of putting one's life on the line for what you believe in.

In short, while there are comedic moments throughout, anyone who has actually watched Boots will know that there's no sugar-coating of the military experience or disrespect towards those who enlist.

Regardless, its artistic merits were lost on the Trump administration, and the timing of the show's cancellation is sure to be noted as Netflix bids to acquire Warner Bros; a colossal potential deal that will require the President's approval.

To be clear, there's no way of knowing if this had any bearing at all on the decision to cancel Boots, but the fact that it can't be entirely ruled out as a contributing factor is demoralising for anyone who cares about mainstream portrayals of LGBTQ+ life.

For the reasons outlined, I won't be signing my name to any petition that simply calls for Boots season 2, but we must rally to ensure that this isn't the start of any wider curtailing of LGBTQ+ stories from Netflix. Or in other words, let's make sure plenty more quality dramas are coming to fill Boots' boots.

Boots is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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