Miles Heizer has revealed his reaction to the Pentagon describing BOOTS as “woke garbage.”
Back in October, LGBTQIA+ TV enthusiasts were finally treated to Netflix’s new gay military drama, based on U.S. Marine Greg Cope White’s memoir The Pink Marine.
Following its release, BOOTS earned a certified 93% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and received widespread acclaim for its heartfelt characters, powerful storytelling, and standout performances from the cast.
Beyond these achievements, the series has been praised for its striking relevance to current events — particularly in light of the Trump administration’s ban on transgender people serving in the military.
While BOOTS received universal acclaim from viewers and critics, it didn’t win over the Republican led U.S. Pentagon.
On 16 October, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson criticised the series, describing it as “woke garbage” in a statement to Entertainment Weekly.
“Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos. Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay, or straight,” Wilson said.
The spokesperson went on to add that its officials “will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix, whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children.”
Over the weekend, BOOTS star Heizer opened up about his initial reaction to the Pentagon’s hateful review while attending Out’s Out100 event.
“I was surprised by that one! Especially this show, the message really is about community and people coming togther. It has a very positive message. That response is not what I expected, but here we are,” he told the news outlet.
Heizer also dished about a potential season two renewal, revealing that he’s “very much manifesting“ more episodes.
“That’s what I want, and I won’t stop until I get it!“ he exclaimed to the news outlet.
When asked if he would like to have spicy scenes in the second season of BOOTS, Heizer added: “You know I’d be curious just to see what that’s like if they ask me to.”
Created by Andy Parker, BOOTS is set in the 1990s and follows Cameron Cope (Heizer), a closeted, directionless teen, and his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) as they navigate the tough and unpredictable world of the U.S. Marine Corps.
The official synopsis reads: “Together, this ensemble navigates the literal and metaphorical landmines of boot camp, forging unlikely bonds and discovering their true selves in an environment designed to push them to their limits.
“With sharp wit and plenty of heart, BOOTS is about friendship, resilience, and finding your place in the world — even when that world seems determined to keep you in line or leave you behind.”
The LGBTQIA+ series also stars Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring), Kieron Moore (Masters of the Air), Nicholas Logan (Parish), Max Parker (Vampire Academy), Brandon Tyler Moore (Mayor of Kingstown), Blake Burt (Geostorm), Rico Paris (Zola), Dominic Goodman (He’s All That), and Angus O’Brien (Hightown).
The first season of BOOTS is now available to stream on Netflix.
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