The stars of new queer Netflix dramedyBootshave shared their thoughts on a potential season two.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for all episodes ofBootson Netflix.
Since dropping on Netflix on 9 October, queer military dramaBootshas been dubbed a hit with both viewers and critics alike. Inour review, we praised the show for being “quietly affecting” with “beautiful” exploration of male relationships in the Marines.
Bootsfollows13 Reasons Whystar Miles Heizeras Cameron Cope, a closeted teen who signs up to the US Marine Corps’ bootcamp, after struggling with a sense of purpose in his home life. While there, with his best friend Ray (newcomer Liam Oh), he learns that this isn’t summer camp – it’s tough, grueling, and grimly homophobic.Bootsis set in 1990, when being gay in the US armed forces was illegal.
While initially struggling with his life at bootcamp, Cameron has his resilience tested and ultimately grows stronger. Relationships with his fellow Marine recruits develop, and he proves to himself that he does have the right stuff for the Marines, so long as they don’t find out about his sexuality.
Along the way, the bootcamp’s most tyrannical leader Sgt. Sullivan (Emmerdalestar Max Parker) makes life hell for Cameron, all while harbouring his own deep secret. No major spoilers, but let’s just say he and Cameron are more alike than meets the eye.
At the end of the eight-part series, Cameron and the remaining recruits pass the bootcamp training, with Sullivan admitting that his berating of Cameron came from a place of wanting the young recruit to succeed. The final episode shows the successful recruits celebrating, while news breaks on the TV that Iraq has invaded Kuwait, as it did in real life in 1990.
The scene suggests there could be a follow-up toBootsand the boys’ lives in action. Plus, after Sullivan opened up to Cameron about their relationship during training, he disappears without clear indication of where he’s going next. Considering his bar bust up earlier in the season – and with his fellow military men beginning to question his sexuality – there’s plenty of places Sullivan could go next.
Clearly, the door is open forBootsseason two.
Will there be aBootsseason two?
ThoughBootsseason one ended with an indication that there could be a second season,Bootsseason two has not yet been greenlit by Netflix.
Plus,Bootsis based on the memoirThe Pink Marineby Greg Cope White, about White’s experience as a closeted gay man in a precarious, illegal situation: being gay in the armed forces. All of the source material included inThe Pink Marineis used up forBootsseason one, casting doubt on the possibility of a second season.
That said, there are some changes to the original book – White was in the Marines from 1979, rather than 1990 – so there is evidently some room for the story to be edited further.
As for theBootscast, they seem more than down for a second season. Speaking toRadio Timesrecently, Parker agreed there’s space for Sullivan’s story to develop.
“There are so many ways it could go for all of our characters,” he said. “I love that moment at the end where I hand over the walkie talkie to Cameron and let him know that he’s ready now… Just this battle of what’s right and what’s wrong.
“That moment of handing over the baton for him to carry on… He could be handing himself in, he could be running away, he could do anything.”
Heizer, too, said that there are “so many different directions” the show could go in if it were renewed for season two, including a romance for Cameron.
“It would be interesting to see him navigating that, especially in this military world,” he said.
“That would be cool. But like Max said, there’s so many different directions and so many things I would love to see. But just for fun, I’d like to see a little romance.”
All episodes ofBootsare streaming now on Netflix.
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