Abhiroop Das
Created by Andy Parker, Netflix’s ‘Boots’ chronicles the journey of Cameron Cope from a struggling teen to a fledgling Marine Corps recruit, addressing many youth anxieties along the way. What makes life harder for the young protagonist is the secrets he hides, many of which bring him into direct conflict with the military itself. Nonetheless, he lays his heart and soul bare in pursuit of his goals with his best friend, Ray McAffey, standing on equal footing. The military comedy drama adds a unique spin on the story of young recruits by using its time and space to create a story that is as much about the recruitment process as it is about the psychological toll that lies on the other end. To that end, the show, which is an adaptation of Greg Cope White’s novel, ‘The Pink Marine,’ steps into the narrative with a balanced take on the subject, as exemplified by its first two episodes, ‘The Pink Marine’ and ‘The Buddy System.’ SPOILERS AHEAD.
Cameron Cope Prepares For the Life of a Jarhead
The show begins with Cameron Cope meeting a Marine Corps Boot Camp recruiter, eager to bring a change to his life. A follow-up montage of his high school experience sums his rationale, as incessant bullying, as well as physical and mental abuse, leave him with no choice but to take the leap. As a coping mechanism, Cameron has developed a separate persona that reflects his inner self, which remains completely hidden from the outside world under a facade of normalcy. This inner self is capable of interacting with him in his mind, and that is part of what has kept him balanced for so long. The other part is his best friend, Ray McAffey, who aspires to join the Air Force and is already in the training facility. However, McAffey returns after being disqualified due to his eyesight, and he reveals to his best friend that he is now targeting the Marine Corps.
Cameron’s decision to join Mcaffey is informed by the buddy system, which encourages friends to take part in the Boot camp together, promising partnership throughout. The protagonist’s desire, however, is not without pushback, as we learn that he is gay, which makes it illegal for him to join the Marines. Undeterred, he decides to keep his sexuality under wraps and signs up without telling his mother. With the first step completed, the gravity of the situation begins to set in for him on the way to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina. While on the bus, he strikes up a conversation with John Bowman, but their friendly exchange is short-lived. The moment he sets foot in the boot camp, all preconceived notions about his future are thrown out of the window. All recruits are left in chaos as Drill Sergeant McKinnon, along with Drill Instructors Knox and Howitt, put them through the wringer, with a key step being their last phone calls to their families, following which all communication is expected to be via letters.
Reality Comes Knocking Hard for All the Young Recruits
The first day of the boot camp becomes synonymous with hell for Cameron, as he is forced to endure his drill sergeant’s verbal assault. Furthermore, the living conditions put a strain on him as well, with food, sanitation, and sleeping arrangements all being minimized to induce maximum efficiency. The most challenging aspect turns out to be the physical toil, and for Cameron, now head shaven clean, the first day almost becomes too much to bear. His only comfort comes in the form of McAffey, who, on the other hand, proves himself to be much better suited to the physical and mental demands of military life. Meanwhile, Cameron’s mother, Barbara, gets his voice message at last, and the declaration of joining the Marines shakes her to her core. Immediately, she rushes to the recruitment center, enraged and believing that her son was manipulated. However, a quick chat with the recruiter not only clarified things for her but also opened up a romantic possibility.
Meanwhile, life at the boot camp goes from bad to worse for Cameron, as on top of the verbal and physical onslaught coming from the drill sergeants, he also has to put up with bubbling tensions within his ranks. Alongside McAffey, the protagonist also familiarizes himself with Nash, Slovacek, and Hicks, and a married young man named Ochoa becomes his bunkmate. However, the rough edges in this new lifestyle continue to create problems, with Instructor Knox frequently clashing with McAffey. When one of their exchanges takes a heated turn, Knox physically assaults the young man, which creates a dramatic situation demanding the attention of Captain Fajardo. She, in turn, replaces the instructor with Sergeant Liam Sullivan, a sharp, no-nonsense figure who promises to make things more, not less, difficult for the new batch of recruits. In particular, he seems to have his eyes set on Cameron and declares his intent to mold a fine soldier out of every recruit in platoon 2032.
Drill Instructor Sullivan is a Man With a Mission
Sullivan lives up to his reputation and intensifies the platoon’s daily regimen even further, flexing his own physical and mental toughness in the process. However, his entry into the equation raises quite a few eyebrows, given that he is famous for serving in some high-profile locations before. The training shifts to individual matchups, with a game of striking the opponent with a rubber mace being set up. The recruits are also introduced to the Marine way of speech, which involves the phrase “kill” and “oorah” as a show of commitment and enthusiasm. As the matches begin to pile up, members of the platoon are pitted against each other, with a clear hierarchy taking shape in real time. The fierce nature of these fights scares Cameron, but McAffey comes to the rescue, arranging it so that the two of them pair up. When their turn comes, McAffey takes his friend down in the least painful way, but that does not escape Sullivan’s eagle eyes.
Instead of letting McAffey’s trick slide, he forces the two friends to fight again and again, till the former snaps and launches Cameron to the ground, decisively ending the matchup. Sullivan, however, is not done with McAffey yet, and invites him to the office, where a strict lecture ensues. When the protagonist’s best friend exits the office, his silence confirms that the two are being forced to keep their distance. In that moment, Sullivan calls Cameron to the office and declares him the platoon’s scribe, noting down all the important details and relaying them to the rest of the team. This new responsibility surprises him, but less than the fact that McAffey has been declared his squad’s leader. The following day, Sullivan prepares an even more testing form of regimen, which involves the platoon learning to scale walls of various heights. As many, including Camero, try and fail, the general currents of anxiety continue to rise even further.
One of the Bowman Twins Bows Out
Another major thread on this training day comes with the dynamic between John Bowman and his twin brother, Cody. Despite their blood connection, the two stand as polar opposites, as Cody’s muscular physique and commitment to the craft only accentuate the fact that John is overweight and struggling with every task. A flashback to their past reveals that the brothers once had a very healthy relationship, but their father’s influence led it to be corrupted over time. In the days before the boot camp, the duo had a fight, which ended with Cody declaring that he did not want a brother, and this made the already fractured dynamic weaker still. However, the drill Sergeants go a step further, tying the two brothers together to spice up both of their performances. This punishment extends to nighttime, with them being forced to share a bed.
While the recruits are given set slots for being on fire watch, Cameron frequently becomes the subject of abuse, with other recruits forcing him to do their share of the duty. On one such extended fire watching session, he talks to John, who wishes to pee but does not have access to the washroom. Desperate, he requests Cameron for a buck, which the protagonist has to dispose of. This parallel image of the two characters suffering lights a fire in the protagonist’s mind, as his inner persona comes out and urges him to take a stand against bullies. To that end, he pours urine over his opponents, which leads to a fight, but also erases his image as a pushover. The following day, the difficulty level goes up a notch, and John has to pay the price. During a rope climbing session, he falls face-first, with his injury even alarming his brother. As a result, John is pushed down the ranks and forced to exit the platoon, making the stakes all the more real.
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