Saagar Kote
Created by Andy Parker, Netflix’s military drama series ‘Boots’ narrates the story of Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer), a gay teenager who pursues a career in the forces by enlisting in the Marine Corps. Facing issues like bullying from a young age, the protagonist tries to redeem himself in the art of combat. Joined by his friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) at the training institute, he faces an uphill battle that not only challenges his physical strength but also his queer identity and the meaning of his life.
His relationship with his mother, Barbara Cope (Vera Farmiga), also plays a significant role in his life as he tries to adjust to a challenging world. Based on the memoir ‘The Pink Marine’ by Greg Cope White, the show delves into ideas of courage, friendship, fraternity, identity, and survival poignantly. If the complex setting, the characters, and the philosophical points of the narrative impressed you, these shows, similar to ‘Boots,’ will be worthy additions to your watchlist.
12. My Mad Fat Diary (2013-2015)
Based on the novel ‘My Fat, Mad Teenage Diary’ by Rae Earl, the British comedy-drama series ‘My Mad Fat Diary’ is the story of Rachel “Rae” Earl (Sharon Rooney). The protagonist is a teenager who is challenged by obesity, along with psychological issues. After being discharged from a psychiatric facility, she attempts to rebuild her bond with her best friend Chloe Gemell (Jodie Comer), who remains oblivious to her friend’s worries. Rae finds herself grappling with teenage angst, as well as the ups and downs of school life, in the show adapted and written by Tom Bidwell. The intricacies of teenage years and the complexities of friendship are captured in the show, akin to ‘Boots.’ Both stories feature characters who struggle to adjust to society because they feel they are different.
11. Class of ’09 (2023)
‘Class of ‘09’ follows an FBI team of recruits, including Tayo Michaels (Brian Tyree Henry) and Ashley Poet (Kate Mara), as they navigate the challenges of the criminal world. The narrative unfolds across multiple timelines, chronicling their journeys as they reunite years later after a significant loss, which involves the death of a friend. Created by Tom Rob Smith, the crime drama thriller series delves into the ideas of loyalty and friendship within a group. The show deals with the complex themes of humanity, justice, and the idea of survival in a perilous world. Similar to ‘Boots,’ it features complex relationships between people who have to survive under strict institutional controls.
10. A Teacher (2020)
‘A Teacher’ navigates the journey of a teacher named Claire Wilson (Kate Mara) who develops an unlikely relationship with one of her students named Eric Walker (Nick Robinson). Based on the eponymous film directed by the show’s creator, Hannah Fidell, the drama series looks at the idea of emotional manipulation in which the teacher, who is in a position of power, gets into a complex bond with an individual much younger than her. Challenged by social conventions and their own insecurities, the two main characters face tough challenges as they navigate an emotionally sensitive relationship. The idea of a youngster facing the consequences of grooming and the rules of society connects the narrative spiritually to ‘Boots’ and its characters.
9. It’s a Sin (2021)
Created by Russell T. Davies, the British drama series follows the lives of Ritchie Tozer (Olly Alexander) and Colin Morris-Jones (Callum Scott Howells), two gay men, who navigate the beauty and charm of London in the 1980s. However, when the HIV/AIDS panic strikes fear in the country, they find themselves challenged by social institutions, which stigmatize their identity and discriminate against them. In this journey, they are also joined by other individuals whose identities are at risk due to the spread of the harmful virus. Traversing a decade, the show delves into sensitive themes such as sexuality, homophobia, and survival. The queer experiences of the characters and the idea of marginalized individuals challenging social structures forge a spiritual connection between the show and ‘Boots.’ Both stories feature characters whose human rights and liberties are challenged due to their identities.
8. Generation Kill (2008)
‘Generation Kill’ is the story of a group of soldiers serving the 1st Recon Marines during the height of America’s war against Iraq in 2003. HBO’s military docudrama miniseries follows a Rolling Stone reporter, who covers the movements of Marines as they hustle and bustle across the territory of Iraq, crossing paths with dangerous elements and civilians. Based on the eponymous book by Evan Wright, who serves as the writer along with David Simon and Ed Burns, the narrative is an intense take on war. As Antonio “Poke” Espera (Jon Huertas) and the others engage in battle, they are challenged by various elements. The inner workings of the Marines and the relationship between the fellow soldiers are a point of similarity between ‘Boots’ and the show.
7. Sex Education (2019-2023)
Netflix’s British coming-of-age drama series ‘Sex Education’ chronicles the lives of sexually curious and anxious teenagers in a quintessential English town. Created by Laurie Nunn, the narrative revolves around Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), who grapples with intimacy issues, anxiety, and the challenges of living with his mother, Jean (Gillian Anderson), a renowned sex therapist. At its heart, the drama explores Otis’s obsessive desire to win over Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), a fellow student he deeply admires.
To overcome his insecurities and unpopularity in high school, Otis, with Maeve’s help, establishes a discreet and illicit sex therapy service to assist their vulnerable and desperate classmates. The show explores the ideas of social prejudice, taboos, morality, and teenage angst. It also deals with the complexities of the challenges faced by the queer community and the art of finding love amidst the complexities of the modern world. The young characters, the sexual insecurities, and the politics of identity connect the show to ‘Boots’ and its characters.
6. Love, Victor (2020-2022)
Inspired by the film ‘Love, Simon’ directed by Greg Berlanti, Hulu’s ‘Love, Victor’ is a teen comedy drama series that revolves around the life of Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino), who undergoes a tough battle as a student of Creekwood High School. The protagonist faces difficult inner questions relating to his sexual identity, which challenge his relationships with his friends and family. As he grapples with life’s insecurities, he seeks help from Simon Spier (Nick Robinson), who has also faced a similar battle. Created by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger, the show looks at themes of identity, liberation, and friendship. Also inspired by the book ‘Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda’ by Becky Albertalli, the show is similar to ‘Boots’ due to the elements of queer identity and the struggles associated with it.
5. Heartstopper (2022-2024)
Created by Alice Oseman, Netflix’s ‘Heartstopper’ is the fascinating tale of Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), two individuals with vastly different interests in life. However, the two of them connect when they start sitting next to each other in class. While Charlie is openly gay and a deep thinker, Nick is a mild-mannered rugby player who deals with his own issues. As their bond gets stronger, it is challenged by their own insecurities and the society around them. Based on the eponymous webcomic and graphic novel by the aforementioned creator, the British coming-of-age romantic drama series navigates the ideas of love, identity, and friendship in ways similar to ‘Boots’ and its unique characters.
4. Enlisted (2014)
In Fox’s ‘Enlisted,’ three military brothers, Staff Sergeant Pete Hill (Geoff Stults), Derrick Hill (Chris Lowell), and Randy Hill (Parker Young) are unexpectedly assigned to the same unit at Fort McGee, Florida. Pete, who faces disciplinary action for punching a superior in the army, is sent back home from Afghanistan. He is given the chance to redeem himself by supervising an amateur platoon. When it is revealed that the platoon also includes his brothers, Pete faces a different kind of challenge. The siblings, while trying to survive in the army, also strive to improve their relationships with one another. Created by Kevin Biegel, the sitcom offers a lighthearted take on familial issues that intertwine with military culture. Akin to ‘Boots,’ it also deals with young people who must battle their insecurities while also proving themselves capable of serving in the army.
3. Young Royals (2021-2024)
Netflix’s Swedish romantic drama series ‘Young Royals’ is the tender tale of Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding), who is the heir to the Swedish throne. Things get complicated for him when he falls into a romantic entanglement with a fellow student named Simon Eriksson (Omar Rudberg) at his boarding school. Created by Lisa Ambjörn, Lars Beckung, and Camilla Holter, the series follows the royal boy as he encounters various challenges, particularly due to his popularity. The elements of teenage anxiety, identity issues, and social perceptions on homosexuality bring the narrative closer to ‘Boots’ and its unique characters.
2. Fellow Travelers (2023)
Narrated over a period of four decades in the twentieth century, and set in McCarthy-era Washington, Showtime’s political thriller ‘Fellow Travelers’ follows a complex tale of love. It is the story of Hawkins Fuller, a charismatic man who avoids emotional attachment, and Tim Laughlin, an idealistic young man. Their romance unfolds amid Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn’s campaign against homosexual persons, who are deemed as deviants. The two men try to survive across the decades from the 1960s to the 1990s, which marked important events in American history. Created by Ron Nyswaner and based on the eponymous novel by Thomas Mallon, the show looks at ideas of survival, political interference in the personal lives of citizens, and social changes. Like ‘Boots,’ it deals with the way in which individuals are targeted due to their sexual identities and are forced to fight battles against the system, which seems to work against them.
1. We Are Who We Are (2020)
HBO’s ‘We Are Who We Are’ is a tale of friendship between Fraser Wilson (Jack Dylan Grazer) and Caitlin Poythress (Jordan Kristine Seamón), who navigate the uniqueness of living in an American military base in Italy. The two of them view the world with their own eyes and aim to explore the chaos of teenage angst and identity. Challenging social conventions and the tough culture of the military world, they face familial issues that threaten to tear their friendship apart.
Created by Luca Guadagnino, Paolo Giordano, Francesca Manieri, and Sean Conway, the coming-of-age drama miniseries navigates the ideas of loyalty and meaning. On the lines of ‘Boots,’ it deals with young characters whose lives are controlled by the military, though in different ways. Both shows explore similar questions related to identity, while also examining the concept of what it means to have true friendship in one’s life.
Read More: Who is Jones in Boots?
