When Netflix released its engagement report for the second half of 2025, the streamer touted the success of “Nobody Wants This” season 2 (30.4 million views) and “Emily in Paris” season 5 (30.3 million views) as its top comedies. But conveniently absent from Netflix’s pitch was another original that was better than both: “Boots” Season 1.
The coming-of-age comedy-drama, known for being the last project produced by the late Norman Lear as executive producer, has been viewed 30.7 million times, achieved a solid 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, and received high praise from Variety and other publications for being a “fun and heartfelt production.” (You may have seen it ranked in Variety magazine’s top 100 most-watched TV shows for 2025-2026.) And then it got cancelled.
what? “Regardless of the reason, the decision not to proceed is disappointing,” said executive producer Brent Miller, who ran Lear’s third-act production company for years until his death in 2023. “I was told that all they told the public was that it was an economic decision. I can only speculate that that was the reason behind it. But you know, when they said they weren’t going to do it anymore…it was interesting timing.”
Miller very diplomatically and carefully explained his disappointment, telling me that Netflix executives “really loved this show, and I think they were proud of it, too.”
But I can’t help but wonder how much political concern there actually was in the cancellation of “Boots.” The show is based on former U.S. Marine Greg Cope’s memoir “Pink Marine,” and tells the story of Cameron (Miles Heiser), who decides to join the Marines with his friend Ray (Liam Orr), just as he struggles to understand his own identity and sexuality.
The show is set in the 1990s, just before the Gulf War (and even before “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”), and does a great job of depicting not only what it’s like to live through a three-month boot camp, but also the bonds and sacrifices that are formed as you train to serve your country.
Of course, the Pentagon missed all of that when it decided to attack “Boots” as “woke trash,” whatever that means. “When the Pentagon looked at it, it was a badge of honor, to be honest,” Miller said. “Because it was obvious that they didn’t really watch the show. I thought, if you’re going to comment on something, at least watch it!”
Some might argue that Netflix, which wants to curry favor with the Trump administration (like all media companies these days), decided to take the bait and view the “boots” and Pentagon criticism as a liability. The streamer was already facing backlash from politicians over its program and probably didn’t want to shake things up any further.
Sony tried to find a new home for “Boots” but was unsuccessful. But just a few months later, HBO Max scored a huge hit with another show, “Heat Rivals,” about a young gay man discovering his truth in a world often hostile to LGBTQ+ expression.
Despite the odds, “Boots” will be submitted to the Emmy Awards. There is no “hot rivalry” in the contest, so perhaps voters who want to make a point will find it. Miller knows season 2 may not happen, but he’s still holding out hope and even knows where the show will go next.
“Perhaps (the Emmy nomination) will change the minds of some of the people who have the power to make the decision to send us back to war, if that’s the destination for the second season.”
