'Deeply heartfelt' Netflix series you've never heard of is their 'best show in years'

Netflix’s newest drama out from today (Thursday, 9th October) is being called one of the streaming giant’s best original releases ever.

Featuring a cast of plenty of up-and-coming talent, as well as a horror film icon, the eight-part series has been called crucial and timely despite its 1990s setting.

Boots takes place at a Marines corps boot camp after gay teen Cameron Cope (played by Miles Heizer) enlists along with his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) for a change of pace.

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Exhausted by the chaotic whims of his mother, Barbara (The Conjuring’s Vera Farmiga), who has forced the family to move 10 times in almost as many years, Cameron is in for a rude awakening when he arrives at Parris Island, South Carolina for 13 weeks of basic training.

Not only does he have to endure three months of gruelling training under the authoritative boots of Senior Drill Sargent Marcus McKinnon (Cedrick Cooper), Cameron also realises he’ll have to hide his sexuality as being gay was illegal in all branches of the armed forces at that time.

Based on the memoir The Pink Marine by Greg Cope White and created by Andy Parker, the series isn’t one of Netflix’s flashiest releases but it has the potential to become a major word-of-mouth hit if the reviews are to be trusted.

Critics have already been raving about the series, with USA Today calling it “the hidden gem TV show of the year” in their write-up.

They went on: “It's an absolute joy to watch [Cameron’s] journey.

"Boots is, in fact, a series entirely made of heart and soul, a military dramedy that eschews tired boot-camp tropes and wooden, stereotypical characters for a cast of complex and misunderstood individuals.

“The show is quiet but powerful, and may just be one of the best new series Netflix has produced in years. Hopefully it doesn't get buried like the hopes of a new recruit.”

Variety concurred in their positive review, calling Boots a “delightful, heartfelt watch”.

“From the 1990s-infused soundtrack, which features songs by George Michael and Sade,” they wrote, “to a diverse and robust cast with distinctive and memorable characters, the series is a compelling, funny and sometimes tragic portrayal of brotherhood, self-sacrifice, and the cost of serving one’s country.”

Rolling Stone described the series as “a coming-of-age story that is occasionally sassy, deeply heartfelt, and fueled by a soundtrack of pre-Nineties deep cuts.”

And FandomWire is hopeful the show finds its audience, writing: “I worry that a lack of name recognition will doom Boots to becoming simply another thumbnail in the endless Netflix scroll, and I sincerely hope that isn’t the case.

“Though I have my issues with it, it’s a genuinely solid show with an excellent ensemble cast and powerful emotional moments ranging from haunting to heartfelt.

“It may not know exactly what it wants to be at points, but whatever it is, I never stopped wanting to watch it.”

If you’re struggling to find something to stream this weekend, make sure you find time for Boots as it could be one of the best things you watch this year.

Boots is available to stream on Netflix.