Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Netflix, TV And Film, Donald Trump, US News, Politics, LGBTQ,
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Netflix, TV And Film, Donald Trump, US News, Politics, LGBTQ,
A 'pro-LGBTQ+' Netflix series about the US military, which once caught the unwanted attention of a disgruntled Donald Trump, has been axed after just one season.
Boots, an eight-part miniseries based on a 2015 memoir written by former US Marine Sergeant Greg Cope White, was released to streaming service subscribers back in October.
The best-selling book detailed Cope White's real experience as a closeted Texas teen in the 90s, who makes the courageous decision to join the armed forces at a time when to do so as a gay person was illegal.
As such, he lied about his sexuality in his paperwork, going on to meet a number of 'oddballs and eccentrics' that later became his teammates - many of whom had made similar decisions.
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Upon its release, the comedy-drama, which starred Miles Heizer and Liam Oh, went down a hit with viewers, many of whom noted the show's kindhearted representation of a common LGBTQ+ experience endured by those living in the 90s.
One individual who wasn't too thrilled by the themes of the series, however, was Donald Trump who made quite the song and dance about Boots in the days following its drop.
Trump's Pentagon press secretary, Kingsley Wilson, slammed Netflix producers for feeding 'woke garbage to their audience and children' in a statement given to Entertainment Weekly at the time.
"Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the US military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos," Wilson said.
"Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay, or straight."
Wilson continued: "We will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children."
Unsurprisingly, Trump's condemnation of Boots brought the series considerably more attention, sending it at one point to the No. 6 position in the 'most watched' TV show list.
Sadly, however, in news shared this week, the series has suddenly been given the chop after just one instalment.
After the announcement was first made by Deadline, one social media user responded: "How sad… this was an incredible show."
"Nooooooooooo! I love this show! So goodddddddd," another said.
Questioning the reason behind the decision, a third asked: "Wasn’t it on the top 10 for weeks?"
Another hit out: "This is one of the BEST shows Netflix has had for a WHILE!! This is very disappointing."
"Crazy!!! It seems to do so well and was watched by so many! Such a good cast too!" noted a fifth.
The show's writer, Paul Rudnick, also voiced his anger: "Shame on Netflix for cancelling the terrific series BOOTS, based on Greg Cope White's wonderful memoir THE PINK MARINE, after a single season," he wrote on X.
"The show was critically hailed and consistently appeared in the streamer's Top Ten shows. A cowardly decision."
Cope White also spoke out, praising Rudnick for using his platform to address the cancellation.
"Thank you Paul," he added. "My sadness is soaked in gratitude for the love you & the world gave it."