Filmmaker Andy Parker Defends ‘Boots’ Against Both Political Extremes

“I guess we have to give some credit to the Pentagon there, don’t we?” says Andy Parker with a touch of irony. His Netflix series “Boots” has rocketed to the streaming platform’s upper echelons since its October 9 debut, recently reaching the No. 2 spot among Netflix’s most-watched series. The show’s sudden popularity surge follows a pointed critique from the Pentagon, which publicly denounced the series as “woke garbage” on October 16.

The series follows a closeted gay teenager in the 1990s who enlists in the Marines, exploring themes of identity, military culture, and personal struggle during the era of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.

Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson issued a statement declaring, “Under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the US military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos. 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.” The statement 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.”

Parker appears unfazed by the criticism. “I would be very surprised if the Pentagon actually watched the show,” he remarks. The Trump administration’s public condemnation seems to have backfired, inadvertently boosting viewership and public interest in the series.

The creator invites viewers to look beyond preconceptions: “The premise itself instigates or incites some kind of reaction or assumptions. What I would invite people to do is to watch the show, and see how they feel about the questions the show is trying to provoke.”

For Parker, “Boots” represents a deeply personal exploration of paths not taken. In his youth, he nearly joined the Marines himself. “I had been this closeted gay high school kid, and had invited a Marine Corps recruiter to my house to talk with my parents about why I should go join the Marines,” Parker reveals. “I was very actively seeking that.”

He ultimately decided against enlistment, later recognizing he was “running away from myself.” The series allows Parker to imaginatively explore his unrealized military journey while examining the complex intersection of military service and LGBTQ+ identity during a period when the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy forced many service members to conceal their sexual orientation.

“There was a personal connection to the idea of a gay kid running off to join the Marines and not really understanding what that was going to do for him, or where that was going to ultimately lead him,” Parker explains. “It felt like this was the road not taken. This is a path I could have gone on. How would I have done?”

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between evolving social values and traditional military culture in America. The Pentagon’s response under the Trump administration reflects a broader political divide over issues of diversity and inclusion in military contexts. Secretary Hegseth, who has been vocal about restoring what he terms “warrior ethos,” appears to view the show as contradicting the administration’s military vision.

Meanwhile, the streaming success of “Boots” suggests there’s substantial audience interest in stories exploring LGBTQ+ experiences in traditionally conservative institutions like the military. Netflix has not officially responded to the Pentagon’s criticism, but the platform has previously shown commitment to diverse storytelling across various demographics and experiences.

As “Boots” continues to draw viewers, the unintended promotional boost from the Pentagon’s criticism demonstrates how political controversies can often amplify rather than diminish the cultural impact of the very content they aim to critique.