Episode 5 of Boots begins with an emergency. One of the recruits seems to be having CPR performed on him. Cameron is told to call emergency medical. We then cut to two weeks earlier, where we see the recruits and sergeants doing a march and chant. Nash talks about how everyone seems to be getting along like brothers now, and they’re all going to be riflemen.
Everybody is then filled in on what’s going to happen at the range, including the categories, and a phone call home if they perform the best. Barbara is having fun with the Marine Moms, when Ray’s mother June arrives. June winds up spilling the beans, revealing that Cam is indeed alive.
At the range, Nash tries to get someone to give him their phone call if they win, and Sullivan turns in his re-enlistment papers to Fajardo. That night at the platoon, everyone gets mail, and Nash tries to apologize to Cam. Ray then breaks the news to Cam, saying that his mother said he was dead. The next morning, the recruits prepare to start the live range test, and Ray confronts Cam on lying about the TP heist. Ochoa winds up being a master, while Cam and Ray are distracted by each other. Sullivan and Coach Roach help them out, and Slovacek winds up being sidelined for shooting a crane flying by.
In the early hours, Cam walks in on Ochoa in pain in the bathrooms. Cam sits and talks with him to help him feel better. Finally, we arrive at the end all, know all, the final live range test. Ray and Cam have heated words about the fake TP heist. After the two fight, we get the first round of shooters for the test. Sullivan is then brought into a room to be asked questions by agent Blodgett with the NCIS. Cameron gets another lecture from his conscience about punching Ray. His conscience congratulates him and tells him to kill.
Sullivan is brought to a room, where he is told about his commander Major Wilkinson. Major Wilkinson is under investigation for conduct unbecoming, and sodomy. Sullivan is questioned on whether he has a relationship with Wilkinson. Ochoa wins the shooting test, and the platoon shot the overall range high. Ochoa goes to make his phone call to his wife, where he learns she is having an affair. Howitt pisses off Ochoa with his comment, and he freaks out. Ochoa collapses, and Sullivan later reveals to Cam that he died.
This so far is the best episode in the series. Ray and Cam became enemies (not that that’s a good thing, but it adds another conflict to the growing list of them), and seeing Ochoa being cheated on was rough, because it happens to people who are deployed in the military all the time. Overall, the show appears to be getting much better.
Rating 7.5/10