Reboot

In this Amazon exclusive list, author Amy Tintera shares the popular TV shows that inspired Reboot.

I learned so much about writing from watching television. I know that sounds a bit odd, but TV shows have to be well-plotted, fast-paced, and feature characters you love (or love to hate) in order to be successful. There are a few in particular that inspired Reboot and influenced my writing recently:

1. Battlestar Galactica– This show asks you to think about what it means to be human. Are the Cylons lesser because they started out as a machine made by humans? How do we decide who has a soul and who has humanity?

2. The Walking Dead– Over the course of the show, different characters question just how far gone the Walkers are. They still have some brain activity left, so as I watched I always wondered – how much of the person was actually left in there?

3. Dexter– Is it ok to kill people if they’re bad? Where do we draw the line? Being inside the head of a man who loved to kill, who needed to kill in order to feel alive, is both fascinating and horrifying.

4. Friday Night Lights - This show captures small-town Texas life perfectly, and featured some of the most complex, interesting character relationships on television.

5.Buffy the Vampire Slayer– There is a lot to be learned from watching any Joss Whedon show, but Buffy taught me how to set terrible choices for characters. Do you save the world or save your boyfriend? Do you let a loved one die or sacrifice yourself? The characters in Buffy often had to make the worst, most heart-wrenching choices, and it made for riveting television.