A reality television show depicting the life and times of Hart and Huntington tattooing. Episodes are organized around themes, personal and professional, with concurrent coverage of the tattoo arts. Las Vegas itself, its characters, and those characters
6.0
"Fair"
I can't decide whether I like Inked or not, although I watch it regularly. If I didn't have Tivo, I'm sure I'd miss episodes. But, I'm equally certain I'd come back to it, too.
I've always had a fascination with the artistry of tattoos and the artists who do them. I consider theme a legitimate, if outsider, visual art. That's why I started watching.
I'm equally interested in the tattooed subcultures: tribal, biker, hipster, and so on. Although, as the show often suggests, tattooing is now become increasingly mainstream. Drag queens, grandmothers, frat boys, party girls, solid citizens. Well, almost everyone does it these days, and many of them have interesting stories about why they've chosen to go with body art and the design of the day.
Despite the behind the scenes drama of the show (Hart's early struggles to dump his difficult partner Huntington, Thomas' on again, off again relationship with the former shop manager Monica, Dizzle's apprenticeship), I find most moving the surpisingly serious discussions of the art, its meaning and impact, by the artists themselves (here, I'm thinking especially of Clark North, the vet, Big E, Josh, Twig, Lacey, and Matt). Maybe it's the nature of the profession (which trades in the symbolic) or maybe it's the exceptional people who work at HH. But, they bring different and yet compellingly considered sensibilities to their craft. And, they demonstrate extraordinary talent in the art -- which is why they've ended up, no doubt, in a premium shop.
So what don't I like about the show? I've sometimes tired of the behind the scenes chaos, especially surrounding Thomas' doubts about remaining at the shop and tortured non-commitment to Monica. I liked Thomas, thought he was a great artist. But it was hard to watch him suffer, much of his suffering -- he'd be the first to admit -- self-imposed. When he turned things around, it was a relief. Then, too, there are oddball moments, of asshats who want their penises tattooed or Steve-O, jumping up to kick in the Huntington. Sigh. Those moments especially make me think I am way too old to be the target audience for Inked.
More importantly, I also get tired of what I suppose are some of the necessary hyper-marketing trappings surrounding the shop. They sometimes give the shop and the show a too-forced, too-slick passage, like a kid in high school trying too hard to look cool and not quite pulling it off. The art has substance, and for the people who do it and wear it, significance. I'd like to see the show's focus stay there.