7.25.2005

TV That’s Skin Deep

When some Hollywood exec comes up with a good idea, other folks seem to immediately follow suit by copying it. Remember the battle that waged between “Antz” and “A Bug’s Life”? First Daughter” and “Chasing Liberty”? “The Contender” and “The Next Great Champ”? And most recently “Cooking Under Fire” and “Hell’s Kitchen“? Well a new battle has just taken flight –- this time over a pair of tattoo parlor reality shows. One’s on A&E (”Inked“) and one’s on TLC (”Miami Ink“), and both premiered this past week. But we can settle the score. While both shows share common elements, the better show is TLC’s “Miami Ink.” A&E’s “Inked” feels more concerned with its characters and their personal drama rather than the shop and the art of tattooing. A&E’s show is way slicker, then again it’s also set in Vegas, so perhaps that’s the difference. Both shops/shows also have an apprentice who is learning the trade, however “Inked” gets dinged because theirs is named Dizzle, the second stupidest reality show name of all time (Puck comes in at number 1 — oh, and let’s not forget these). Also, “Miami Ink” uses Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation” as its theme song –- a song that will always live fondly in our heart since it was originally used as the theme for the brilliant but short-lived “Freaks and Geeks.” And “Inked” also gets points taken away due to the overexposure of Carey Hart, who is currently serving time on two reality shows. Aside from this one, he’s also a member of this season’s “Surreal Life” cast. Now Corey Hart would be a different story –- there’s a guy we’d watch on two shows!

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1 lonely comment

  1. Reesy says:

    There is a comment about Inked on the home page that makes anyone who likes the show and the theme song sound like a moron. I’ve never seen the other show, Miami Ink so I have nothing to compare this one to but I am not a moron and I do like Inked. I also like the theme song so I wanted to at least thank you for the link to the download.

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