What’s Worth Watching: Ink Master Pits Apprentices Against their Teachers

Ink Master, “Meet Your Maker” (Tuesday, June 23, 10/9c, Spike)

Spike’s hit tattooing competition has already been renewed for Season 7 and has a spin off series in the works for later this year. With its growing popularity, it’s no surprise that Season 6 kicks off with a pretty gnarly twist. This time around the show isn’t just pulling artists from around the country, but creating extra tension by pitting apprentices against their masters as the 18 artists battle for the Ink Master title and $100,000. In the first round, the apprentice-master duos will have to play nice and choose a particular style to design on their human “canvasses” in preparation for a blind judging that sends half the competitors into the elimination round. You can imagine how embarrassing it is for any masters losing to their pupil.

However, everyone will have to impress the both canvasses – who will again form a jury to decide the worst ink job – and the panel of judges made up of host Dave Navarro, Miami Ink’s Chris Nunez and Oliver Peck of Elm Street Tattoo. Either way, by the end of the premiere, we’ll be down to 17 and you’ll see some pretty spectacular – and pretty frightening ink.