Archive for NY Ink
NY Ink Season 1, Ep. 8 “Last Man Standing”
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Damn!! Things were unbelievable on the show this week. Judging by what happened on this week’s episode titled ‘Last Man Standing,’ it looks like Ami just might have to shut shop pretty soon!!… Although, I do hope it doesn’t come to that; He sure has an awesome team of tattoo artists working for him.
We got a glimpse of just how much Ami and Chris’ relationship had deteriorated over the past few weeks. The biggest beef of all was that Chris hadn’t showed up for the Rooster Fest. Well, if I were Ami I’d be pissed too but really looking back to where it all started, I think Chris deserved a little bit more respect around the tattoo shop and that just never happened… Ami should’ve seen this coming.
Anyhow, Chris again calls in and says he won’t be coming in to work for a while and that his appointments will have to be rescheduled. This, I agree is pushing it. Business finally seems to be picking up and Ami can’t afford to be short staffed at this very crucial juncture. All it takes is a few disgruntled customers and there goes your reputation and eventually your business!
Chris later confesses to Meagan that he’s been thinking about going back to his old shop. Ok, understandable. But what I didn’t like was him trying to talk the others into leaving Ami’s shop too! Now, that’s hitting below the belt… I always thought that Chris is intrinsically a nice guy and that he is just a little misunderstood. But then he goes and does something like this!
Tommy and Robear are also butting heads again! Man! With the amount of yelling and fighting that went on this week, it really will be a wonder if the show came back with a second season! Tommy has always been the prankster but I guess this time he went a little too far with his jokes. Robear was raging mad when Tommy took all his stuff and put it out in the street! Ami and Billy had to literally tear these guys apart as they went around the shop pushing each other around! Poor Ami… Not a good day at work I suppose!
The tats were as fantastic as ever. You see that’s one of the main reasons I watch the show! Some of the tattoo designs these guys come up with are mind blowing! I love watching their imaginations take shape. Tommy really is the master of portraits! The portrait of Hendrix that he did this week was simply out of the world. I couldn’t believe how much it looked just like a photograph! Heck! It looked even better than the reference that Suzanne had provided!
One of Ami’s friends – Corey – turned up at the shop today and did a real interesting piece on Ami. The design was that of Ami’s first ever tattoo machine given to him by his late friend Mike. For a moment it was funny watching Ami get all emotional about it, but after hearing the whole story, I could understand why he felt so strongly about it. It’s kind of hard to imagine Ami in and out of jail, with no direction in life… but I suppose that happens even to the best of us! 
Later Ami has an argument with Tommy about his behaviour when he tells Ami that he has bigger things to worry about than someone’s attitude. Ami picks up the cue and confronts Chris with this new information… one thing leads to another and finally Ami fires Chris! Now with Chris gone, Billy realizes that the crew will need all the help they can use. He tells Ami he can start tattooing… only to be shot down! Obviously Ami doesn’t think Billy’ ready yet. Yes Billy… we’re happy you graduated, but I guess some jobs need experience!
To add to the mounting pressure, Tim announces that he is going to be away for about three weeks, doing a convention in California… But just before the episode ended we see Chris offering a very lucrative job to Billy. He kisses Meagan and persuades her to leave with him. And Jessica is proposing an apprenticeship with Chris for herself!
So there you go, with Chris gone, Tim on vacation, Billy, Jessica and Meagan also contemplating their moves, Ami and Tommy just might be the only ones left in the tattoo shop!
You can now watch full episodes of NY Ink online! Click on the link to watch ‘Last Man Standing.’
NY Ink Season 1, Ep. 7 “Roosters and Romance”
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In this week’s episode titled ‘Roosters and Romance’: The shop is in serious financial trouble. The shop’s rent is due in two weeks and they are short of money… big time! Ami and his team put their heads together and figure out a way to make rent. Meagan and Chris seem to have taken their relationship to the next level and Billy, the apprentice, finally gets his break!
Ami is completely stressed out that they just might not be able to pay their bills this month. He tells the team they need to have a team meeting (over lunch) to discuss how they can tackle the problem. Now, Tim and Chris are not present when he makes this announcement to the team so Jessica offers to call the two of them and tell them what’s going on. But oddly enough, Ami asks her not to bother calling Chris with the news!
Well, I don’t quite know what Ami’s problem is. I thought that the two of them were finally able to put their differences behind them and move on… but it looks like Ami’s raking up the s*** from the past! Ami seems to be quite pissed that Chris – who was once boasting about his clientele in New York – didn’t really live up to his expectations.
I don’t understand why Ami’s taking out his frustrations out on Chris! Well, agreed Chris can be a little vexing at times, but I thought he made real good progress in the past few weeks, trying to get along with the team, etc. Now suddenly Ami seems to think it is Chris’s responsibility to keep customers flowing into the shop!
So Ami ends up not including Chris in the team meeting and naturally Chris gets pissed when he finds out. If Chris didn’t turn up in spite of Jessica having told him about the meeting, I understand how that can make him a jerk but, if nobody even told him about the meeting… then that’s just rude!
Anyhow, the rest of the team comes up with a fantastic idea to promote their business. They decide to run a charity event and donate the proceeds to a charity. So thus began the first annual Rooster Fest. Over the next week everyone is busy doing their part in advertising the event. Again Chris feels purposely neglected… he is left to make phone calls and invite people to the event while the other artists get to do the artistic stuff.
Amidst all this though, Meagan’s and Chris’s relationship seems to be blossoming! Chris takes finally manages to get a date with Meagan and they both seem to be enjoying each other’s company. But unfortunately, it looks like Chris is not going to last very long in the shop and it will be such a pity if he were to take Meagan with him… and it’s not just me, everyone else at the shop also seem to see this coming.
The day of the Rooster Fest finally arrives and the turn out was quite impressive – the streets were teeming with people! And just when Ami needed his team the most, Chris decides not to turn up! Now, this guy’s really begging to get fired! The numbers of people become too much for the artists to handle and so Ami asks Billy to set up his station and start tattooing! Go Billy! 
So the event turns out to be a huge success… and hopefully this will increase the traffic in the shop. The next day Ami takes Billy into his office as if to fire him but instead presents him with a tattoo machine… so looks like our apprentice has finally graduated school!
Among those who walked in for a tattoo this week was Jersey Shores’ Angelina… Well, unfortunately it wasn’t one of Ami’s favorite shows and he really doesn’t miss an opportunity to tell her just how bad the show really is!!
You can now watch full episodes of NY Ink online! Click on the link to watch ‘Roosters and Romance.’
NY Ink Season 1, Ep. 6 “Think Again”
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The show sure seems to have picked up! This week’s episode titled ‘Think Again,’ was brilliant! There were moments in the show that got me laughing out loud and some that got me feeling for them… The shop got some real good coverage in Inked magazine this week! That can only mean more business!
I was never one of Jessica (the shop manager’s) fans. In fact, I thought she talked too much! But this week showed a whole different side of hers and I couldn’t help but feel a little sad for her. It all started with Brittany, one of the writers for the popular ‘Inked’ magazine walking in for a tattoo. Meagan, as usual, does a fantastic job on her and Brittany is quite impressed with not just the shop but also the fact that Meagan is a woman! You see there are not many female tattooers out there, and Brittany proposes to do a spread about the shop and about Meagan in the magazine.
The whole team is excited about the photo shoot with Inked but on the day of the shoot Jessica and Robear were in for a rude awakening. The magazine wants to shoot just the artists and Ami naturally had to comply. Jessica and Robear are hurt that Ami didn’t stick up for them. Robear takes it pretty well but Jessica is heart-broken. She later has a talk with Meagan who basically helps her put things in perspective. Jess needs to push for an apprenticeship and that’s the only way her work is going to be recognized. Tommy later gives her a brilliant idea…
Jess challenges Billy to a draw-off! And the wager – well, the winner gets to tattoo the loser. Jess was hoping that that this will get Ami to notice her talents… but unfortunately for her, it all just blows up in her face. It sure is a tough world out there… I sure hope she finds a way to make things work for her. Too bad we didn’t get to see the piece she had drawn up for the competition. I bet she’s really talented!
The others seem to be making merry as usual – especially Tommy. Who ever thought he was such a prankster?! Well, everyone seems to think he’s funny except Robear. I wonder why the guy can’t take a joke! But it sure was funny watching him chase after Tommy and Chris!
Among the tats that were done this week, I especially liked script Chris did on Joe. You should’ve heard the story behind that tattoo. Gosh… this guy is a real-life super hero! He helps capture a killer on the loose and in the process is left fighting for his own life. I even liked the dream catcher that Tim did and the Lion that Meg did… Man! These guys are awesome!
You can now watch full episodes of NY Ink online! Click on the link to watch ‘Think Again.’
NY Ink Season 1, Ep. 5 “Out Of The Box”
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A lot happened on the show today! Chris and Meagan just might turn out to be an item, the shop is in deep financial trouble and Jessica might be on the firing list in this week’s episode titled ‘Out of the Box.’
At the start of the episode, we see Jessica and Ami discussing the shop’s financial state. Clearly Ami’s paying a lot more in rent in New York than he did back in Miami and so far, the shop hasn’t made that much money… and Ami starts to succumb to the stresses of business management.
Tommy used to doing at least 4 – 5 tats a day but here in New York, he’s barely making 4-5 tats a week… so it’s not just Ami that’s feeling the pinch. The team better come up with a fantastic idea to get their business rolling or it’s not going to be pretty end to this show!
Jessica takes it upon herself to come up with some ideas for the show… yea, her heart is in the right place but unfortunately her mouth isn’t! It doesn’t take too long for her to get on Ami’s nerves and soon it boils down to an old-fashioned confrontation. Ami tells he what’s what in his usual temperamental manner and Jessica doesn’t take too kindly to it. She feels like she is way too qualified to be just a secretary. Then, Robear tries to give her some advice and it just blows up in his face! Jessica walks out of the shop in a huff while the rest of them gang up against her…
For a minute there it seemed like that was it for Jessica, everyone seemed to have a problem with the way she works and they even lock her out of the shop! But Jessica finally comes to her senses (thanks to a little talk from Meagan), she realizes that everyone needs a little space while at work. She later apologizes to Ami and all ended well for her… for now!
The other big developing story is that of Chris and Meagan. Meagan at first seemed to not really care for Chris. She says she doesn’t understand why everyone seems to think there’s something going on between the two. Well, obviously she couldn’t see what the rest of us could! Despite her denials, it turns out, she does care for Chris. Meagan later goes to Tommy for some advice when Chris seemed to be ignoring her for a bit. Apparently Tommy is the shop’s relationship therapist! Even Chris comes to Tommy with his inhibitions… Anyway, in the end, Meagan finally says yes to Chris taking her out sometime. Moral of the story: Good old chivalry works every time!
Among the tattoos that were inked this week, I especially liked Meagan’s work. She tattooed an old-school microphone for a voice over artist. I thought it was the hardest because it needed a lot of technique. The mike in the reference picture was reflecting a lot of light and I wondered how Meagan would capture that detail… she really amazed me there!
You can now watch full episodes of NY Ink online! Click on the link to watch ‘Out Of The Box.’
NY Ink Season 1, Ep. 4 “Blood Is Thicker Than Ink”
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Synopsis: The pressure of being Ami James’ apprentice and best friend brings Billy to the boiling point, and Chris seizes a romantic opportunity when Megan finds out her man cheated on her, with her best friend.
A lot happened on the show this week … also, one of my favorite rappers of all time guest starred on the show!
Billy was the only person who had been peaceful so far, and even he was pushed beyond his limits this week. Billy had been disgruntled for weeks that his job is going nowhere. Ami seems to be making a lot of empty promises; and what’s more Ami’s long lost brother Shai suddenly turns up from nowhere and Ami is distracted more than usual. Well, I kind of agree with Ami. After all “Blood Is Thicker Than Ink”…
Ami’s happy to see his brother Shai, who he last saw when he was 9 years old! I can understand those emotions. Ami’s excited and really wants to help his kid brother and when Shai shows interest in tattoo machines, Ami is more than happy to explain things to him. When Billy sees this, he’s upset that Ami never took the time to teach him anything… and I can understand that too. The poor guy left his wife and kid and moved all the way to NY so can he learn something. I guess sometimes S*** just happens and we have to learn to flush it!
So Billy takes things into his own hands… he decides to do a piece on Robear without Ami’s help. I really liked the way the rest of the team supported him here. Robear gave him his skin and Tommy took time off to teach him a few things. And I must say, Billy’s first tat was pretty amazing! And the way the whole team (including Ami) encouraged him was pretty awesome too!
I was almost just as excited as Tommy when the Grammy award winning “Godfather” of rap – Method Man – walked into the shop for a tat. The killer bee that Tommy inked on his arm was fantastic! Meth later tattoos a piece on Tommy as a souvenir and I must say, it wasn’t bad for a guy who’s never done this before!
Now for the brow-raising part – Meagan finds out that her best friend has been having an affair with her boyfriend. Meg’s friend Labreah comes into the shop for a tattoo and while the ink is getting done she even tells Meg how much she appreciates her friendship. And for someone so grateful, to turn on her friend like that is just sick. Too bad Meg found out about her affair before she finished the tat job!! So, what’s interesting is that Chris sees his chance (after Meg breaks up with her boyfriend) to make his move… well, maybe it’s not so bad after all but I can already imagine the potential drama if these two start dating… it’s a bad idea for lovers to work together!
You can now watch full episodes of NY Ink online! Click on the link to watch ‘Blood Is Thicker Than Ink.’
NY Ink Season 1, Ep. 3 “Dis-Appointment”
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This week’s episode titled ‘Dis-Appointment’ sure came as a surprise to me. Tim has always been the unemotional one in the shop (apart from Billy and Tommy of course); he has always been calm and collected even when everybody else around him was losing it… He just doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who’ll fly off the handle at every whim but I guess it was his turn to play ‘trouble maker!’
Ami and Tim butt heads over Tim’s habit of not taking appointments. Tim says that those who make appointments are always too demanding and working under that kind of pressure makes him feel like he’s less of an artist. Well, I for one agree with Ami, it is kind of weird to have a problem with appointments! After all, it is a business… and how is anyone to run a business without being organized? So Tim and Ami have a big disagreement and Tim ends up walking out but only after he asks Ami to f*** off though!
Thankfully, he does come back to work the next day. I’d hate to see Ami lose such a talented artist over a minor administrative squabble. I guess Ami saw that too. Not only is Tim Ami’s right hand man at the shop, but he’s also his best friend. Tim apologizes to Ami after his heart-to-heart with Pete Cropsey – one of Tim’s old buddies and the famous author of Dead Man Walking. Tim and Ami then decide to put these disagreements behind them and get on with work.
Chris seems to have warmed up (maybe even a little much) to Megan. Maybe it was just innocent flirting, but Robear certainly didn’t think so! I wonder what he still has against Chris! Everybody else seems to have warmed up to him. He even covers for Megan when she misses an appointment. Turns out, Megan had a little too much to drink the previous night and doesn’t make it on time for an appointment. She later buys Chris a cup of coffe to thank him for his help with Ami… which of course lead to more flirting.
Drama aside, now among the tattoos done this week, I especially liked the Foo Dog (the Japanese guardian dog) and the Samurai piece that Ami inked on two of his clients. I can’t quite decide which one I like better! I loved the detail and the colors on both. Ami’s own twist on the pieces was also exceptional! I loved the way he added more emotion to the face of the Samurai! He really is good… no wonder he has his own TV show huh! So, which one of the tattoos did you like best?
You can now watch full episodes of NY Ink online for just $1.99. Click here for the video and also a free preview.