S09.E02: Crossing the Line

[thewhiteowl]

A massive twist shakes up the competition and a painstaking Flash challenge puts relationships to the test.

[sourpickles]

WTF?  I liked Bubba, but it'd take a month to untangle all this uh, **&&^^%$.  I literally have no words.  Fine.  I loved learning, bless you IM, taught me what to look for when I get my tattoo I've wanted for twenty years now, but c'mon.  Way to combine IM and Redemption and Vets vs. Newbies, and, see you next....Tuesday?

[azshadowwalker]

Way too convoluted. The whiners... The fucking whiners... Dave already told you that Old Towne wasn't leaving. Every judge already told you that they didn't break the rules. All of them just exposed their petty asses. 

No way would I go to fucking Scottsdale for a tattoo, though. 

Edited June 14, 2017 by azshadowwalker

[Merneith]

I can't believe no one else in this brain trust thought to ask if multi-needle guns were acceptable. Even after they've seen DJ Whozits using them - why did no one else ask and switch over? Bunch a turkeys.

[zxy556575]

So many bad tattoos are because of janky sketches. I've never understood how artists can look at a stencil of something like the broken tiger from this episode and not see that it's bad. You're never going to be able to fix poor design/composition with nicely applied ink.

I wasn't sure why a tattoo of a heart and tree was so fearsome; they're two straightforward objects. It wasn't aesthetically easy to marry them (and the final tattoo did not succeed), but the request shouldn't have been so terrifying. The winner was the rib piece, too. Stop whining and do better!

The Post-It paintings were fun. A couple were childlike but well enough done, and that wasn't part of the criteria. The winning tiger was kind of awesome.

I would have preferred that Tri-Cities leave because they're (1) out of their depth and (2) the squabbling is tiresome, but there's a lot of fodder this season.

Edited June 15, 2017 by Lord Donia

[sourpickles]

1 hour ago, Lord Donia said:

I would have preferred that Tri-Cities leave because they're (1) out of their depth and (2) the squabbling is tiresome, but there's a lot of fodder this season.

I'll bring the cannon.

[Inkmaster0345]

The ONLY saving grace to this season will be if they bring back a couple of decent artists. Absolutely no doubt in my mind that a returning artist's shop is going to win. They already did newbies vs vets (all stars, in fact) and they had a newbie win it. This time around it will definitely be a veteran, I just hope they pick a good one. Fingers crossed for Halo! In my opinion one of the most underrated artists in the history of the show. 

Episode thoughts: 

CUDDLING??? Are you kidding me? We have married couples cuddling during the challenges now? If a team has the ability to take a breather from a challenge to cuddle and whisper sweet nothings, then the challenge isn't intense enough, period. 

As mentioned, half of the teams are straight garbage. The two eliminated teams (I don't know their names, because it's nearly impossible to learn them) and Tri Cities (I only know their name because of how pathetic they are) had no business being in this competition. I get that the show needs a few terrible teams off the bat because they want it to be a fairly even mix of vets and newbies by the time teams stopped being replaced, but damn, you don't have to make it so obvious by putting complete amatuers in the competition. All girl team will be gone soon.

Bubba's partner is definitely Chester Bennington from Linkin Park. I'm 99% sure of it. 

The artists forming their own jury is by quite possibly the worst idea in a show that is going on 4 straight seasons of bad ideas and concepts. I'm glad that we got to see just how terrible the idea is right off the bat. Teams are going to vote based on personal BS and drama, not on quality. I'd be shocked if the jury provides a single worthwhile moment all season. 

Black anchor can take a hike imo. Maybe it's just the edit, but it's only episode 2 and i'm over their too-cool-for-school attitude. We get it, you're apparently really good (even though they've been beaten by team cuddles 2 straight weeks now). Can't stand their "stare blankly at the camera and talk in a monotone voice about how you're well-known in the industry" song and dance. Maybe win something, ANYTHING, before you look into the camera and talk about how great you are. Just a thought. 

Hope they do a more typical ink master challenge soon. I'm dying to see how badly Tri Cities would jack up a japanese/pin-up/portrait tattoo before they go. Please make this happen ink master. 

[azshadowwalker]

1 hour ago, Inkmaster0345 said:

The artists forming their own jury is by quite possibly the worst idea in a show that is going on 4 straight seasons of bad ideas and concepts. I'm glad that we got to see just how terrible the idea is right off the bat. Teams are going to vote based on personal BS and drama, not on quality. I'd be shocked if the jury provides a single worthwhile moment all season. 

Don't they remember the bullshit from the artists' jury that sent Christian packing in the finals of vets vs newbies? I hate this so much more than the canvas jury. The canvas jury voted on what they saw as quality, not on who they were pissed off at. 

[MuMuGuy]

I have two words to describe the quality of work this episode: Amateur Night

 

Except for Team Cuddles and Team Unfair Advantage (Bubba), the rest of the tattoos were trash. The judges did make the correct decision on who to send home though. The back of that tiger looked like one could see its spine, similar to the back of an anorexic person.

[zxy556575]

15 hours ago, Inkmaster0345 said:

Black anchor can take a hike imo.

No matter what they do from now on, I'll never forgive them for misspelling the name of their own shop.

[WookieeCookieez]

Adding the jury seems like they felt all the interruptions from the peanut gallery last season were good things. Should be an indicator that the first time they applied this "twist", the majority put up a team they'd already been told outright wasn't going anywhere since the judges not only loved their piece, but didn't think any rules were broken.

[Merneith]

I already miss the Canvas jury. I thought it was a much better idea to let the people who just got crap tattoos get a say, even if they don't know Chris Nunes' "600 Reasons Why Your Japanese Tattoo Is Jacked".

[azshadowwalker]

It is definitely more fair than the artist jury, which can easily become a pile-on.

[Sile]

The jury is really useless, anyway, because the judges have already determined their bottom three.  If the jury picks an outlier, then they just go with their bottom two. The only thing the artists did by making it personal with Old Town was that it saved Pinz & Needles from getting called down on the carpet.

 

At least with the canvas jury we got to hear "regular" people give their opinions on all of the tattoos, which is sometimes more interesting than the "expert" view.  And I think if they really found a tattoo egregious, the judges might take that into consideration.  Probably not, but more so than from the contestants, who have other reasons for their choices than strictly about the work.

Edited June 16, 2017 by Sile

[Inkmaster0345]

On 6/14/2017 at 10:48 PM, Inkmaster0345 said:

The ONLY saving grace to this season will be if they bring back a couple of decent artists. Absolutely no doubt in my mind that a returning artist's shop is going to win. They already did newbies vs vets (all stars, in fact) and they had a newbie win it. This time around it will definitely be a veteran, I just hope they pick a good one. Fingers crossed for Halo! In my opinion one of the most underrated artists in the history of the show. 

Spike announced the complete returning artist lineup today on social media (maybe everyone already knew this info and I'm just behind) and there are definitely some heavy hitters coming back. No idea why a certain someone is getting ANOTHER chance but hey what do I know. 

[Sile]

1 hour ago, Inkmaster0345 said:

Spike announced the complete returning artist lineup today on social media (maybe everyone already knew this info and I'm just behind) and there are definitely some heavy hitters coming back. No idea why a certain someone is getting ANOTHER chance but hey what do I know. 

I happen to like the certain someone so I'm okay with it, but I share your sentiment.  However, it made my damn month when I saw, to my total surprise, that my all time favorite is coming back so I'm totally revved!  Also looking forward to a few others, but that's secondary.

 

i don't see how anything I said is a spoiler just by saying all time fave since that's a personal thing, but if someone feels it's too leading I'd be happy to spoiler it.

[sourpickles]

I'm going to have to check out the list when I have time, it might redeem some of this stuff with me if I like the returnees.  Maybe I'll still watch.

[candall]

17 hours ago, Merneith said:

... even if they don't know Chris Nunes' "600 Reasons Why Your Japanese Tattoo Is Jacked".

Just had to quote this to say thanks for the healthy bark you gave me.

 

They have ample evidence, after ONE go, to see why the "Contestant Jury" idea blows.  I always thought the "Canvas Jury" was a good idea--at least it was non-professionals speaking more or less for the rest of us.

[azshadowwalker]

10 hours ago, Inkmaster0345 said:

Spike announced the complete returning artist lineup today on social media (maybe everyone already knew this info and I'm just behind) and there are definitely some heavy hitters coming back. No idea why a certain someone is getting ANOTHER chance but hey what do I know. 

Aw, fuck. I wish I could find the entire list, but even finding what I could bummed me out.

Spoiler

Fucking Cleen gets attempt number 3?! He's becoming the Boston Rob of this show. How are they going to try to stack it for him this time? He didn't have to tattoo in every competition last time, either. And, like all the vets, got kept around well past his due date.

Maybe that's why the artist jury. He was the beneficiary of it last time. Should have been Anthony vs Christian, with a Christian win. Fuck that dude and this show's hard-on for him. 

 

ETA: Found it. At least Christian gets another shot, I guess. 

Someone on FB said they hope Cleen comes in 2nd again. I lol'd.

Edited June 16, 2017 by azshadowwalker

[Diane Mars]

@azshadowwalker : I posted it in the media thread :)

Edited June 17, 2017 by Diane Mars

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The artist jury is clearly just an attempt to let the shit stirrers stir shit, which is really annoying. I watch this show for the tattoos and the artistry, not stupid Survivor-esque alliances and seeing the insecure whiners gang up on whoever they don't like. I felt like at least the canvas jury had some validity because these people had to live with whatever janky ass tattoos the contestants put on them.

I liked the post-it note challenge because it gave me a chance to see their creativity as well as their basic skills. Some of the designs turned out really well. The tiger one was a smart use of the post-it notes to create texture in the fur, but on top of that they used the entire space they were given to make a big, bold design. Some of the other designs were very flat and boring. The one with the sailboat (with the grandma corners - ha!) looked like something you'd see in a simple coloring book.

I can't disagree with the eliminated team. That tiger was really bad. I know that we (and the judges) are supposed to focus on how well they fulfilled the challenge, but how can you get past incorrect anatomy and form? Even if they had fulfilled the challenge requirements perfectly with straight clear lines (which they didn't IMO), they still should have been in the bottom two for not being able to draw a simple animal body. The whole thing with the front shoulder was terrible, but so was the back half of that poor tiger.

I would have been happy if the judges had eliminated both of the bottom teams. Black Anchor has been consistently bad. I know it seems early to say that since it's only the second episode, but they have done five different challenges so far and of those five, Black Anchor has been in the bottom for the tattoo challenges both times AND they spelled the name of their own shop incorrectly. And weren't they the ones who did that lackluster fish in the ice challenge? It barely looked like a fish to me. It looked like a big block of uncarved ice with a lump at the top. On top of that, they obviously don't work well together and I am not here for bickering. I really hope they go home next week. It's pretty bad when it's only the second episode and they're already obviously circling the drain.

[psychoticstate]

I can't keep the shop names straight, much less the names of the inktestants.  Way too difficult.  

Are we going to be forced to watch the couples "cuddle" or spar each week?  No, thank you. 

Having the other shops be the jury is asinine.  Of course they are going to choose whoever has a bullseye on them, not necessarily the worst work.  I suppose since the dumbasses sent Bubba and his mentor down, the judges had to remove one of their three?  So I guess it could work to that shop's favor, if they had a good idea who was going to be in the bottom three. 

I really wish they would have guest judges on each week that would make the decision on who to send down.  They have no skin in the game and would make an honest assessment versus whether Nunez and/or Peck like you.  

Dave continues to be awesome.

[AlliePK]

I'm psyched because one of my all time favorite people in the world is coming back.  

[Sile]

1 hour ago, AlliePK said:

I'm psyched because one of my all time favorite people in the world is coming back.  

Hehe, check my post upthread about being totally revved that my all time fave is coming back.  Five will get you ten we're talking about the same person.  Gimme a T......

Speaking of all time favorites, his Mucha-esque tattoo of a woman's face with an apple is my favorite ever on Ink Master.