Ink Master
Reality competitionReal people competing under format rules.This show: 10/10Long-runnerA show whose sheer longevity shapes how it's watched.This show: 7/10
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Ink Master Episode Ratings Heatmap
| Avg | E1 | E2 | E3 | E4 | E5 | E6 | E7 | E8 | E9 | E10 | E11 | E12 | E13 | E14 | E15 | E16 | E17 | E18 | E19 | E20 | E21 | E22 | E23 | E24 | E25 | E26 | E27 | E28 | E29 | E30 | E31 | E32 | E33 | E34 | E35 | E36 | E37 | E38 | E39 | E40 | E41 | E42 | E43 | E44 | E45 | E46 | E47 | E48 | E49 | E50 | E51 | E52 | E53 | E54 | E55 | E56 | E57 | E58 | E59 | E60 | E61 | E62 | E63 | E64 | E65 | E66 | E67 | E68 | E69 | E70 | E71 | E72 | E73 | E74 | E75 | E76 | E77 | E78 | E79 | E80 | E81 | E82 | E83 | E84 | E85 | E86 | E87 | E88 | E89 | E90 | E91 | E92 | E93 | E94 | E95 | E96 | E97 | E98 | ||
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| S1 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.9 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 7.6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S2 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 6.9 | 7.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S3 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 7.2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S4 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 6.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S5 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 7.3 | 7.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S6 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 6.8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S7 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.7 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 7.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S8 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 7.2 | 5.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 7.5 | 6.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S10 | 7.2 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 6.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S11 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 6.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S12 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 6.8 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 6.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S13 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 6.5 | 6.7 | 7.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S14 | 6.4 | 7.1 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 7.2 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S15 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.8 | 7.1 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 5.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S16 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 7.0 | 7.2 | 6.1 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 6.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S17 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 7.8 |
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About
"Reality competition where the stakes are permanent"
Ink Master is a tattoo competition where professional artists face weekly challenges, live on human canvases, judged on skill and creativity rather than just showmanship. Contestants get eliminated round by round until one wins a cash prize and the title. The appeal is watching real craft under pressure: you see technique, mistakes, and genuine tension when a bad tattoo becomes permanent on someone's skin. It's got the familiar reality-competition beats (drama, rivalries, sob stories) but the actual work being judged is skilled and specific, which gives it more substance than most game shows in this format.
Watch it for
the tension of watching skilled artists risk permanently botching someone's skin under time pressure.
Maybe skip if
you find reality-show manufactured drama and judge bickering more grating than entertaining.
Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.
All Seasons
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Season 12012
7.655496h 17m
The first season of the tattoo reality competition Ink Master debuted on Spike on January 17 and concluded on March 6, 2012 with a total of 8 episodes. The show is hosted and judged by Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, with accomplished tattoo artists Chris Núñez and Oliver Peck serving as series regular judges. The winner received a $100,000 prize, a feature in Inked Magazine and the title of Ink Master.
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Season 22012
7.4597139h 6m
Ink Master (season 2) was the second season of the Spike tattooing competition series, Ink Master.
Season two follows sixteen tattoo artists competing against each other in an elimination-style competition that will leave the last person standing with the title of Ink Master, a $100,000 grand prize, and a feature in Inked Magazine. The show is hosted and judged by Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. Other judges include former Miami Ink cast member Chris Núñez and accomplished tattoo artist Oliver Peck.
The series has been renewed for a third season.
For the current airing or most recent airing season, visit the Ink Master main article.
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Season 32013
7.4555139h 45m
Ink Master (season 3) is the third season of the Spike tattooing competition series, Ink Master. Its makeup and rules mimic those of season 2, with some changes to make it unique from the previous season, but not so extreme to make it stand out from the series.
Season three follows sixteen tattoo artists competing against each other in an elimination-style competition that will leave the last person standing with the title of Ink Master, a $100,000 grand prize, and a feature in Inked Magazine. The show is hosted and judged by Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. Other judges include former Miami Ink cast member Chris Núñez and accomplished tattoo artist Oliver Peck.
Season three is the first time in the series a contestant has been brought back for another season. Katherine "Tatu Baby" Flores was eliminated in season two, but voted to return by Ink Master's Facebook voting.
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Season 42014
7.2418127h 40m
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Rivals2014
7.16931812h 25m
16 top tattoo artists from across the country will compete in extreme challenges proving their skill and grit in an epic battle for $100,000 and the title of Ink Master.
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Master Vs. Apprentice2015
7.15931811h 31m
In season 6 it's not just about the rivalries the artists create during the competition, each contestant comes with their own personal tattoo rival – their master or apprentice.
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Revenge2016
7.3472139h 13m
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Peck Vs. Nuñez2016
6.65851611h 17m
In season eight, 8 returning artists and 8 top tattoo artists from around the country will compete in extreme challenges proving their skill and grit in an epic battle for 100,000 and the title of Ink Master.
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Shop Wars2017
6.94711610h 48m
Season nine of Ink Master reaches new heights as tattoo shops from across the country go to war. As 19 shops enter the competition, in the end only one will be left standing, winning the title of ‘Master Shop’ and $200,000.
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Return of the Masters2018
7.24901610h 56m
Three of the most skilled Ink Master winners return for season 10. But this time, they won’t battle alone. Instead, they’ll be coaching teams selected from some of the top tattoo artists in the country. The artists will be put through extreme challenges proving their skill and grit in an epic battle for $100,000 and the title of Ink Master.
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Grudge Match2018
7.44191610h 56m
Cleen Rock One faces off against Christian Buckingham to coach the nation's best tattoo artists as they compete for a $100,000 prize and the title of Ink Master.
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Battle of the Sexes2019
7.13681610h 56m
Teams of male and female tattoo artists face off, but only one will win $100,000, an editorial feature in Inked and the coveted Ink Master title. This season, past contestants and fan favorites return to coach the contestants.
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Turf War2020
7.23951510h 15m
Season 13 brings together artists from the East, South, Midwest and West regions of the United States as 20 top tattooers from around the country battle it out for the title of Ink Master, a $100,000 and of course, a feature in Inked Magazine.
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Season 142022
6.4245103h 30m
All-star artists return to compete in the ultimate tattoo competition. Hosted by Joel Madden, the artists will face some of the most epic challenges.
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Season 152023
7.0243102h 12m
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OGs vs Young Guns2024
6.7262101h 29m
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Hometown Heroes2025
8.010610
15 new artists compete as “hometown heroes,” vying for a $250,000 prize in the ultimate tattoo competition, and for the opportunity to put their hometowns on the map.
Full Cast & Crew
Cast
Dave Navarro Self - Host, Master of Chaos, Self - Judge
Oliver Peck Self - Judge, Self
Chris Nunez Self - Judge
Rick Robles Self - Narrator, Self - narrator
James Steinke Self
DJ Tambe Self, Self - Judge
Ryan Ashley Self - Judge, Self, Self - Host
Anthony Michaels Self
St. Marq Self
Christian Buckingham Self
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