LA Ink (TLC)

After tattoo artist Kat Von D split from the shop featured in Miami Ink, she opened her own shop in Los Angeles -- the subject of this reality show. LA INK tracks the characters and action at the tattoo parlor. Clients getting body art share the reasons for their choices. Stories can be both sad and inspiring, like people who get tattoos in remembrance of a deceased friend or family member. In contrast to the male-dominated world of Miami Ink, Kat's shop is heavily female. The talented women (whose tendency to dress in revealing clothes gives LA Ink a racier feel than its Miami counterpart) boast a variety of specialties, from pin-up images to portraits to colorful floral displays.

Surprisingly, the show's real draw are the tattoo artists -- visually interesting characters whose personalities can be warm and appealing. But the show's focus on body art means that parents may feel uncomfortable with some of its content, from dark images like skulls and weapons to piercings and other body manipulations (like a split tongue that twists and turns in potentially provocative ways). Though safety precautions are clearly taken throughout the tattooing process, the risks associated with needles or infection aren't explicitly discussed.