As ABC’s “Extreme Makeover” entered its second season, the television show that gives ordinary people the chance to be made-over with plastic surgery, makeup and hair styles realized it needed a makeover of its own.

The show had hired a new stylist and health experts, and adopted a different tone for the second season, which premiered Sept. 18. It wanted the graphics to reflect those changes, according to the producer of the show, New Screen Entertainment.

"We were looking for an energetic and dynamic opening that would better complement the excitement and energy of our show," said New Screen Entertainment supervising producer Julie Laughlin. "The difficulty lay in packaging all the creative aspects of the show in a 10-second opening."

Extreme Makeover’s producers contracted with Blur Studio to design a new logo, graphics and completely revamped title sequence.

"We wanted the graphics to reflect the high quality and elevated production value in this second season," said Blur Studio Creative Director Jennifer Miller. "On the surface, the show might appear to be about medical procedures and make-up, but, in essence, &singlequot;Extreme Makeover&singlequot; is a powerful human story."

Blur went to work and quickly came up with graphical elements that underscored the main theme of the show: contrast.

For example, the show’s logo now features contrasting lines of typography, with an "X" in the title rendered as a slash mark. Throughout the show, the "X" reappears as an icon signaling the end of each stage of a participant’s makeover.

The Extreme Makeover new main title sequence also underscores the show’s human element. It uses glass panels or mirrors that project imagery and demonstrate the “before” to “after” transformation.

“As mirrors, they also function on a symbolic level, reflecting the inner beauty of the participants,” explained Blur Studio designer Norn Kittiaksorn. “And by using a muted color palette within the main title sequence, it enhances the elegance of the design.”

Extreme’s production company feels the new look and feel of the show will help make the surprise hit of last season even more popular with the show’s viewers. “To take last season’s footage and knowledge of the show and create an opening that complements the new format was a huge challenge,” observed Laughlin. “Blur did a fantastic job. They came up with creative visuals that made the audience aware of what the show is and teases the fact that it’s a new season.”