Made (over) in the USA

Jeff Morton used to have a long ponytail and a leather wardrobe that would make any biker proud. These days, his newly shorn locks are downright preppy as are his pastel oxford shirts.

But more important, and far deeper than the new duds, is his new outlook on life, which he attributes to the life coaches from TV's new "Date Patrol." "All three coaches helped me in different areas of my life," he says, such as body language and communication skills. "You have to take their suggestions to heart, because their intent is to really ... create a change. And they certainly did that with me."

The previously date-challenged pet-shop owner says he's now happily courting.

This fall, Morton's pilgrimage from down-and-out to downright desirable is just one of an avalanche of personal transformations available for home viewing. As evidenced by 20 shows, from ABC's "Extreme Makeover" (which includes plastic surgery) to "Buff Brides" (guess!), self-improvement as spectator sport has become the hottest trend on TV.

FX's controversial new drama "Nip/Tuck" sums up the attitude with a plastic surgeon's opening line to a patient: "Tell me what you don't like about yourself."

This nationwide urge to purge the old personality along with the outdated pillows might lead one to ask: Are Americans truly filled with that much self-loathing, or has TV just discovered the latest, cheapest way to tell a good story? Both, says media watchers, some of whom are concerned that contentment has apparently become downright un-American.

"This is peculiarly American commercial TV," says Amanda Lotz, an assistant communications professor from Denison University. (It's also apparently peculiarly British. The makeover trend is even further along on the other side of the Atlantic - with shows promising to overhaul everything from your dinner-party and housecleaning skills to your personal finances.) "These shows play deeply on the message that underlies our commercial culture that we are not OK, that we have to go get something, whether it's a new house, new body, or relationship to be happy."

At the same time, she adds, it also reflects the realities of the smaller cable TV environment. These shows work best when they tell a compelling, personal story. The smaller cable channels can't afford the million dollar price tag of a scripted network drama. "These shows provide plenty of cheap drama," she says.

And ratings. The newest makeover hit, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," broke ratings records for the Bravo channel. NBC (owner of Bravo) is now airing repeats of the show, in which style mavens tackle a person whose entire life is ripe for what they call "restyling."

This taps into another part of the makeover trend, which is increasingly trying be more than just skin deep. Take "Faking It," which offers people a chance to try out a new career.

Even shows that may seem appearance-oriented say they're more interested in the psyche. "This is not a show about plastic surgery," says "Nip/Tuck" creator Ryan Murphy of his series, which features plenty of graphic depictions nonetheless. "Plastic surgery is the jumping-off point. The show that I want to do is a show about how people transform their lives on every level."

Makeovers have been a staple of fashion magazines and the E! channel for years. But this wave really began three years ago, when the TLC channel unveiled "Trading Spaces."

A knockoff of a British show, "Spaces" immediately hit a chord, with neighbors from coast to coast rushing to redesign the house next door.

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