TVScope: As a recent convert to One Life on BBC 1, I have found myself alternatively entertained and challenged by the wide range of topics it explores.
A recent episode let us peep into the life of a lonely hearts candidate whose 62-year-old mother had better luck than her when she advertised for a partner - and tonight promises the story of one woman's fight for custody of her child. But last week's offering was the most thought provoking to date.
Using a clever mix of documentary and video diary footage the programme, subtitled In Your Face, looked at what it's like to live with a facial birthmark.
Viewed from the prospective of Ros Pryor, it focused on her battle to conceal a port wine stain for the past 20 years. Now working as an air hostess she has successfully disguised the physical problem with camouflage make-up but struggles to hide the deeper psychological scars.
The programme follows her journey to acceptance of her flaw and along the way we are introduced to others who have shared her experience but have managed by choosing not to conceal it.
Recalling her childhood through conversations with her parents and old photographs, it is clear her family dealt with the problem by ignoring it.
By not confronting the issue, Ros grew up feeling that it was something shameful. A shy and vulnerable child, her feelings of being different were reinforced by the negative attitudes of her peers.
But does it always have to be this way? Well, no, the programme showed it doesn't.
To illustrate this view, we met a young boy with an extensive strawberry birthmark on his face. His parents came across as no-nonsense types who accepted his condition and spoke openly about it. Although aware of it, this cheerful child seemed neither concerned nor embarrassed by his disfigurement.
Comparing his birthmark with Ros's he was curious but quickly lost interest, aptly illustrating that young children can be far more sensible than adults, and proving parents' attitudes greatly influence a child's self image for better or worse.
Although camouflage is useful for some, it is not for everyone.
And while it's generally acceptable for women to use make-up, it is not always an option for men.
But, as the only male participant pointed out, coping is about attitudes and not looks when it comes to managing adversity.
The final section starkly proved this point. Natalie, a journalist and mother, initially appeared to be a mirror image of Ros, but the similarities ended at their long blonde hair and almost identical birthmarks.
In stark contrast here was a woman who was confident, self assured and proud of her "flaw".
Unlike Ros she viewed it as neither something to be ashamed of nor something she should hide.
Although initially it seemed Ros coped well with her disfigurement, the introduction of Natalie highlighted this was not in fact the case.
Ros still harboured fears of revealing herself, believing others would judge her by the birthmark and not the person underneath it.
And while Natalie was happy to face the world as she was, for Ros the thought was terrifying.
They faced the challenge by going out together - Natalie without concealment and Ros wearing full make-up - all the while observing other people's reactions.
Not surprisingly, some people did stare - young men in particular - but many more did not. In fact, the majority of people didn't even seem to notice.
The experience was just the push Ros needed to walk down the High Street au naturale.
And although it did leave her feeling vulnerable, the overwhelming emotions were ones of excitement and liberation following her experiment.
This programme challenged our traditional views on what constitutes beauty - compulsory viewing for anyone who has a tendency to judge a book by its cover.