Teachers juggle more than enough problems that could inspire a top-flight, topical comedy. Remember how the absurdities of local TV news jazzed up The Mary Tyler Moore Show and how the absurdities of war lifted M*A*S*H?

It goes predictable routes in depicting an average to below-average New Jersey high school. The educators' sex lives command more time than education. The result is just another below-average sex farce, with jokes about cleavage, sexual identity and missed opportunities. The mere mention of a penal colony prompts one gag.

But darned if you won't learn about the state of television comedy from this series. The main actors, led by Justin Bartha of Failure to Launch, are attractive and appealing. Veteran director James Burrows of Cheers and Will & Grace guides the opener with a sure hand.

The main assets are the three leads. Mr. Bartha plays Jeff, an English teacher who masks his love of teaching with wisecracks. Jeff is smitten with Alice (Sarah Alexander of Coupling), a teacher from Britain, but she dislikes his irreverence. History teacher Tina (Sarah Shahi of The L Word) responds more quickly to Jeff's jokey jabs.

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