TV REVIEW : ABC’S ‘CLASS’ NEEDS TO DO HOMEWORK

Get ready for the battle of the zits at 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

The time period matches two new high school comedies, CBS’ “Better Days,” which premieres Oct. 1, and ABC’s “Head of the Class” which arrives tonight on Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42.

In TV, though, what you are is often less important than where you are. Sandwiched between ABC’s returning hit “Perfect Strangers” and still-popular “Dynasty,” “Head of the Class” has a good shot at being one of the few new fall series likely to survive.

Its other advantages are Howard Hesseman (“WKRP in Cincinnati”) and a strong comedy premise. Strong premise, mediocre execution on tonight’s premiere.

Hesseman plays Charlie Moore, a bright, amiable substitute teacher assigned to oversee a gifted high school class preparing for something called the Academic Olympics.

Encouraged by the principal (William G. Schilling), Charlie’s brilliant students reject his attempts to give them traditional instruction, being more accustomed to working independently while their substitutes read magazines.

It’s an eclectic class with potentially amusing, eccentric characters who mostly shun--and feel shunned by--the mainstream. And Charlie has promise as an amusing father figure with a possible future romantic interest in the assistant principal (Jeanetta Arnette).

Does Hesseman stay on permanently and try to give these students a more rounded education? Yes. Do they continue to rebel? Yes. Is any of this funny? Very little, based on a half-hour sample. Maybe next time. For now, though, class dismissed.