"Miss Guided" had me from the start. ABC's new comedy (9:32 p.m., Ch. 4) begins with an exterior shot of an idyllic high school that looks like something right out of "Grease" — and then the camera pulls back to reveal the bunny mascot brawling with another student by the flagpole.

C'mon, that's great stuff.

"This is no way for a mascot to behave," says high school guidance counselor Becky Freeley (Judy Greer). "It's homecoming week. Have some dignity."

This is a very funny show.

Becky is a perky, sweet and often unintentionally hilarious young woman who works at the high school she once attended — a place where she "wasn't exactly what you'd call popular." She's an adult, but she's still desperate to be liked by the kids.

She thinks she's still one of them; the kids have no such misapprehensions.

Becky also wants to fit in with the faculty, who are as much like high-school kids as the high-school kids. Except for Principal Huffy (Earl Billings) who's like the been-there, done-that father who can't be fazed no matter what's happening around him.

Becky has a big crush on Tim (Kristoffer Polaha), the auto-shop teacher-turned-unqualified Spanish teacher. He barely speaks the language — he's got to study for a parent-teacher conference with "actual Mexicans."

Becky isn't the only one with her eye on Tim. So does Lisa Germain (Brooke Burns), the newly hired English teacher who was homecoming queen back when Becky was in high school and has always gotten what she wants.

Becky's back to square one.

But even in the face of adversity, she's always upbeat.

"I love my job," she says.

"Really? Why?" says vice principal Bruce Terry (Chris Parnell).

We don't have to imagine what Becky and some of the other characters are thinking because they turn to the camera and tell us. If it reminds you a bit of "The Office" or "Malcolm in the Middle," that's natural — creator/writer/executive producer Caroline Williams worked on the former; director/executive producer Todd Holland on the latter.

And another of the executive producers, Ashton Kutcher, shows up in the second episode as a hot substitute teacher.

(After tonight's premiere, back-to-back episodes of "Miss Guided" air Thursdays at 7 and 7:30 p.m. through April 17.)

"Miss Guided" is laugh-out-loud funny in spots, but it's not just about the jokes. Becky is a genuinely good person, and her emotions are heartfelt.

And there's enough heart in this show to make it not only funny but likable.

Altogether, "Miss Guided" looks like one of the least misguided half-hour comedies we've seen in quite some time.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com