Although "Class of '96" may at first glance seem like another tired "Beverly Hills 90210" clone, series creator and co-executive producer John Romano has ensured the only thing the two shows have in common is their home on the Fox network.

"Our show is not one of those shows where you tune in one week and it's Brandon's story, and then you tune in the next week and it's someone else's story and so on," Romano said. His show will debut tonight as part of Fox's new Tuesday night lineup. "We were interested in not necessarily defining a new genre, but finding a new approach to an established one."

"Class of '96" follows the life trials and tribulations of David Morrissey (Jason Gedrick), an ambitious, middle-class kid from New Jersey attending fictional Havenhurst College. Romano said one of the most labored-over decisions centered on choosing the right college environment.

"The show has about six or seven writers, and all of us wanted Havenhurst to be a different type of college," Romano said. "We decided to make it a small, private school so we could make their personal lives more personal. We didn't want to lose that closeness in a big school setting."

At first glance, the series seems to have its requisite characters -- the rich girl, the socialite and the middle-class hero. Romano admits to using the stereotypes to get things started, but the trick comes in what you do with them.

"I'm not afraid to use stereotyped characters," Romano said. "Let the audience think what they're seeing is the usual and then surprise them. Keep showing sides of a character that they think they know. It's easier to construct a character by beginning with a stereotype and then throwing a curve."

"Class of '96," along with a comedy titled "Key West," make up Fox's new Tuesday night lineup, which stretches the network's programming to all seven nights. Jeff Cusson, press assistant for Fox Broadcasting, said the network is confident in "Class of '96."

Fox has ordered three more episodes beyond the original 13 ordered, Cusson said, pointing out that most shows do not receive additional orders until they have aired.

"I'm not in the position to predict the show's future, but we at Fox do have high hopes," he said.

The show has at times a "Wonder Years" type voiceover, which Romano said reflects Morrissey's abilities and not necessarily his views.

"I used to teach English at Colgate and Yale, and I loved the 19th-century novel, which began with the word 'I,' " Romano said. "The voiceover has more to do with it being David's story and his desire to be a writer, not just a character point to describe the show's morals."

Romano himself attended Colgate for his undergraduate work, following that up with a doctorate from Yale. While teaching at Columbia in the early '80s, Romano began working as a "screenwriter for hire," eventually landing a job on "Hill Street Blues," where he received an Emmy nomination for his writing. He also worked as a producer for "Cop Rock" before being approached to write a pilot that followed a young man's life from high school to middle age. The pilot eventually developed into "Class of '96."

Romano admits Morrissey's life in many ways is modeled after his own.

"Like the character of Morrissey, I was the first of my family to go to college, and it was a whole new world," Romano said. "You get in your dad's beat up car and off you go. That moment is like being recreated, for life is never the same again."