After viewing PBS� new documentary series American High, some parents might be inclined to install a hidden video camera in their kid�s bedroom. Not only are their little darlings saying the darndest things, they�re doing the darndest things, too.

Other parents, however, might really appreciate a show that gives them better insight into their precious offspring.

And this one will.

Executive produced and directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker R. J. Cutler, American High premieres on April 5 (ch. 384 at 8:30 p.m. ET) and airs in 13 back-to-back 27-minute segments. The show, which originated on the Fox network last summer, takes an innovative look into the psyches of American teenagers. It is both refreshingly frank and delightfully witty. And you can bet your kid�s college fund that the teens profiled in this 13-part series won�t ever be mistaken for Marcia, Greg, Peter, Jan, Cindy or Bobby. That�s not to say that these 14 juniors and seniors from Highland Park High in suburban Chicago are all bad eggs—they�re not. It�s just that they have different ways of expressing themselves. Especially on tape.

The key players: * Allie | A child of divorce trying to keep it together in her senior year. * Anna | A beautiful Puerto Rican girl searching for Mr. Right and a good college to attend. * Brad | The first "popular" kid at his school to come out of the closet. * Jackie | An aspiring chef who spends her spare time watching the Food Channel. * Jon | An African American dancer who founded Highland Park's Gay Club. * Kaytee | A precociously gifted singer/songwriter trying to stay true to her craft and not sell out like Britney Spears and that Christina girl. * Kiwi | The star football kicker whose future hinges on a successful season. * Morgan | A rebel with some cause. * Pablo | The Renaissance man with a penchant for wild parties. * Robby | The big jock with the pretty girlfriend on his way to college. * Sarah | Robby�s popular and sensitive girlfriend who has another year of school left. * Scott | A seemingly level-headed kid with an entrepreneurial spirit. * Suzy | A diva wannabe pursuing a career as an opera singer and her first kiss. * Tiffany | An African American trying to find herself in a predominantly white school.

Cutler and the students accumulated more than 2,800 hours of footage—including the video diaries in which the students documented their tears, their joys and some rather disturbing interactions with their parents. Viewing it is akin to watching one of those coming-of-age John Hughes movies minus the pre-planned happy ending where the girl gets the guy.

The selection process wasn�t really academic. Cutler and his crew invited all seniors and juniors and their families to a school assembly. Cutler then met with about 25 students who expressed interest and invited them to participate in an independent study video diary class. The final 14 were selected out of that pool.

"We were very concerned with the group of kids we worked with being a cross-section of the student body," says Cutler.

Highland Park was chosen because the administration was immediately supportive. There are plans, however, to produce American Highs in less idyllic settings. Next up is Fairfax High in Los Angeles.

Although some of the footage from the show is quite revealing, Brad Krefman, now a freshman at New York University, says he has no regrets. "I look back on it positively. It�s fun to look back on it now. I can�t say that I�ve changed. I think I�ve become more myself going to college now, but I look back on that and it�s fun. I�m not embarrassed of anything that they�ve captured me doing last year."

Kaytee Bodle wasn�t quite sure what to expect.

"I think when it first started, I was never really comfortable with the whole TV idea," she says. "But at first, we didn�t know that it was going to be on television or what was going on with it or where it was going to be. We thought it was going to be some weird indie movie."

Morgan Moss initially looked at the experience as a passport to fame.

"Well, when I first saw a camera at my school, my first reaction was I�ll do a back flip if you put me on camera or something," Moss says. "You know, show off. Of course, that kind of went downhill.

"But yeah, there was always the thought of maybe becoming famous. Like as a child a lot of kids dream of always becoming an actor or something big and spectacular, and I grew out of that dream. But once I got in this, I started reattaching and looking into acting because I used to take some acting classes."

For Fox, American High was a nice way to hitch a ride on the reality programming train. When the show was launched last August it was received warmly by critics, but Fox cancelled the show after only four episodes reportedly due to low ratings.

It was on long enough, for some of the show's stars to get their 15 minutes of fame. Krefman says he was once recognized in New York after opening a door for a woman, and Moss had a few unexpected trick-or treaters last Halloween.

Moss and his parents clearly have some un-Brady Bunch like moments on film. When Moss� dad, Alan, expresses his disappointment in his son, Moss retaliates with a few choice words of his own. Screaming, slamming doors and misunderstanding ensues.

Just another day in the life of the Moss clan?

"I think there�s another side to that view...certainly the pathology of our lives is our lives," says Alan Moss. "Getting into the project initially we were doing it because Morgan wanted to be a part of it and as a result we figured we would just be who we are.

"So if it takes some screaming and yelling and some heartache, it�s part of being a parent."

Ah, high school: the best years of our lives.

Miki Turner is the Los Angeles Contributing Editor for Satellite DIRECT.