The Secret Life of the American Teenager premieres tonight at 8/7c on ABC Family and, after my early look at this past weekend, I’m happy to say I think it’s worth checking out.

From 7th Heaven creator Brenda Hampton, The Secret Life of the American Teenager focuses on the relationships between families and friends and how they deal with an unexpected teen pregnancy. After returning home from summer band camp, Amy’s world is changed forever when she realizes that she’s pregnant. In the first episode, we meet Amy (played by Shailene Woodley, best known to me as young Kaitlin Cooper on The O.C.) and her friends and family as well the boy who has no idea he left her pregnant and a boy who is falling for her. As the events unfold we can quickly see that Amy’s pregnancy and her decisions about it are sure to effect more than just her.

In a way, this show has a realness about it that first drew me into 7th Heaven. There was a time when 7th Heaven did a great job capturing what it was like to be a part of a huge family and the struggles that everyone in the family went through as everyone grew up. I think Brenda Hampton has brought that this show as well. So far the show has done a great job in setting up the various types of families you encounter these days from the typical functioning family of four to your more dysfunctional family of four to a single parent home and even a teen in a foster home. In the group of teenagers we have some who have a strong religious influence at home to those who don’t seem to have any strong influence at home. Plus, I think it’s important to note that while each of the teenagers seem to fit into a stereotype, once we get a bit closer, we see that there’s definitely more going on with each of them.

Honestly, there were moments during the episode when I wondered if it was getting a little too, well, ABC Family for me. I watch several ABC Family shows but this is the first one that’s ever felt young. That really isn’t a bad thing as I’m not exactly the target demo here and, as this is probably as far away from my high school years as I’ve ever been while watching a high school-based show, I think it’s normal for me to feel somewhat distant from the main characters. Plus, I’m sure it doesn’t help that the high schoolers here are, for the most part, played by appropriately aged actors and the mom is played by Molly Ringwald. Molly Ringwald, people! She was the teenager in the high school movies of my time! Can you blame me for feeling a little old while watching the high school scenes?

Still, there are other aspects of the show that hit very close to home for me and things that happened in my family. I’m interested in the story itself and how Amy, a girl who gave in to temptation once, is going to cope with the consequences of her actions. How long will she be able to keep the secret to herself? How will those around her react when they find out? And, how will this change her high school experience?

This definitely isn’t your typical teenage drama and, despite what I said a few paragraphs ago, it isn’t what you’d expect to find on ABC Family. It is, however, an honest look at the life of teenagers in this day and age. I’m not lying when I say I can relate to this show. I’ve had some of these events unfold in my life and those of people very close to me. If nothing else, it’s bound to you and your family talking and I think that’s a very good thing. So, give it a try. And, if you need a little more encouragement, here’s a first look at the show:

The Secret Life of the American Teenager, tonight at 8/7c on ABC FAMILY.