With the shuffle of network premieres following last week’s national tragedy, only one show debuts tonight, but it’s a strong entry. That’s no shock, since “Undeclared,” at 8:30 on Fox, is the latest creation of writer/producer Judd Apatow (“The Ben Stiller Show,” “The Larry Sanders Show”).

Apatow’s last period piece, “Freaks and Geeks,” didn’t get the nurturing it deserved from NBC. “Undeclared” hopefully will fare better.

“Undeclared” follows freshman Steven Karp (Jay Baruchel) as he says goodbye to his dad (Loudon Wainwright) and heads off to the University of Northeastern California. The former runt has grown 7 inches over the summer, and he’s hoping that will translate into a more successful social life as he starts over at college.

The undeclared student soon meets his three roommates: a smooth Brit theater major (Charlie Hunnam), a Beck-wannabe music major (Timm Sharp) and a sharp-tongued business major (Seth Rogan, “Freaks and Geeks”).

Since most freshmen boys are at college to meet girls, they organize a party, where Steven meets Lizzie (Carla Gallo), whom he soon describes as “my future girlfriend.” Lizzie, who has a loser boyfriend back home, rooms with Rachel (Monica Keena), an attractive blonde prone to panic attacks.

“Undeclared” will follow this group as they face the freedoms and responsibilities of being on their own for the first time. It does a masterful job of capturing the confusion and the giddiness that comes with that transition in life. It instantly becomes the best comedy in its time slot, and deserves to overwhelm the uneven Joan Cusack series “What About Joan” and the barren “Three Sisters.”