SMALL SCREEN THE BUZZ ON TELEVISION.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

QUICK-DRAW McGRAW: Phil McGraw in the guest seat was just what the doctor ordered to cure the ratings malaise of ``The Late Show With David Letterman.'' Letterman frequently has used one-line pearls from McGraw's daytime advice show, packaged as ``Dr. Phil's Words of Wisdom.'' McGraw's first live appearance on the CBS show Monday night pulled in a 6.3 rating, the best result since the 6.7 it earned on Sept. 17, 2001, Letterman's widely praised return to his weeknight routine after the terrorist attacks. It also topped NBC's ``The Tonight Show With Jay Leno'' for the first time since Feb. 21, 2000, which marked Letterman's return following heart surgery. Here's hoping Dave learns from the experience that finding an appealing guest is so much easier than going through another emergency bypass stunt. On Tuesday night, Leno struck back with an interview with Barbara Walters, who talked up her recent jail-house interview for ``20/20'' with actor and accused wife-killer Robert Blake, which will air Feb. 28 on ABC.

WALL-TO-WALL MICHAEL: Had your fill yet of erstwhile king of pop Michael Jackson? Fox is betting you haven't, and Jackson, in image-control mode, is praying you haven't. Tonight is the special that is Jackson's reply to the ABC-aired interview with Martin Bashir, which the singer complained was an unfair portrayal. While Bashir's crew taped over eight months' time, Jackson had his own crew shooting and now presents images and statements he feels should not have been edited out of the Bashir program. If nothing else, the program could set a precedent in broadcast television. It may be the first time a network has paid, rather than charged, millions of dollars to run a two-hour commercial.

MICHAEL JACKSON TAKE 2: THE INTERVIEW THEY WOULDN'T SHOW YOU, 8 tonight, Fox, Channel 11.

REALITY OUT OF BOUNDS: According to a news report, a woman who thought she was on her way to a glitzy Hollywood party and later discovered she was actually the victim of a prank for the Sci-Fi Channel's new reality series, ``Scare Tactics'' is suing producers and the cable channel for severe emotional damage and injuries. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles, the report says. In it, Kara Blanc - described as a performing arts teacher, crisis counselor and budding actress - claims two of her friends told her they were taking her to a Hollywood industry party at a desert resort when the trio's car died en route in a desolate area. Her friends then pretended they were injured by an ``alien,'' which turned out to be guy in a monster suit. The suit alleges that her friends told her to run into the desert to escape and she believed them. ``Scare Tactics,'' a ``Candid Camera''-type show with a twist, hosted by Shannen Doherty, is scheduled to premiere on April 4.

WE'RE ALL INVITED: ``Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' star Melissa Joan Hart told Craig Kilborn on his ``Late Late Show'' that she plans to have an ABC camera crew follow her around for the next few months as she preps for her summer wedding to rocker Mark Wilkerson. The footage will then be edited into an unscripted special or series for broadcast on ABC, Hart said. ``ABC I think is going to do a TV show based on (the wedding),'' Hart said. ``I actually asked for it because I thought it would be cool to have professionals really shooting the bachelorette party and the bachelor party and the engagement party and the bridal shower and going with me to try on my dress. And I'll have it all on video. I'm going to produce it, so I'll have total control.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Barbara Walters talked with Jay Leno about her Robert Blake jail-house interview during an appearance on ``The Tonight Show'' that will air Feb. 28.

(2) no caption (Michael Jackson)