THE DAILY NEWS WATCH-O-RAMA HIGHLIGHTS AND LOWLIGHTS OF THE COMING TV WEEK.

Byline: David Kronke

``Arrested Development'' marathon

(FX; 2 to 5 p.m. today)

Think: The acclaimed Fox-TV sitcom about a corrupt and self-absorbed family regrouping after running afoul of the law allows neophytes to get up to speed on the show's inspired plotlines with six of its funniest episodes on the FX cable network.

Don't think: At least it's not a ``Forever Eden'' marathon.

In a nutshell: It may currently be network TV's funniest sitcom, and creator Mitchell Hurwitz spreads the wealth: Everyone on it - Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Will Arnett, Tony Hale, Jessica Walter, Portia De Rossi and David Cross - gets some hilarious moments. It deserves a bigger audience.

``The Last King''

(A&E; 8 tonight)

Think: Bioflick explicating how King Charles II (Rufus Sewell) was the last British royal to be granted anything resembling power. (Hint: A lot - though not all - of his bad behavior had something to do with the ladies). Rupert Graves and Diana Rigg co-star.

Don't think: Hey, if you were king, you'd behave this way, too. Admit it.

In a nutshell: Part soap opera, part political intrigue, all a bit poky.

``Inside the Actors Studio''

(Bravo; 8 tonight)

Think: Host James Lipton achieves levels of sycophancy that may never be duplicated when he interviews Barbra Streisand.

Don't think: What Mel Gibson did to Jesus is pretty much the exact opposite of what Lipton does here to Streisand, but the results are equally wrenching.

In a nutshell: Lipton on landing Babs: ``I pleaded, I supplicate, I cajoled, I begged, I threatened. That's how it happened.'' Then: ``Tonight our goal is ... to trace for our students the path that has led step by precarious and precious step to this moment, to this person, this artist, in that chair.'' Then: ``Are you good at math?'' If you can stomach this much, then you'll probably do OK with the whole two-hour worshipfest.

``Video Game Invasion: The Story of a Global Obsession''

(GSN; 9 tonight; also 6 p.m. Monday and Friday, and 4 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday)

Think: Tony Hawk hosts a documentary about the evolution of the multibillion-dollar industry, from ``Pong'' to ``The Sims.''

Don't think: Nothing makes you feel older (or stupider) than explaining to your kids that when you were young, you spent hours batting a fuzzy white blip back and forth across your TV screen.

In a nutshell: For current gamers, it's compelling history, for those who abandoned gaming around the time of ``Frogger,'' it's both entertaining nostalgia and a good chance to catch up with what you've missed since.

``Everybody Loves Raymond''

(CBS Channel 2; 9 p.m. Monday)

Think: The origin of Robert's (Brad Garrett) obsessive-compulsive habit of touching food to his chin before eating it is revealed.

Don't think: Time to start thinking of names for the spinoff series: ``Everybody Tolerates Robert''? ``Everybody Resents Marie''? ``Everybody's Slightly Creeped Out by Frank''?

in a nutshell: The show's brain trust - creator Phil Rosenthal and star Ray Romano - fret that their show is losing its edge, and at times it seems that way; yet there are still more solid laughs in tonight's episode than most network sitcoms today could reliably muster.

``Race From the White House 2004''

(Comedy Central; Monday at 10 p.m.)

Think: Highlights from ``The Daily Show With Jon Stewart's'' coverage of the Democratic presidential primaries.

Don't think: In other words, a rerun put through a Cuisinart.

In a nutshell: These aren't even the best bits the show produced on the subject in the past months, but laughs are still in ample supply.

``T-Shirt Travels''

(KCET; 10 p.m. Tuesday)

Think: ``Independent Lens'' documentary on how your discarded rock- concert T-shirt affects African culture, where it's called ``dead white- man's clothes.''

Don't think: So apparently, when you donate your clothing to the less fortunate, you're actually hurting Africans because you're taking away jobs from African clothes makers. Shame on you!

In a nutshell: Interesting idea; very earnest approach.

``A Boy's Life''

(HBO; 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, also March 28 and 30; 9:30 p.m. Thursday on HBO2)

Think: Documentary about a troubled, violent young boy in the rural South with a miserable family life.

Don't think: The boy mistakes the filmmaker's camera for a chicken, that's probably the most rational he manages to get. And when his mother describes taking so many drugs she didn't know what her name was, you're sort of surprised that she actually does now.

In a nutshell: Depressing portrait of a doomed family.

``Kathy Griffin: The D-List''

(Bravo; Wednesday at 9 p.m.)

Think: The manic comic and reality-TV junkie bites the hands that feed her, dissing celebrities such as Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, Little Richard, Sharon Stone and Anna Nicole Smith.

Don't think: When she did this sort of thing in local clubs, her material verged on the actionable. Can Bravo afford the lawsuits?

In a nutshell: Griffin is like one of us - an interloper who can't believe she sneaked into Celebrityland and is dumbstruck by the self-absorbed buffoonery surrounding her. Her bit about hosting an AMFAR charity event is classic.

``Star Wars: Clone Wars''

(Cartoon Network; 8 p.m. Friday, thereafter 8 p.m. March 29-April 8, with marathons April 9 and 10)

Think: A new cycle of the micro-series of animated shorts, introducing (on April 8) a character, Gen. Grievous, that will be seen in the next ``Star Wars'' film.

Don't think: Given how George Lucas' last two ``Star Wars'' films have gone, don't be surprised if the new character has more personality in one three-minute cartoon than in Lucas' entire next movie.

in a nutshell: Genndy Tartakovsky (creator of ``Samurai Jack'') has made some short but sweet, very coolly inventive and epic-on-a-small-scale films that are must-sees for the remaining ``Star Wars'' cult members and keen diversions for backsliders and everyone else.

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(1 -- color) ``STAR WARS: CLONE WARS''

(2 -- color) ``KATHY GRIFFIN: THE D-LIST''