"I have to say the WWE, Vince and Linda (McMahon), have been incredible partners. They really have been," she said. "I have to say they are excellent show producers. ... They know their characters better than anybody. They understand what their audience is looking for, and who their audience is, better than anything. They have been doing this for a long time, and their business is more than just this show. It is truly a whole culture, a phenomenon."

And The CW's contract with WWE still has "a few years" left to run.

THE CW DID CONSIDER picking up "The O.C." after Fox canceled it, but not for long.

"It came up, but we didn't really think it made sense for us for several reasons," Ostroff said. "And we're very excited about ("O.C." creator/executive producer) Josh (Schwartz)'s new show."

The CW is developing a new show called "Gossip Girl," which Schwartz is producing. (A pilot has been ordered; it may or may not make the schedule.)

IT JUST WOULDN'T BE a TV critics press tour if Ostroff wasn't being asked about the future of "Veronica Mars."

"I feel like I've answered that question every year. And it's still on the air, and I'm still here," said Ostroff, who quickly moved on to talk about how "proud" she is of the show and thank critics "for all your support." (That's never a good sign.)

"Hopefully we'll have good things to talk about," she said.

"Veronica Mars" will, however, go off the air for eight weeks to make room for "The Search for the Next Pussycat Doll" — a midseason reality show — and when it returns, it won't be quite the same show.

The five remaining episodes this season will each be stand-alone — they'll have a beginning, middle and end in a single hour instead of stretching a mystery out over a number of episodes or an entire season.

"I think it's really just a way to experiment and see if we can make the show closed-ended so that people aren't intimidated to come in," Ostroff said.

IS THIS THE FINAL SEASON for "7th Heaven"? Again?

"The one thing I have learned is never say never," Ostroff said, adding that she "would be surprised" if it returns in the fall.

You may recall that The WB hyped the "7th Heaven" series finale in May 2006, only to have The CW rather unexpectedly bring the show back this season.

"We've already seen the series finale of the show. ... And if we know in advance that it's the end of the series, then we will call it the series finale again," Ostroff said.

THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE that "One Tree Hill" will return to The CW next season (sigh), but there are also rumors that it will no longer be a teen drama. Unconfirmed reports have the producers thinking about jumping the show ahead four years in time.

"I have not heard that yet from the producers, although somebody else asked me a question about that. ... But I've heard that from somebody, but the producers have not come in and talked to me about that yet," Ostroff said.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com