PASADENA, Calif. -- What Desperate Housewives slump?

That's Eva Longoria's response to reporters who say the hit ABC series has had too many desperate storylines in its second season.

Longoria was the only one of the Desperate Housewives to attend last week's ABC press tour party (although male co-stars Doug Savant and Ricardo Chavia were there.)

The others were probably afraid to stand next to her. Dressed in a skin-tight gold dress, the 30-year-old Texan is a stunner.

"I really liked the first couple of episodes," said Longoria, who pointed out that a lot of fans apparently did, too.

"Our ratings were higher than ever this season, way higher than last year."

She did admit there might have been one or two storylines she didn't like as much this fall, but blamed that on the enormous amount of plot that the show goes through every week.

"On most shows, you have to wait years to find out who murdered Mary Alice, or those kind of mysteries," she said.

She added that creator and executive producer Marc Cherry "is really great at getting the story done and tying up loose ends," but that creating a whole host of new problems in the wake of last season's dramatic finale "was a little bit difficult."

ABC entertainment president Stephen McPherson felt the producers "got away from the heart and soul of the show" at the beginning of this season when Cherry was "figuring out where to go next.

"It's sophomore growth," he said. "I don't look at it as a slump, because clearly America still loves the show."

He feels Housewives has been back on track since returning in January and so does Longoria, who got into a juicy catfight with scheming Sister Mary Bernard (Melinda Page Hamilton) on last week's show. "I loved that storyline, I thought it was really fun," she says. "I got a lot of feedback from fans, 'Kick her ass!' I finally got to."

As for tabloid rumours that Longoria is dating half of Hollywood, the recently-divorced actress insists she's sticking with her man, San Antonio Spurs forward Tony Parker.

She takes no credit for fixing his jump shot, however.

"I'd love to take credit," she said. "He's worked really hard with the shot doctor."

SORRY ABOUT THAT, CHIEF: After a strong start Stateside, ratings for ABC's Commander In Chief have cooled, especially among younger viewers.

That has ABC's McPherson a little concerned. "Obviously we're disappointed in Commander ticking down the last few weeks," he told reporters.

The cast and producers took TV critics on a set visit over the weekend where they addressed the downturn. Original show creator Rod Lurie was replaced after just a few episodes with veteran showrunner Steven Bochco (NYPD Blue) brought in.

Bochco said the show had become so far behind schedule that scripts were written "more quickly than I think anybody would be comfortable with, but, under the circumstances, you do what you have to do."

Geena Davis, who plays Commander's first female president, loves the new scripts and played down the show's bumpy start.

"I don't think any of us had any nervous breakdowns over it or anything."

As for her Canadian co-star Donald Sutherland, he didn't see any problem with the show's reach.

"I've spent 50 years with people coming up to me on the street, and they're coming up in droves this last three months. It's incredible. It's really wonderful."