The fifth-place CW got a welcome boost with the return of “America’s Next Top Model” last night, giving the network its most competitive night in months, since the last cycle of the reality show went off the air in December.

“Model” averaged a 2.5 rating among the CW’s target adults 18-34, according to Nielsen overnights, ranking second in the 8 p.m. timeslot behind Fox’s “American Idol.”

“Model” was actually off 11 percent in the demo from last fall’s premiere, but it didn’t have to face “Idol” then. The show, in its 10th season, averaged a 4.0 among women 18-34 and boosted the CW to third for the night in 18-34s, averaging a 1.8, and second in women 18-34 with a 2.8, for its best nightly tally since December.

In face, an encore of “Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious” at 9 p.m. actually performed markedly better than its premiere episode two nights earlier, with the “Model” boost.

During “Model’s” absence, the CW’s ratings slumped on Wednesday nights with the reality show “Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants” and repeats of “Gossip Girl.” But “Model” is one of the few shows that stands up fairly well against “Idol,” which aired a two-hour episode last night. 

Fox led the night among viewers 18-49 with an 11.1 average overnight rating and a 27 share. NBC was second at 2.4/6, ABC third at 2.0/5, CBS fourth at 1.9/5, Univision fifth at 1.6/4 and CW sixth at 1.4/3.
 
At 8 p.m. Fox was first with a 10.2 for its first hour of “Idol,” while ABC and NBC tied for second at 2.1, ABC for “Wife Swap” and NBC for “Deal or No Deal.” Univision was fourth with a 2.0 for “Al Diablo con los Guapos,” and CW and CBS tied for fifth at 1.9, CW for “America’s Next Top Model” and CBS for “Big Brother.”
 
Fox extended its lead at 9 p.m. as the second half of “Idol” averaged a 12.0, with ABC second with a 2.3 for “Supernanny.” CBS and NBC tied for third at 1.9, CBS for a “Criminal Minds” rerun and NBC for “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” with Univision fifth with a 1.6 for “Pasion” and CW sixth with a 0.8 for a repeat of “Girlicious.”
 
At 10 p.m. NBC took the lead with a 3.1 for “Law & Order,” followed by CBS with a 2.0 for a repeat of “CSI: NY.” ABC was third with a 1.6 for “Cashmere Mafia” and Univision fourth with a 1.4 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”
 
Among households, Fox came in first for the night with a 16.2 average overnight rating and a 25 share. NBC was second at 6.1/10, CBS third at 4.5/7, ABC fourth at 3.7/6, Univision fifth at 2.0/3 and CW sixth at 1.9/3.