“America’s Next Top Model” was UPN’s top show in adults 18-34, and it looks like it will be the CW’s as well. In fact, last night “Model” was the top show in that demo on any network from 8 to 10 p.m., giving the CW a very strong launch.

“Model” averaged a 3.3 in adults 18-34, according to Nielsen overnights, putting the CW No. 1 in that demo in its two-hour debut starting at 8 p.m. “Model” drew its best-ever premiere numbers in 18-34s, as well as 18-49s, where it averaged a 2.6 and even bettered Fox’s average.

The seventh season of the Tyra Banks-hosted reality series averaged 5.32 million total viewers, also a record mark, and recorded growth in every half hour.

Last night marked the official launch of the CW, arising out of the merger between the WB and UPN. The network had a summer-long advertising blitz to let viewers know about the switchover, and judging by the first night’s numbers, it seemed to work.

The news was not as good for some other launches. NBC’s well-reviewed drama “Kidnapped” debuted with a 2.8 in adults 18-49, placing a rather distant fourth in its 10 p.m. timeslot behind CBS’s “CSI: NY” premiere and a rerun of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy.”

More alarming, the show dipped slightly from its first to its second half hour, going from a 2.9 to a 2.7. And it was down 30 percent from “Law & Order’s” 4.0 in the same timeslot last year. When ABC’s “The Nine” moves into the timeslot in two weeks, “Kidnapped” could really be in trouble.

CBS saw better results with “Jericho,” the Skeet Ulrich apocalypse drama that many buyers tabbed as a dud. The show averaged a 3.2 in its 8 p.m. timeslot, second behind ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” and drew 11.4 million total viewers, growing 8 percent from its first half hour to its second.

On the strength of “Criminal Minds,” which excelled without usual timeslot foe “Lost” on the schedule, CBS won the night among adults 18-49, its first nightly victory of the young season. NBC (Monday), Fox and ABC (tie for Tuesday) and CBS have all won one night apiece.

CBS averaged a 4.2 rating and 12 share last night, followed by ABC at 3.7/10, NBC at 3.0/8, the CW at 2.6/7, Fox at 2.2/6 and Univision at 1.8/5.

ABC led at 8 p.m. with “Stars’” 3.7, followed by CBS’s “Jericho” at 3.2, NBC’s “Biggest Loser” premiere at 2.7, Fox’s “Bones” at 2.5, CW’s “Model” at 2.4 and Univision’s “La Fea Mas Bella” at 2.1.

At 9 p.m., CBS’s “Minds” led with a 4.5, followed by ABC’s 3.5 for a “Grey’s” repeat, NBC’s 3.5 for “Loser’s” second hour, CW’s 2.8 for the conclusion of “Model,” Univision’s 2.0 for “Barrera de Amor” and Fox’s series-low 1.9 for new drama “Justice.”

At 10 p.m., “CSI: NY” led with a 4.9, followed by another “Grey’s” repeat on ABC at 4.0, NBC’s “Kidnapped” at 2.8 and Univision’s “Don Francisco Presenta” at 1.5.

Among households, CBS was first at 9.4/15, followed by ABC at 8.3/13, NBC at 4.8/8, Fox at 4.2/7 and the CW at 3.4/5.