The season premiere of “King of Queens” dominated a weak timeslot last night, up slightly from last season’s average and performing slightly better than former timeslot occupant “Jericho.”

Back-to-back original episodes of the show averaged a 3.2 and 3.6 rating at 8 p.m. last night, according to Nielsen overnights. The combined average of 3.4 just bettered the show’s season average last year, 3.3, and it put CBS 0.4 ahead of impressive runner-up CW in the hour.

It was also a 6 percent improvement over what first-year drama “Jericho” averaged in the timeslot this season. “Jericho” will return with new episodes next year, and “Queens” will fill in with double doses in the meantime.

This is rumored to be the last season for the sitcom, a late surprise pickup last May. Leads Kevin James and Leah Remini have risen to among the highest-paid sitcom actors on television, but the show’s ratings aren’t really strong even to continue justifying that price.

The show ranks as CBS’s No. 3 comedy, behind “The New Adventures of Old Christine” and No. 1 “Two and a Half Men.”

Also last night, the CW had another big Wednesday. The season finale of “America’s Next Top Model” dominated among adults 18-34 at 8 p.m., averaging a 4.0, 1.3 ahead of No. 2 CBS. That boosted “One Tree Hill to a 2.6 at 9 p.m., tied for second in the timeslot.

CBS was first for the night among 18-49s with a 3.7 average rating and a 10 share. NBC was second at 3.2/9, CW third at 2.4/7, ABC fourth at 2.1/6, Fox fifth at 2.0/6 and Univision sixth at 1.7/5.
 
At 8 p.m. CBS led with a 3.4 average for back-to-back episodes of “The King of Queens.” CW was second with a 3.0 for the season finale of “America’s Next Top Model,” NBC third with a 2.6 for “The Biggest Loser” and Univision fourth with a 2.2 for “La Fea Mas Bella.” Fox was fifth with a 2.1 for a repeat of “Bones” and ABC sixth with a 1.9 for “Show Me the Money.”
 
NBC took the lead for the 9 p.m. hour, averaging a season-high 4.0 rating for its second hour of “The Biggest Loser.” CBS fell to a close second with a 3.9 for a repeat of “Criminal Minds,” with Fox third with a 2.0 for a repeat of “Bones” and CW fourth with a 1.9 for “Hill.” ABC moved to fifth with a series-low 1.7 for “Daybreak” and Univision was sixth with a 1.5 for “Mundo de Fieras.”
 
CBS wrestled the lead back at 10 p.m. with a 3.8 for a repeat of “CSI: NY.” NBC was second with a 3.1 for “Medium,” ABC third with a 2.7 for “Primetime” and Univision fourth with a 1.4 for “Don Francisco Presenta.”
 
Among households, CBS finished first as well, averaging an 8.0 rating and a 13 share. NBC was second at 5.5/9, ABC and Fox tied for third at 4.3/7, the CW fifth at 3.5/6 and Univision sixth at 2.2/4.