 In the sixth season, the show became the highest rated and viewed scripted show in the 18–49 demographic, trailing only the live regular "NBC Sunday Night Football" coverage, and was third in total viewers, trailing "NCIS" and "Sunday Night Football".Season seven of the series opened strong, continuing the success gained in season six, with the second episode of the premiere, "The Deception Verification", setting the new series high in viewers with 20.44 million.Showrunner Steve Molaro, who took over from Bill Prady with the sixth season, credits some of the show's success to the sitcom's exposure in off-network syndication, particularly on TBS, while Michael Schneider of "TV Guide" attributes it to the timeslot move two seasons earlier.