KC - same as you - the re-organized intro, etc. at first seemed "less than usual" in the delivery BUT I knew the need for keeping to the stopwatch...and, like TH1, I think the late hour had my mind dragging some...and, last time [I think] he also mentioned/plugged a further-off date for them and I wondered why that one and not another, closer show.
thanks for the summary of the increased "hits!"  And, for everything you do for us fans.