Drew was MUCH better in this episode than the one before it. I agree, if he would host like he did Spelling Bee all the time, he would be fine. Still needs work on Showcase Reveals. However, at least today, he seemed to be in a better mood than the previous shows this season.
Do you believe that because of time constraints, Drew can't be as suspenseful in his buildups of prize reveals as we would like? The Showcases under his era have always seemed rushed. Or did Bob get extra time even in the last several seasons to interact with contestants, because as Executive Producer, he had clout?
Drew might possibly be told by CBS/Fremantle to move things along. If so, I wonder if this was Syd's, Mike's, or Fremantle's decision? Kathy certainly being from the Barker era, would not tell Drew to rush the show, unless her superiors are telling her and the staff to make these time constraints for more commercials.
The point is time is needed to build suspense and momentum, and for whatever reason, the powers that be aren't giving Drew enough time to interact. If he had extra time to interact, I think his hosting ratings would be more consistent and positive.
Joe