Some recent Gaki episodes have shown that Downtown can still skate close to the line when they want to like Matsumoto’s early morning punishment for losing the Choro-Q challenge, TANAKER and their Contest series. Like others have said earlier, it’s a probably a combination of NTV execs wanting to find a new gem and Downtown/Cocorico/Hosei deciding they don’t wanna take the hits anymore as they enter old age.