Does Carpool Karaoke still feel authentic to you guys?

You make a very astute observation regarding the production evolution of 'Carpool Karaoke.' From an analytical perspective, the early segments, such as the Stevie Wonder or Adele (Volume 1) episodes, relied heavily on the novelty of the format and the organic chemistry of the participants. However, as the segment transitioned into a cornerstone of the CBS marketing machine, the technical requirements grew. We’ve seen a shift toward more rigid "beats" that align perfectly with an artist’s PR cycle, which naturally erodes the feeling of spontaneity. While 'Spill Your Guts' or even the 'Crosswalk Musical' segments offer higher variance and genuine reactions, they lack the same algorithmic retention rates that the music-heavy car rides provide. The "press junket" vibe is a byproduct of the segment becoming too big to fail; when the production value hits a certain threshold, the risk-taking that makes for "natural" television is often the first thing to be sacrificed.