I know it's a throwback to 2001 but just to confirm it's no longer 2001! Even Channel 10 have stopped using video tapes now!
Appreciate the inclusion of the 10 second countdown between episodes - guessing that wasn't seen on air at the time
I work in TV. The countdowns used to be used for cueing the tape for broadcast or transfer. Even the switch to digital, countdowns are typically still included in the pre-rolls.