Oh wow, I didn't even notice that they both used the same transition! That's a sharp observation -- and a really interesting/clever choice on the vidders' parts. I think you're right that the clear transition is a big part of what makes it work.

And I can see what you mean about the twist in perception not being what you wanted from the vid. I think perhaps it worked better for me because it's been a long time since I watched the show and I'm not that invested in it -- I might have had a very different reaction to a show in which I have a heavier fannish investment. In this case, I enjoyed the meta aspects of the vid, but I can see myself reacting differently to one of the fandoms I'm more emotional about, where I'm heavily invested in the characters as themselves and don't really like to be reminded that they're fictional.