That's the pattern, but I think the pattern could be improved at no detriment to anyone with the suggestion

I get that people don't want undersized+unsynced to undermine their achievements with teams of 5 geared SMNs selling carries through the latest content (or whatever) but the topic specifically asks for 'undersized' not 'unsynced' so that's not the issue here. And if current content can easily be completed by fewer members even when synced, perhaps the difficulty should be tuned up very slightly. I was personally a bit underwhelmed when my group of ultra-casuals 3-manned Antitower on release with mediocre gear after someone dropped out at the start.

Heck, if nothing else I'd appreciate being able to go in and watch the cutscenes before fights without knowing I'm holding up 7 other members anxious to start their pull by doing so. I know I can go back and watch them again later but it sort of ruins the flow of the game.