Comedy TV shows are outdated
There was a time when comedy shows dominated television, and many viewers even felt that "just turning on the TV, you'd see a comedy game show." This reflects a period when audiences were very fond of this genre, even prioritizing it over reality shows, music programs...
However, from 2022 to 2024, comedy gameshows have become sparse. Popular shows of the past like: Làng hài mở hội, Tiếu lâm tứ trụ, Thách thức danh hài, Đấu trường tiếu lâm... are no longer produced by their creators for subsequent seasons.
In 2024, viewers only saw one rare comedy game show still standing on television, which is “Cười xuyên Việt 2024”. The show recently concluded with the victory belonging to the team of Miss Phan Thị Mơ.
It can be said that comedy competition gameshows have produced quite a few stars at present. Notable names include Minh Dự, Võ Tấn Phát, Mạc Văn Khoa... who all grew from competing in shows like Thách thức danh hài, Cười xuyên Việt...
It is evident that the elimination of comedy gameshows is very harsh nowadays as such shows are no longer favored by audiences. Even efforts by producers to change formats and rules are not enough to retain viewers. For example, “Cười xuyên Việt” tried to innovate especially in the 2024 season. Instead of focusing on acting, the show added some episodes with physical comedy games, extended team selection to increase interaction...
But this inadvertently became a "double-edged sword" as it did not help increase the show's appeal; on the contrary, “Cười xuyên Việt 2024” was criticized for losing its essence, being confusing, and having unreasonable plot cuts. Compared to many years ago, the quality of contestants has significantly decreased, and finding good ideas and scripts is like "sifting through sand for gold".
What are the reasons for the "death" of comedy gameshows?
It cannot be denied that gameshows were once an indispensable spiritual food for audiences. Many programs aired during prime time, making it convenient for viewers to watch with family members.
However, at one point, the dominance of comedy gameshows led to oversaturation, with some shows being criticized for being over-the-top and sensationalist, causing viewers to boycott them. Gradually, these programs lost their appeal to the public. Additionally, the production of many seasons led to outdated comedy bits and program formats that failed to impress viewers.
Currently, audiences have many entertainment options. A segment of young viewers is tending to favor music competition gameshows more. For example, Ca sĩ mặt nạ, Chị đẹp đạp gió rẽ sóng... all have strong reach. The two newest shows, Anh trai say hi and Anh trai vượt ngàn chông gai, are also receiving significant attention. Among them, Anh trai say hi has aired its first episode with many viewership achievements.
Many comedy videos on platforms are also competitors to comedy gameshows. The strength of these videos lies in the fact that they are performed by amateur actors, who are good at catching trends and easily create viral effects. The short videos do not take much of the viewer's time, so they are strongly supported.
However, many of these comedy videos contain crude language, offensive or overly vulgar situations. Many videos achieve millions to tens of millions of views, thousands of shares due to social networks like Tiktok, Facebook being difficult to control content like television. This also creates controversies with viewers.
Ultimately, it can be seen that the core issue still lies in the content. If a product or program is of high quality, viewers will support it, as comedy is considered an indispensable form of entertainment for Vietnamese audiences.
