Primetime dramas are struggling to find a breakthrough.

A series of family-themed television dramas have aired but have failed to make an impression on viewers; the shows continue to flop despite featuring famous actors.

A scene depicting a jealous confrontation in "Let's Love Each Other Peacefully". Photo: Screenshot from the film.

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All three currently airing television series, "Cheer Up, Guys!", "Venus Shoots Mars in the Heart", and "Roads Near and Far", share a common theme: telling the story of the lives and coming-of-age of a group of close friends.

Among them, there's a group of three close friends who started a business to make ends meet, a group of young people from the countryside who came to the city to study and build their careers, and another group of friends who have been close since childhood until they got married.

However, all three films have failed to create a widespread impact, with the clips only garnering a few thousand views.

Viewers feel overwhelmed by the variety of friendship groups in these films, as they all focus on everyday life, lacking creativity and following clichéd storylines.

Many people say that "Venus Shoots Mars in the Heart" is like a more flop and down-to-earth version of "Our Family Has a Sudden Happy Moment."

Meanwhile, "The Roads Near and Far" sparked controversy due to the 18-year age difference between Viet Anh and Cu Thi Tra, while the recurring motif of a young girl falling into a love trap with an experienced, worldly man.

A film that draws on everyday life can be easily accessible and relatable to viewers. However, without breakthroughs in plot and storytelling, the film becomes predictable and unappealing.

Not to mention a series of films that aired but failed to generate discussion on forums, such as "In-laws in a Narrow Alley," "Where Dreams Come True," etc., despite featuring many veteran and experienced actors.

In "In-laws in a Narrow Alley," some details are awkwardly inserted, such as the daughter-in-law hiding away for years without being accepted by the mother-in-law, and the couple in their 60s clashing due to jealousy...

Currently airing during prime time, a standout in terms of script is "Walking Amidst the Brilliant Sky," which tells the story of an 18-year-old Red Dao girl facing a life-changing decision: either leave her hometown to study medicine, or marry the wealthiest young man in her village to pay off her family's debts.

The film was praised for its majestic and beautiful scenery, filmed in Cao Bang , and for recreating some customs and lifestyles of the mountain people. However, the performance of the lead actress, Thu Ha Ceri, was controversial and unconvincing.

Tien Loc and Bich Ngoc in the film "Venus Shoots Mars in the Heart". Photo: Producer.

Constantly dealing with jealousy and infidelity.

In recent years, scenes of revenge and confrontation with the "other woman" have repeatedly appeared in many television dramas with family themes.

Two notable Vietnamese films in 2024, "Let's Love Each Other Peacefully" and "Heart Rescue Station," both feature numerous scenes of jealousy and conflict.

Some even say that in Hong Diem's films, the scenes of jealousy and revenge span across generations. From the very first episodes, My Dinh (Thuy Diem) has a scene of jealousy and revenge, then Ha (Hong Diem) constantly engages in a battle of wits with the "other woman," and even the young Mrs. Ha Lan vents her anger on her husband's mistress.

Meanwhile, "Let's Love Each Other Peacefully" garnered millions of views thanks to the scene where Ly (Chau Duong) takes on the role of her best friend Han (Viet Hoa) in dealing with the third party.

The scene with Ly garnered attention thanks to a series of outrageous lines: "Don't be so ill-mannered. Don't be so shameless as to think you're a saint. From head to toe, you just reek of cheap women. You have no right to lecture others."

The film "Meeting You on a Sunny Day" also caused a stir with a scene where Phuong (Anh Dao) threatens Huy's (Dinh Tu) ex-girlfriend.

Scenes such as the wife confronting the mistress, a mother helping her daughter fight off a love rival, or a best friend berating the female protagonist's love rival often attract a large audience, with their intense dialogue.

However, the excessive exploitation and overuse of love triangle "dramas" on screen makes viewers feel bored and frustrated.

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