Changes but a loss of essence: the new Táo (Vietnamese New Year's Eve comedy show) cast is lackluster.

As in previous years, the Tet Comedy Show airs on the eve of the Lunar New Year, much to the anticipation of viewers. Notably, this year's program features a major change with a completely new cast of "Tao" (Heavenly Officials), with only the Jade Emperor remaining from the original Heavenly Court.

Besides changes in the cast, the 2024 Táo Quân (Kitchen Gods) show also features fresh content. Instead of the Kitchen Gods reporting from the royal court, the Jade Emperor and Nam Tào descend to the mortal world to observe the realities of people's lives.

Through this field trip, the program addressed quite a few issues: combating corruption, the "livestreaming chaos," students in mountainous areas having their food rations reduced, the "frozen" real estate market, and shortcomings related to life in "mini-apartments"...

"Tet Comedy Show 2024" has many new features.

However, because it was too focused on reviewing the most prominent issues of the past year, the satirical aspect of Táo Quân 2024 was not as sharp as in previous years, but rather superficial and merely a list of problems. The program devoted most of its time to highlighting shortcomings related to real estate and apartment sales, making the overall content cumbersome and lacking in focus.

It's clear that the production team has made a great effort to revamp Táo Quân 2024. However, these changes have left many viewers feeling unfamiliar while watching.

Many viewers have not yet adapted to the new format of "Tao Quan 2024".

Information about the new cast members playing the new "Táo" (Kitchen Gods) had sparked curiosity and anticipation among viewers. However, the four "Táo" characters – Literature, Sports, Economy , Transportation, and Society – did not quite live up to audience expectations.

The new cast of "Táo" (Kitchen Gods) appeared at the beginning of the show and met the Jade Emperor again at the end to exchange pleasantries and deliver reports. Gone were the smooth, insightful banter of the previous episodes; the new cast was rather lackluster in the overall program, failing to leave a strong impression on the audience.

With their rather safe and unoriginal performances, the characters of the "Táo" (Kitchen Gods) are unlikely to bring a fresh perspective to the show.

The 2024 Táo Quân (Kitchen Gods) show still retains the parody songs, allowing the actors to showcase their singing talents and remind viewers of the program's "specialty." However, the parody songs in the 2024 Táo Quân show don't focus on satirical content, criticism, or humor, but simply on the witty banter between the characters.

Moreover, many viewers were annoyed by the blatant advertisements embedded in the program's content, such as the scene where the Jade Emperor and Nam Tao nonchalantly read out an advertisement in a segment advising drunkards to go home and eat dinner with their wives and children.

Furthermore, the Jade Emperor and Nam Tao even used the brand's products as props for a scene where they were giving gifts to undernourished children in mountainous regions. These two characters also constantly showed off the apps installed on their phones to promote the brand.

The advertisements in "Tet Comedy Show 2024" were criticized for being blatant and causing the show to "lose its essence".

Constantly encountering advertisements blatantly inserted into the program, many viewers exclaimed: "It's awkward," "It's lost its quality."

However, some viewers still believe that the changes to Táo Quân 2024 are a commendable step. Táo Quân has been airing for over 20 years, and changes to make the program fresher and more appealing are necessary.

An Nguyen

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