Was it just me, or were they disappointing?
At first glimpse of the arena, set to look like a historic English countryside, I was excited and had high hopes that this storytelling opening would be memorable. But then the scene transitioned forward in time to the Industrial Revolution era in what seemed to take the same amount of time as when it actually occurred. After watching volunteers rip up and carry sod offstage and smokestacks rise out of nowhere, we paused to pay respects to those who served and memorialized WWII.
The rest was a blur- James Bond pretended to parachute into the stadium with the Queen for her royal introduction. The Queen entered, showed no emotion, and it was awkward. There was a quick glimpse of Will, Kate & Harry. Then Voldemort and Captain Hook frightened children trying to sleep, before they were chased away by 10,000 Mary Poppins. Doctors and nurses danced on stage and there was a big creepy baby. Cut to some teenagers in love and horrible dance groups that looked like badly prepared flash mobs. Said dancers attempted to depict 30 years in 13 minutes. Teenagers like cell phones and FaceBook, and they kiss. Mr. Bean plays the piano. Cut to David Beckham driving a boat down the Thames carrying the Olympic torch.
Cue Olympic Parade of Athletes. Spoiler alert: Dominica has 2 Olympians while Australia has 410. I’m not a mathematician, but that seems to me like a slight disadvantage. I am going out on a limb to say Australia walks away with more medals. Also, this just in- Usain Blot may have competition this year…from another Jamaican. Shocking, I really saw the US having a shot this year. I’m cheering for the Independent Olympic Athlete Team who evidently are actors in their free time as they put on quite a good show for their entrance.
Sorry London, but I found the opening ceremony to be slightly like the country: gloomy and a bit ordinary. Had you showed a montage of Will & Kate’s wedding, Harry Potter, Bridget Jones Diary and James Bond, it would have been enough. If you would have added the Beatles music into the Queen’s entrance, the night would have been complete.
Maybe Beijing just set the bar too high with their textbook ceremony in the 2008 summer games? Or are my expectations unrealistic? What were your thoughts on the Opening Ceremony?
I was traveling and missed it, but now I’m intrigued… I’ll have to see if I can find a rerun somewhere…
I’m sure youtube has the “best of” moments if you want quick peaks into it.
I loved the opening ceremony! My household has 9 channels in HD of Olympic Sports, which I’ve been told, are going to be on 24/7 for the next 19 days!!! While I relish the competition & camaraderie that the Olympics brings every 4 years, I can really only say ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi’!!!!
Oh dear, lol!
That’s a shame! Because you LUV the British-ness of everything! Pity it didn’t turn out that well – I didn’t even watch it at all… so glad I didn’t get the disappointment.
I did watch three quarters of the opening ceremony before I turned it off.
Completely disappointed—not an Olympic fan to begin with, I enthusiastically embraced the event hopeful I would be moved by Olympic drama…the kids in “sick beds” pushed me over the edge with nurses and doctors hovering, mediocre dancing, dismal history lesson and depression ensued.
I feel better I wasn’t the only one with those sentiments then. Thanks Jeri!
Sorry, I didn’t see it but I will take your word for it. It does sound very British !
I think some of the cultural references and humour obviously didn’t translate to other countries we brits loved it the finale with a new generation of athetes lighting the amazing moving cauldren was great as were the final fireworks my only complaint they didn’t link to the hyde park concert
I think that is the US had it, I would probably like it regardless because I am an American, so I tried to keep that in mind along with the fact that it probably made more sense to the Brits. The only problem with that was the entire world was watching, so it kind of needed to make sense to all of us.
Didn’t watch it, not much interested as the time it shows up on this side of the Atlantic doesn’t fit with our schedule. The Web tends to be a very good spoiler too…
I noticed that! I’m so excited for some of the events and then BAM, yahoo.com ruins the fun. Totally right there with you John. I think that until the event has aired on TV, the web should not be able to post anything on it. And then I woke up, lol!
Yah, dang Web!!
I think that Rick Astley should’ve been the final torch bearer. Would’ve been the ultimate Rick Roll!!!
Ok this is how bad it was for me… I didn’t even make it that far. Who was the final torch bearer then?