Olympic Opening ceremony watch along

[Theremedy]

I can’t see a thread yet but please do point me in the right direction if there is one!

Anyone else watching? It’s all kicking off at 6:30pm, apparently with the athletes parade first.

London 2012 OC was remarkable, I’m hoping the French can match that magic!

Personally I think a boat trip down the Seine is amazing for athletes, but the river parade and show on riverbanks doesn’t work for me as a viewer 🤷‍♀️ something is missing 🤷‍♀️
French love being original of course
doesnt always work though- I remembered the Albertville ceremony and it was pretty bad in my opinion

I think the BBC commentators are doing a good job giving interesting information about each country and seeming enthusiastic.
I do really wish the boats could have been decorated; overall it just seems that there’s a lack of decoration?

This really has to be the most boring Boats On A River In The Rain programme since the one they did for the late Queen, which was remarkable for her standing for four hours without a wee break or a cup of tea. This doesn’t even have that to commend it.

I am so sorry for the participants who must be freezing, and I hope none of the athletes catch a chill. Hot lemon and honey all round and an early night in their cardboard beds I think.

Love Mongolia's outfits.

Completely uncalled for. Take your xenophobia elsewhere. We can criticise the ceremony without criticise the nation hosting it.

This should have been the closing ceremony

I like the Monaco berets

pmsl

https://x.com/SamLee318/status/1816895494842646667

@purplecheesecat yes! Why aren't the boats decorated fgs

The athletes seem to be enjoying it

Yes i like their calm approach. Did we have bare arse Huw on ours in 2012?

Starting to think if you can't turn up in a national costume, you shouldn't be allowed to compete.

Mongolia absolute winners of the team outfits so far.

It's more odd to think that they should be going by the English names when in France. Talk about ignorant!

That said, the snippy and sneering from
the British to the French is very entertaining.

New leaders in the best outfit competition IMHO.

I was responding to another comment criticising Britain but I guess that’s ok

Waves to new joiners 😉

It's tradition

I think it’s all getting lost in the scale of being outside and would have been brilliant in a stadium.

I don’t understand the boat choices. Did they deliberately include some shit ones?

I love France, and I'm normally very quick to criticize anything Britain tries to do.

2012 (specifically the 'Pandemonium' section, but also most parts of it) was a genuine masterpiece, an incredible theatrical event.

This is so many levels below that. You can see areas where they've tried to copy 2012 and fallen short.

I'm excited to see what the USA comes up with in 4 years, and if it's better than 2012, I won't hesitate to admit it. Come on, surely you can't suggest this is even close to 2012?!

Haha Alec it's real....I'm very emotional. I love Paris. Im going next weekend to see Athletics so excited. Tinged with sadness as was going with my beloved, who dumped me in the spring ( thanks MNers for your support, then) . I'm taking my son now,can't wait!!

Yeah, I was joking. I do know what a counter tenor is.

You're wrong. I tuned in thinking Paris was an amazing backdrop and that creatively the French do some really interesting things and have a really rich culture and that using the Seine and the city would be jaw dropping. Unfortunately I thinking making the athletes' parade in boats so central to it has made it boring. The fact the action is not concentrated in one place means there's no atmosphere. The fact it's all outdoors present a stack of sound issues. The fact it's pissing down with rain is just making it worse. The comparisons have only come in after the realisation it wasn't the spectacle we hoped for.

So Morris dancing costumes for TeamGB and Riverdance costumes for Ireland. I’ve got your back on this! 😆😆😆