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So about 40 minutes into it here and he Queen and James Bond have just parachuted in. Quite bizarre and not as borin as one might imagine.

The whole Industrial revolution opening was suprisingly good, quite a steam punk feel to it.

Unsuay opening ceremonies are dull because it's all modern dance, mining and foreign stuff; it might be the Cider i have drunk but this seems quite good.

Maybe it's just cos it's British stuff that I'm enjoying it? Not sure if it's just familiarity or patriotism or booze but it's looking good.

What do you hink Dakka?

What's the international PoV?

It's bloody awesome!

Is there a way to watch it online?

BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video/bbc_one_2012_hd
Anyone wants to watch it online.
It's free as well.
Not entirely sure if non-UK viewers can watch but have a try anyway.

No, the international games are not available for viewing in my region.

It's pretty ironic that...

Just waiting for John Cleese to jump out from behind something, shouting "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!" as he puts out the Olympic fire.

I hope Austin Powers made an appearance...

Eiríkr wrote:BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

Please explain.

Was is it to "Be British"?

Jihadin wrote:Was is it to "Be British"?

I assume so.
Assuming you meant "Was it supposed to 'Be British" or some analogue of that sentence...

The James Bond bit was pretty damn awesome.

The Mr Bean piano scene was quite funny as well.

It's gotten better, but that abomination of a countryside scene had me facepalm'ing... I fear we are a laughing stock; to the rest of the world we must appear a nation of yokels, and farmers more akin to Austrians than Britons. Idyllic peasantry eh?

purplefood wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video/bbc_one_2012_hd
Anyone wants to watch it online.
It's free as well.
Not entirely sure if non-UK viewers can watch but have a try anyway.

It appears non UK viewers can not. Anyone know of any illicit restreams?

Sorry no idea...

Eiríkr wrote:BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

Your the first person I've seen moaning about the opening ceremony tonight...
I wasn't even planning on wtahcing it, but glad I have.

There are far too many countries though...

rodgers37 wrote:

Eiríkr wrote:BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

Your the first person I've seen moaning about the opening ceremony tonight...
I wasn't even planning on wtahcing it, but glad I have.

There are far too many countries though...

Agreed...
We could conquer a few.
Cut down on the number a bit...

Yeah, about time we started conquering again.

purplefood wrote:

rodgers37 wrote:

Eiríkr wrote:BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

Your the first person I've seen moaning about the opening ceremony tonight...
I wasn't even planning on wtahcing it, but glad I have.

There are far too many countries though...

Agreed...
We could conquer a few.
Cut down on the number a bit...

Which one is mighty ol' england gonna conquer?

ShumaGorath wrote:

purplefood wrote:

rodgers37 wrote:

Eiríkr wrote:BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

Your the first person I've seen moaning about the opening ceremony tonight...
I wasn't even planning on wtahcing it, but glad I have.

There are far too many countries though...

Agreed...
We could conquer a few.
Cut down on the number a bit...

Which one is mighty ol' england gonna conquer?

*United Kingdom
We'll either get all of them or just pick at random...
You know like we did last time...

purplefood wrote:

ShumaGorath wrote:

purplefood wrote:

rodgers37 wrote:

Eiríkr wrote:BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

Your the first person I've seen moaning about the opening ceremony tonight...
I wasn't even planning on wtahcing it, but glad I have.

There are far too many countries though...

Agreed...
We could conquer a few.
Cut down on the number a bit...

Which one is mighty ol' england gonna conquer?

*United Kingdom
We'll either get all of them or just pick at random...
You know like we did last time...

Watch out for the ones that have guns. Some of them even have a lot of guns. It'll be a bit different than before.

ShumaGorath wrote:

purplefood wrote:

ShumaGorath wrote:

purplefood wrote:

rodgers37 wrote:

Eiríkr wrote:BBC website, Shuma.

I've just turned it off. Waste of money, waste of time.
I almost feel embarrassed by it all. I felt that the ceremony was trying to cram in everything that was uniquely British, everything that defines us as a nation and yet, I feel that Danny Boyle has completely missed the target.

Your the first person I've seen moaning about the opening ceremony tonight...
I wasn't even planning on wtahcing it, but glad I have.

There are far too many countries though...

Agreed...
We could conquer a few.
Cut down on the number a bit...

Which one is mighty ol' england gonna conquer?

*United Kingdom
We'll either get all of them or just pick at random...
You know like we did last time...

Watch out for the ones that have guns. Some of them even have a lot of guns. It'll be a bit different than before.

In this economic climate?
No one can afford them

We've done a great job on this, love seeing all the countries we created, and the Americans haven't even plodded out in their berets yet

Is it just me or does ShumaGorath have a giant chip on his shoulder?

Anyway good ceremony. Rowan Atkinsons cameo as mr bean has to be my favourite part.

I was enjoying it so much, the entire ceremony was brilliant (though there are far too many countries), the cauldron turned out to be awesome, the fact that the athlete turned over the honour of lighting the torch was touching, and using Pink Floyd for the fireworks made me happy.
Then Paul McCartney turned up...

The cauldron was brilliantly done.

I thought it made us all look aggressively homosexual. Not that I'm concerned about it, but when lots of your friends are American soldiers and you have to argue with them about the stereotype that British men are limp wristed and effeminate, its not good.

Still, the world we live in.. no doubt Rio will be the exact same.

Shuma and the like will like to say otherwise, but we live in a global economy and a global country. Rio will also be aggressively gay, and if 2020 is held in the USA, it will also feature singing children, dancing men and spandex.

Basically, its all gone to gak since 1955 rolled around. And real men are a dying breed. Acting like a nosh bag is actively encouraged regardless of nationality.

Just awesome.. didn't try and match the sheer scale of the Beijing opener, but went down a more artistic route instead and I didn't find any of it really embarrassing or disappointing.

I thought impressive in parts, touching and emotional, even funny (the Bond bit and Mr. Bean bits in particular). And the firework display, which must have made the amount of artillery used at the Somme to pale by comparison, with Pink Floyd playing was a touch of genius

Really impressed overall, and can't wait for the actual sporting events to start now!

ShumaGorath wrote:
It appears non UK viewers can not. Anyone know of any illicit restreams?

Try NBC, they have US broadcast rights.

Anyway, it was good, but not as good as China's. But then China's was about the coolest thing I've ever seen.