
It's hard to imagine any opening ceremony in my lifetime living up to the overwhelming spectacle that was at the Beijing Olympics. Just the sheer magnitude of what they were able to do was mindboggling. That said, while London didn't take my breath away with its big displays, it actually really impressed me by adding a lot of humor to an event that is usually dreadfully serious and filled with tradition. Sure, director Danny Boyle infused the 2012 opening with the proper amount of history (and a tribute to the National Health Service), but it was the quirkier moments that will still be talked about when it is Rio's turn to wow the world in 2016. Here are our favorite moments of the night:

The 2012 Summer Olympics finally kick off in London tonight with a massive opening ceremony, but the spectacle of the interpretive dancing and fireworks isn't the only part of this two-week sporting extravaganza that's worth watching. Even if you don't know Usain Bolt from Michael Phelps, here are plenty of reasons to tune in:

The Olympics are almost over and we're a little let down and wondering what to do with all our spare time. So we'd like to propose these dream reality shows that would focus on some of the breakout stars of the London 2012 games, keeping the summer Olympic spirit alive for us during the long four-year wait for Rio.

In the run-up to the Olympics, there was much hype about Ryan Seacrest joining the broadcast team and bringing something new to the coverage. He hasn't. But in a surprise twist, the person who has conducted interesting interviews has been John McEnroe. Who would have expected that the former temperamental tennis pro would have such a knack for interviewing Olympians?