QISE Review - Beijing 2: Electric Boogaloo - Day 9 / by Mark

OK, let's go back to last night--Torico (still in LA for the Superb Owl, with promo level at maximum) sends us halfway around the world to Women's Skeleton.  We get a quick video package on US sledder Katie Uhlaender, who's in her fifth games--she lost a medal in Sochi to a competitor who was later found to be doping.  Switching to a new sledding variation--the "Monobob" aka Single Bobsled.  Since it's such a new event, all the competitors will make it to the final round.

Off to Ice Dancing--the Rhythm Dance.  QISEian Tanith White steps in as Johnny's announcing partner.  Tanith is a bit too generic for me.  Tara does make an appearance, providing the "playlist" for tonight's competitors.  Johnny quote: "They've got angel whispers under their blades. It's like they're skating on clouds".

Then it's Men's Giant Slalom--shockingly in the middle of a snowstorm.  Then back to Ice Dancing. We also get a video package on Madison Chock and Evan Bates, a dancing pair that admitted their feelings for each other only after years of competing as a team.

Back to LA, and Torico interviewing Lindsey Vonn about the changes needed to ski actual snow in Beijing.  They wrap things up with more of the Monobob.

Late night, and Melvin throwing us to Men's Large Hill Ski Jump finals.  They keep showing a graphic depicting how large the hill is in terms of "Statue of Liberty"s and football field lengths.  It's as if people can't understand actual numbered measurements.  Then more Long Track Speed Skating--the Men's 500m sprint, and a rerun of the Ice Dancing event from just a few hours (and paragraphs) earlier.  Something to fill time while the second run of the Giant Slalom is held up due to weather.  We then jump to Women's Curling--US v Sweden.  We haven't seen curling on NBC since before the Opening Ceremonies.  They wrap up the night with--a preview to 2028?  Because they're in LA, where the games will be held.  The "So Fi" Stadium in the background shot (or whatever it will be called by then) will be one of the LA QISE sites.

Switching to this morning's coverage, which started at 8a Eastern (they had to get it in prior to the "big game".  They are calling "Super Gold Sunday"--NBC made a deal to get the game this year in order to avoid competing with it on another network.  Lowe, on early duty, sends us to Men's Team Pursuit Long Track Speed Skating.  Then the end of the Men's Giant Slalom, delayed from yesterday. Back to Speed Skating--the Women's 500m sprint. medal round, with the US's Erin Jackson winning the gold, the first black woman to do so in this sport.

Back to the studio, with Lowe learning about the Monobob, followed by Men's Hockey, in the midst of a Germany-US match. With all this live footage (when it's 8a Eastern, it's 9p Beijing time), I think NBC made a mistake pushing daytime coverage to the afternoon, just so they could keep the Today Show in place.

Next it's Cross Country Skiing - the Men's 4x10KM Relay. Finally, NBC realized they need to cut down to the highlights--whew! After that, Maria Taylor presents a package with the ice dance teams, and Short Track: the Women's Relay 3000m and Men's 500m Finals. Lowe then hands it off to Torico, to tease the sportsball event. Then a Monobob rerun of the first two Women's runs.

...and finally Lowe sends us off to the Superb Owl pre-pre-pre-pre show. QISE won't return until late tonight, so that's it for now. Enjoy America's Second Christmas!