Olympics Opening Ceremony: Music Hits and Misses Include Punk, Paul and Syria's Ill-Timed March to 'Where The Streets Have No Name'

A $40 million production budget bought the London 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony one heck of a spectacle, but when it came to the soundtrack, the events musical choices left some watching at home -- and commenting online -- a little miffed.

To be fair, encapsulating five-plus decades of British music is no small task, but how do you explain a miniscule nod to Led Zeppelin? Where was Robbie Williams? The Police? Depeche Mode? Even the ever-reliable Sir Elton John, knighted by Queen Elizabeth II herself, seemed embarrassingly absent. And what, was Cheryl Cole busy on Friday night?

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Then again, the Danny Boyle-directed show had some curious nods as well -- most notably, a wink-wink to Her Majesty with a snippet of Sex Pistols God Save the Queen, one of two songs highlighted by the short-lived punk band, and the surprising inclusion of The Jams Going Underground.

What did the ceremony get right and where did it go woefully wrong? Read on for THRs assessment of the musical hits and misses -- and dont even get us started on those Team USA berets

Hits:

Punk gets its due sort of. Knowing that the anthemic Pretty Vacant was within earshot of British royalty is reason enough to bow down to Boyle, and while punk was but a blip in the program (The Clashs London Calling is an obligatory inclusion at this point, but the Specials A Message to You Rudy was pleasantly unexpected), the Olympics get points for balls.

Britain bows to Bowie:A highlight of the parade of nations is always the host country, but for London 2012, Great Britain couldnt have picked a better song to march to. David Bowies Heroes said in eight words what eight years of tireless training has signified to the 500-plus athletes competing for the UK, making the 1977 hit not only poignant but wholly appropriate.

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Paul McCartney brings it home: Theres nothing like a Beatle to close a show thats being beamed to billions while also spreading the Olympic ideal of all you need is love. Sir Paul delivered on both fronts, even if he did fudge Hey Jude a bit with an unexpected laugh.

Dream of a songThe lighting of the Cauldron featured perhaps the most moving moment and music of the night. "Caliban's Dream," performed by Alex Trimble, frontman for Irish band Two Door Cinema Club, and written for the ceremony by Rick Smith of Underworld provided an ethereal end to a dreamy procession.

Fireworks. Floyd. Need we say more?

All of the bells: Among the most impressive acts to usher in London 2012 was one that didnt take place in the stadium, but rather, around the country where churches and citizens all rang bells simultaneously (some simply banging on pots and pans) creating a magical cacophony of chimes to mark the start of the games. The sonic experiment was a popular topic on Twitter, where a few audiophiles even posted their own recordings of the moment (listen below):

Misses:

Arctic comedown:Sure, there are plenty of bands that Brits obsess over who are only marginally known in the States -- your Kasabian, the aforementioned Robbie Williams, Tinie Tempah -- but of all the artists at Boyles disposal, were the Arctic Monkeys really the best choice for a Beatles cover? To their credit, the faithful rendition, as Bob Costas described their take on Come Together, delivered --thats when you could hear it. As one viewer tweeted, Hey Bob Costas, if the Arctic Monkeys is your favorite part, why do you insist on talking over the entire performance?

A very brief history of British music:No doubt much will be said about the bands and artists who didnt make the cut for reasons unknown. Among the glaring omissions: Rod Stewart, Dusty Springfield, Def Leppard, The Cure, George Michael, The Smiths, Black Sabbath, we could go on. Still, some took comfort in small blessings: like no Spice Girls.

Marching madness: The Hollywood Reporter's own David Rooney said it best when he questioned the logic of pairing the Bee Gees with athletes from Fiji wondering if it was in essence some Olympic Committee stoners attempt at a haiku. Other country-artist pairings also didnt seem to make much sense -- China with the Pet Shop Boys, Poland with Fleetwood Mac, U2 with Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey and the ill-timed Where the Streets Have No Name while Syria made its entrance.

Everyones a critic:Inevitably, there will be those who poo-poo everything, even a beloved Beatle -- No one can ever accuse Paul McCartney of lip-synching at the Olympics, read one snarky comment on Twitter -- but its precisely in hashtag times like these when we should be thankful another nasty Brit hasnt made his Olympic presence known. As Daily Show executive producer Rory Alabenese tweeted:

Somewhere Simon Cowell is sitting in a black V-neck drinking bourbon from a coca-cola cup, saying, "this is dreadful" 2012LondonOlympics

Rory Albanese (@RoryAlbanese) July 28, 2012

Twitter: @shirleyhalperin

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TCA 2012: ABC Party Diary With Connie Britton, Pamela Anderson and the Creators of 'Modern Family'

Robert Erdmann

Connie Britton

After another media day focused on the fate of the Modern Family cast, few expectedthe show's co-creatorsSteve LevitanandChris Lloyd to show up for ABC's Television Critics Association party. But that's precisely what they did, fielding questions about their actors' salary demands. That's until news broke that new deals had been struck, and then the hypotheticals turned into proud realities.

Here's a minute-by-minute look at what went down --the biggest scrums (Connie Britton), the oddest pairings (Levitan and Pamela Anderson) and the funniest impersonation (Lloyd)-- inside the Beverly Hilton.

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6:54 p.m. ABC entertainment chief Paul Lee stands outside the red carpet entrance, greeting actors and producers as they pass by. He admits he hadnt expected so many different iterations of the same Modern Family cast negotiation question there were four during the panel, and then one more in the post-panel huddle. He found five different ways to say he was optimistic about a resolution, and little more.

7:11 p.m. Modern Family'sLevitan andLloyd surprise many by showing up. They are quickly mobbed by reporters. There's a school of thought that [the actors] should get whatever they can get, and as long as we can get there without inflaming anybody or hurting they show, they'll get what they think they're due, Lloyd tells a gathering smaller than Levitans. Hes more interested in talking about the upcoming season, for which nearly half the episodes have already been written. Among the major themes is Glorias pregnancy. In his best Sofia Vergara accent, Lloyd reenacts the moment when she found out: Ok, I trust you," she said at the time. "But dont make me too fat. I need to be beautiful, lets remember. (Lloyd jokes that many involved in the show can do Vergaras accent, but none as well as he can.)

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7:17 p.m. News breaks that theModern Familycast's new deals are done, and the lawsuit has been dropped. Lloyd and Levitan, still unaware, continue to give interviews about how hopeful they are that resolution will come shortly.

7:19 p.m. Lloyd steps aside to take a call on his cell phone. He returns pleased, and says: I'm thrilled. It was a distraction more than anything, and I think the cast feels the same way Now other people can go on with the numbers and well go on with the letters. A minute later,The Hollywood Reporter breaks the news to Levitan. I love it, he responds, grinning wide. It's no surprise, but I'm of course thrilled and I can not wait to get on stage Monday morning and start making the show again.

7:28 p.m. Nashville'sBritton emerges from the red carpet and is instantly surrounded by members of the press. She will have trouble moving far from the door for the remainder of the evening care of the steady flow of microphone-clad reporters circling her. This character is actually incredibly different from Tami Taylor of Friday Night Lights, she had told this group of her new part earlier in the day. I think even her accent is going to be different. There probably wont be as many yalls. Minutes later, her castmate Sam Palladio, a relative newcomer to American television, suggests that it was his stint on the second season of Showtime's Episodes -- which shot in his native London -- that ultimately led him to this gig.

7:46 p.m. Levitan makes his way over to Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars contestant Pamela Anderson, whose dress is as tight as it is short. The duo looks particularly happy to see each other, chatting for some 10 minutes. Reporters gawk (at least one breaks press tour policy and snaps a pic on his iPhone), thrown by the pairing. Turns out, its a Stacked reunion.

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7:50 p.m. Last Resort star (and former Felicity heartthrob) Scott Speedman is flanked by female reporters by the entrance to the Beverly Hills ballroom. Nearby, Family Tools' Leah Remini is seated and laughing. Over at the bar, How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life) star Sarah Chalke is chatting with the father (Neil Flynn) and son (Charlie McDermott) from The Middle. Flynn and McDermott wont leave each others side all evening.

8:07 p.m. Levitan manages to slip away and is now waiting for his car at the valet stand. Suburgatorys Cheryl Hines emerges from the hotel, gets in black town car and speeds away. Inside the party, Brittons rep tells a growing scrum that the Nashville star has to head out.

8:11 p.m. Suburgatory creator Emily Kapnek gets a taste for how her lot has changed: Last year I didnt even know if I should be here, she recalls of the period before her comedy had launched. This year? Shes rarely without reporters trailing her in search of spoilers.

8:20 p.m. The Chew co-host (and Top Chef finalist) Carla Hall chats up Suburgatorys Rex Lee, still best known as Lloyd from Entourage. Scandals Josh Malinahas his cast in stitches by the sushi bar.

9:02 p.m. Lights come on. The party guests are kicked out of the ballroom by hotel employees. Among them: Last Resort executive producers Shawn Ryan andKarl Gajdusek, who decamp to one of the white couches to the hotel lobby for interviews. Meantime, theScandalcast is still playing inside the network photo booth.

Additional reporting by Lesley Goldberg, Marisa Guthrie and Philiana Ng.

Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose

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TCA 2012: Andre Braugher, Shawn Ryan Talk Diversity on TV

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Andre Braugher who stars in ABCs Shawn Ryan/Karl Gajdusek military drama Last Resort humorously and thoughtfully deflected questions about a perceived white wash in primetime television.

I dont have a lot of information on which to judge the world in which theres a white Andre Braugher who did better than I did, he said to laughs from media reporters gathered for the final session of ABCs TCA day. And I dont mean to be factious about it. But youre talking about a complex world in which people make decisions on a real-time basis.

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Braugher won a lead actor Emmy in 1998 for the NBC series Homicide.

In the future things will continue to progress, he continued. I think its a complex question that Im not equipped to answer in great detail.

Ryan who also cast Dennis Haysbert in CBS drama The Unit allowed that he makes casting decisions based on merit, not skin color.

I wanted the best actor for the role, he said. I try to be as color blind as possible. Networks want people to watch their shows and a lot goes into who the audience is. I just dont concern myself with that. I concern myself with how good can the show be? Who wouldnt want [Braugher] saying their words. Ive done my part, I think.

In Last Resort, Braugher stars opposite Scott Speedman as a U.S. submarine captain who goes rogue after he uncovers a home-grown conspiracy to annihilate Pakistan.

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It will be nice when these questions dont get asked anymore, said Ryan. But unfortunately were not up to that point now. But it feels like were better off than we were 15, 20 years ago.

Added Braugher: I really cant tell you what the world would be like if people were different. Its part of a progression and it runs at its own pace. Im part of the long arc of progress in which people of different races and ethnicities get a chance to shine.

Email: Marisa.Guthrie@thr.com; Twitter: @MarisaGuthrie

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TCA 2012: '666 Park Avenue' Creator Already Has Season 2 Pitch

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ABC is banking on 666 Park Avenue as it dips its toe in the horror genre.

Though the series, which creator/executive producer David Wilcox described as a "supernatural soap," has yet to debut, he revealed that there is an idea already for a season two at the Television Critics Assoc. press tour on Friday afternoon.

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"We have a pitch for season two," Wilcox said, adding that he and the writers are "writing season [one] with a very specific plan." Rachael Taylor and Dave Annable are included in the season two plan.

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With cable fare like FX's American Horror Story able to show gore, Wilcox addressed the possible restrictions for a network drama of this type.

"We don't have the tool of gore and blood and that kind of spectacle," he said. "It's forced us to be clever."

As Wilcox tells it, 666 Park Avenue operates on a more psychological level, citing Alfred Hitchcock films, The Shining, Rosemary's Baby and Blue Velvet as inspiration.

"There are people who love to see blood and murder and mayhem and there are other shows on cable that have that freedom to do that," he said. "For us, it's a psychological horror. It's driven by suspense, it's driven by mystery." Wilcox maintained that there "always will be" shocking moments that pop up during the course of the show.

"We want things to be off the nose," Wilcox said later when asked about the devil elements to the premise. "We're not interested in creating a formula for the show. We want to create a mythology that is very rich."

He added: "No one is going to say 'devil' or 'deal of the devil.' That's a different type of show."

In terms of how the episodes will look as it moves forward past the pilot, executive producer Matthew Miller said "the idea is to give in every episode .. both parts of the title": some 666 and some Park Avenue.

STORY: Fall TV Pilot Preview: ABC's '666 Park Avenue'

"The way we're going to structure the majority of the [episodes] are [that there] will be slightly serialized elements and we'll explore [different] residents," he said.

Wilcox noted that the role of Olivia Doran (Vanessa Williams) was expanded when Williams came on board. The classic haunted house question of why people don't just leave will be addressed early on, according to Wilcox.

Terry O'Quinn also took part during the session.

666 Park Avenue premieres Sept. 30 at 10 p.m. on ABC.

E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com

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TCA 2012: 'Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars' Bristol Palin Talks Partners and Politics

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After announcing the 12 (ultimately 13) cast members returning for Dancing With the Stars: All Stars, ABC trotted seven of them on stage at the Television Critics Association summer press tour to speak with reporters about the new spin on the veteran competition.

They were joined by executive producer Conrad Green, who attempted to explain the evolving model for the series, while dodging a slew of casting questions about who said no and how much everyone was making.

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"We've talked about doing All-Stars," he said. "We wanted it to be a special season, we wanted there to be enough heritage to it. One hundred-thirty-plus celebrities have participated, and we wanted to pick from the best of the best. We felt we needed enough time to build up the stock to do that and this felt like the perfect time to do that. I'm astonished with the people who have agreed to say yes."

Another reason for an All-Stars season is the noticeable wane in viewer interest after 14 cycles. Dancing With the Stars saw series low ratings during its recent run, something Green was candid about.

"We did have some ratings dip but for the first time we were against The Voice, which is similar terrain as our show," he said. "I think that explains a lot of that dip. This is about giving a treat to our audience. How would Mike Tyson fare against Muhammad Ali... ."

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Maybe not Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson, 2010 competitor Bristol Palin drew more questions of any other cast member on stage.

"I couldn't tell you what would have happened if I just went home," she said, defending her decision to seek out television roles since her mother's vice presidential bid in 2008 made her family famous. "This is a fun gig, I'm not whining or complaining ... I like supporting my son."

Palin also gifted the show with its first dose of controversy, two months before the season premiere. One reporter asked how she would handle having a gay partner, prompting her to go on the defense.

"I like gays," she said. "I'm not a homophobic. I'm sick of people saying that. Just because I'm for traditional marriage, doesn't mean I'm scared. I don't hate anybody ... It's not about politics or traditional marriage. It's just about dancing and fun and that's all I have to say about it."

Palin's partner, gay or straight, will be announced Aug. 13 when the cast get their official assignments.

Lesley Goldberg contributed to this report.

Email: Michael.OConnell@THR.com; Twitter: @MikeyLikesTV

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TV Ratings: Rising 'Wipeout' Drives ABC to Thursday Win

Fast affiliate ratings have ABC topping all broadcast nets among adults 18-49 and viewers on Thursday night, buoyed by a resurgent episode of Wipeout. The competition was up half of a point in the demo, for a 2.2 adults rating. Rookie Blue had a smaller boost, posting a 1.5 rating among 18-49-ers. The network averaged a 1.9 adults rating for the night and 6.4 million viewers.

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Encores of Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men led into a steady outing of Big Brother, which pulled a 2.2 rating among adults 18-49. A special preview of dating series 3 pulled a 0.8 rating among adults 18-49. CBS averaged a 1.7 adults rating for the night and 5.3 million viewers.

Univision earned a 1.3 rating among adults 18-49, while Fox averaged a 0.9 adults rating and 2.3 million viewers with the Take Me Out finale (1.2 rating) and a Glee repeat (0.6 rating).

Encores of The Office and Parks and Recreation led into slightly boosted broadcasts of Saving Hope, which posted a 0.6 rating among adults 18-49, and Rock Center With Brian Williams (0.8 adults rating). The network earned a 0.7 adults rating and 2.9 million viewers.

The CW pulled a 0.3 adults rating and 769,000 viewers with encores.

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Toby Keith to 'American Idol': Thanks, But No Thanks

Greg Watermann

As the American Idol rumor mill swirls into a chaotic mess of names from every genre imaginable, it seems the country contingent is leading the pack of potential judges, much like the show itself has been skewing in recent years.And can you blame the producers? All but two Idol winners hail from the South and just about every one of them (with the exception of maybe Ruben Studdard) has tried their hand at twang.

So it comes as little surprise that Toby Keith would be approached as a possible contender for Steven Tyler's seat.

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And there is certainly merit to the choice: hes never hesitated for a second to say whats on his mind, whether that has to do with his feelings about Nashville as a whole or Natalie Maines individually. His talent as a songwriter is well regarded even by those who dont savor his politics. Keiths no stranger to being in front of a camera, between making a string of countrys most interesting videos, having been the lead in a feature, and co-hosting the CMT Awards this year. Virtually every military family in the nation regards him as a hero for his overseas visits. And hes been filling arenas for more than a decade. Controversial and reliable? Thats a rare combination.

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But according to a recent interview, he passed on the opportunity to sit alongside Mariah Carey. Keith reveals to California'sInland Empire Weekly (via examiner.com) that in early July,Idol brass asked if he'd be interested in judging the Fox show, but like so many others, the country superstar declined because of Idol's demanding schedule, opting to use his time for other endeavors -- like touring.

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It could be for the best. After all, compared to the more overt charm of a Blake Shelton or Brad Paisley, Keith's rarely smiling, roughneck image may seem a little harsh.And however much he finesses that well put a boot in your ass, its the American way song and claims to be a Southern Democrat, his politics would be a turn-off factor for some blue-state viewers.

Indeed, it looks to be an election year on Idol,too. Who would get your vote for judge?

Twitter: @Idol_Worship

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