Here are the best (and worst) moments of the night.
None of it should have worked.
All of it did.
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Some even sat on the edge of the platform as the Brazilian flag was raised.
In a night that traded spectacle for heart, the straightforward staging felt just right.
The performers interacted with rainforest of ribbons strung on high until the trees disappeared.
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It wasnt the first or last spectacle of the night to carry a message.
Dont look down now!
Making his case, a pilot in a replica of Santos-Dumonts plane, the 14-bis, took off mid-ceremony.
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He might still be up there enjoying the view.
Now thats a legacy.
BEST: The Human Family
In a night with a lot of commercials, one stood out.
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Fans waiting for a glimpse of flagbearer Michael Phelps before turning in got a few extra winks tonight.
The cauldron is illuminated by a rotating sphere of mirrors, like a Hogwarts spell meeting a Carnival headpiece.
Long may it burn.
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But where did the actual plane go?
It was a sign of things to come.
WORST: Human exports
Host Matt Lauer twice referred to Gisele Bundchen as an export of Brazil.
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Shes a person, Matt!
Look at her dance!
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Apple
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NBC
NBC
