There’s a surprisingly small amount of “Eurovision Song Contest” in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Sure, Finland’s fan favorite nü-metal group did flash a sign that said “Play Ja Ja Ding Dong!!!” And there have been a few glancing references to the idea that last year’s Netflix movie might have won the annual competition a few extra fans.But overall, this year’s Eurovision has been devised and executed like a cultural institution that needed to come back.
There’s no small amount of hubris in insisting on holding the yearly in-person singing competition with certain areas of the world still very much dealing with a global health crisis.
With those giant caveats, the lead-up to today’s final — streaming stateside on Peacock — shows why this continent-spanning contest has endured for so long, as well as plenty of reasons why it made sense for it to return in grand fashion.
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