Every four years, the attention of America switches abruptly from football to the difference between a salchow and a lutz, and whether someone can finally end the German domination of luge. Yes, the Winter Olympic Games are back, hosted by the charming if not especially snowy city of Vancouver. A Games in our hemisphere means more live programming than usual, some of it even in prime time for those viewers in the east. And it begins with the opening ceremonies Friday (NBC, 7:30 p.m.), which bring together over 2000 of the world’s top winter sports athletes for the typical pageantry.

The opening ceremonies serve as not just a celebration of sports, but also spotlight the host nation’s culture. So look for Red Green to deliver the Olympic oath, and Nickelback to grunt its way through the Olympic hymn (just kidding, Canada). There will even be a little bit of sports on Friday’s telecast, as qualifying gets under way in ski jumping. The Olympics will unfold in nauseating detail on all NBC-branded channels from Friday through February 28, and will hopefully give the network some respite from its season in ratings hell.

Also this week:

Monday: Heroes (NBC, 9 p.m.): It’s an early season finale for the onetime hit, which still hasn’t been renewed for the fall. A cancellation is probably not in order given NBC’s need for programming, but the fact that it’s even being discussed shows how far Heroes has sunk. In the finale, the gang attempts to stop Samuel from committing mass murder, but Hiro must examine his past decisions first, and Bennett and Claire are preoccupied with not dying underground.

Tuesday: Past Life (Fox, 9 p.m.): Fox attempts to launch another new series in the post-American Idol time slot, even though much of its potential audience will likely be switching over to Lost. The pilot episode introduces a psychologist (Kelli Giddish) and an ex-detective (Nicholas Bishop) who come to the aid of people bothered by memories of a previous life, such as a teenager who recalls a prior existence where he was kidnapped and murdered.

Wednesday: High School Reunion (TV Land, 10 p.m.): This year’s celebrators of a twenty-year reunion are graduates of a Las Vegas high school. Rachelle’s ex-husband shows up at the reunion, threatening her current relationship (don’t they do this plot every season?), John is confronted about his behavior, and Lori and Mark are totally doing it OMG!

Thursday: Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (CBS, 8 p.m.): The two-hour premiere of the 20th Survivor season pits fan favorites against alleged bad guys. Not surprisingly considering the Alpha males involved here, the very first challenge finds one of the heroes suffering a painful injury. Please, everybody: no more Amanda in the final two. It’s just too hard to witness.

Saturday: Bill Maher … But I’m Not Wrong (HBO, 10 p.m.): The comedian performs his stand-up act live from Raleigh, and is expected to touch on recent developments in the war on terror, the economy, and the Obama administration. The most recent hours of Real Time seemed to show Maher getting more impatient with the president; it will be interesting to see if this continues.

Sunday: Family Guy (Fox, 9 p.m.): Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a Seth MacFarlane animated sitcom. The Griffins become interested in ESP after a psychic reassures Lois that the lost Stewie and Chris are safe, prompting Peter to go into business as a psychic for himself. Meanwhile, Chris celebrates his good fortune by falling in love.