The Vancouver Olympics should dominate television viewing over the next two weeks on NBC. But NBC’s rivals aren’t shying away from competing.

Fox’s “American Idol,” CBS’ “Survivor,” and “Amazing Race” lead a reality show blitz against an Olympics that is being carried on a struggling network. But Olympic ratings spike when the Games are held in North America, when time zone issues aren’t as big a problem and more coverage is live.

NBC is carrying more than 835 hours of the Olympics on the main network, its cable channels and on NBCOlympics.com. It keeps the most popular events with the best-known personalities for itself in prime time.

It carries cross-country skiing in daytime, puts the luge and biathlons in late night and sends most of hockey and curling to its cable channels.

In other words, you’ll be seeing plenty of Apolo, Bode, Lindsey and Shani in prime time on NBC and none of Ryan Miller or Patrick Kane.

Here is one critic’s night-by-night list of the Top 20 potential must-see TV moments of the Games, which begin Friday.

1. Friday: The opening ceremonies, when Bob Costas—who is working his eighth Olympics as prime-time host — gets to show how much homework he has done for the Parade of Nations. Nobody expects a repeat of the Beijing Games. It would be hard to duplicate, especially since these ceremonies are being held indoors for the first time. NBC says going indoors to the BC Place will help with state-of-the-art lighting and special effects.

2. Saturday: Speedskater Apolo Ohno, who will get more air time during the Games than he did when he was the 2007 champ of “Dancing with the Stars,” and skier Bode Miller try to get the United States off to a good start. Women’s hockey is on most of the day on CNBC.

3. Sunday: Skier Lindsey Vonn — who has won back-to-back World Cup titles but an injured shin may get in her way (see story on Page D1) — may start her quest for the Wheaties box in the Super Combined downhill. The U. S. women play China at 3 p. m. in women’s hockey on USA Network.

4. Monday: Canada’s Jeremy Wotherspoon, who hasn’t won a gold in four Olympics, is the sentimental favorite in the 500-meter gold medal speedskating final and gives NBC a chance to show that it isn’t all about covering Americans. But America’s Shani Davis is out to spoil the Canadian party.

5. Tuesday: The men’s figure- skating short program begins Tuesday, with Canadian Patrick Chan given a chance in a very competitive field. NBC’s competition is “American Idol.”

6. Also Tuesday: Meanwhile, Ryan Miller and Kane lead the U. S. hockey team in its opener against Switzerland, sometime between noon and 6 p. m. on USA Network. A U. S. game with Norway airs sometime between noon and 5:30 p. m. on Thursday on USA, and the U. S.-Canada game is on at 7 p. m. Feb. 21 on MSNBC. As much as we love hockey here, it is a not ready for network prime-time sport.

7. Wednesday night: What a night for NBC, which has American snowboarder Shaun White, Davis, Vonn and Ohno all in prime time after viewers have already been reminded about their stories during the previous week.

8. Thursday, Feb. 18: The men’s figure-skating final, always a ratings biggie. Women also are on display in snowboarding and speedskating.

9. Friday, Feb. 19: Skiers Bode Miller and Ted Ligety in the Men’s Super G in prime time. At noon on USA, the U. S. and Russia meet in women’s curling.

10. Saturday, Feb. 20: Another potential big night for American stars and viewers as Davis, Ohno and Vonn are in big events. Steve Holcomb also is America’s top driver in the two-man bobsled.

11. Sunday, Feb. 21: Another night, another figure skating competition. This time, it is original dance. Miller and Ligety also compete in Alpine skiing.

12. Monday, Feb. 22: Not a big prime-time night on NBC, but there are women’s hockey semifinals on USA and CNBC during the day and a men’s curling match between the U. S. and Canada on USA.

13. Tuesday, Feb. 23: The ladies figure-skating short program opens what is regularly the top TV attraction of the Games. However, this time there is no likely American medalist.

14. Wednesday, Feb. 24: Vonn and Ohno are back on a night loaded with women’s skiing and bobsled events.

15. Thursday, Feb. 25: The ladies skating final, which is usually must-see TV even without American hopefuls.

16. Also Feb. 25: The women’s hockey final is on from 6 to 9 p. m. on MSNBC, illustrating women’s hockey gets slightly more respect than curling.

17. Friday, Feb. 26: If he hasn’t broken the U. S. record for Winter Olympic medals by now, Ohno has two chances on this night. The slalom also is Vonn’s last event.

18. Saturday, Feb. 27: Bode Miller and Ligety again in the men’s Alpine competition. It also is the night all the figure skating champs have their gala and show off without worrying about slipping.

19. Sunday, Feb. 28: The men’s hockey final — which Canadians hope will include the home team—is on sometime in the afternoon. What, you expected prime time?

20. Also Feb. 28: The closing ceremonies, which will feature popular Canadian musical acts.