TV Reviews : ‘On Thin Ice’ Charts Skater Tai Babilonia’s Fall From Grace

NBC’s “On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story” is a moderately interesting biography of a beautiful champion skater who appeared to have everything but ultimately buckled under the pressure of living the athlete’s life charted for her since childhood.

The tragic figure is Babilonia, who with her partner, Randy Gardner, won just about every pairs skating title in sight except for the big one. Gardner’s injury on the eve of the 1980 Winter Olmpics ended their hopes for a medal, the devastation sending the high-strung Babilonia into an extended collapse that would include drugs and boozing.

At least that’s how it plays in this NBC movie, airing at 9 tonight on Channels 4, 36 and 39. Rachel Crawford makes a believable Babilonia (the real-life Babilonia and Gardner perform on the ice), who rejects skating in her early 20s and only after a series of destructive binges comes to realize that she has lived her life to please others.

Based on her talk-show appearances with Gardner to promote “On Thin Ice,” Babilonia has made a comeback from the crackup that is effectively portrayed in this story.

The chief heavies are her parents (John Nicks and Denise Nicholas), shown as initially caring and sacrificing, but later selfish, exploitative and insensitive to their daughter’s despair.

Gardner (Charlie Stratton) comes off as a sort of brittle, android prop whose only role in the movie is to advance Babilonia’s story.

It’s especially ironic that, at least in this account, a team that communicated so beautifully while performing should have so little communication off the ice.

In a way, the pastel Gardner becomes a metaphor for “On Thin Ice,” which, despite a sympathetic protagonist and a moving story to tell, fails to build much dramatic intensity.