The four-part series, saved by a stranger (BBC2), is an innovative variation in the theme of the reunion event. Unexpectedly moves and, in the hands of warm and sensitive Anita Rani, always maintaining a respectful distance from Prurience and intrusion. So, well done, team. Like the rest of the genre for decades – this is your life, a long-lost family, and who do you think you are? – It’s full of deadlocks, teasing lead, hug, tears, and reflection about life, loved, and lost. If nothing else, the viewing experience can promote some perspectives that might be needed on TravAil themselves, which have never been a bad thing.
The twist with the saved by a stranger is that he weaved deep:
And personal individuals with headlines from the past. In this first episode, we met Karl, a dancer who had just arrived in London in 2005 to find fame but narrowly avoided randomly killed on the tube train in a 7/7 bombing 16 years ago.
Like some other people, he found consolation when he lay between the debris and bodies. When a stranger reached out to him and told him that he would be fine, he did. Such extreme trauma can do funny things to people, at least have London making conversations with their neighbours. Karl also has a “remarkable spiritual” moment “that makes Rani look surprised:” I remember having a desperate feeling. I was not religious, but I prayed to God and said to him. That if you let me out of here, I wouldn’t be gay anymore “.
Karl was successful, and he did not change his sexual preferences. But he suffered a survivor and longed to meet with the woman he believed to save him. Finally, trawlers through the database and internet, Rani and Karl found a woman. Who could be the person who held her hand, even though she did not fit her memories of short blonde? It didn’t matter. He could thank him and, in the end, apologized because then pushing in front of him. When he rushed out of the train.
When it happened, the apology was unnecessary when Susan thought he was looking for the phone so there was no hurry to get out of the train. Indeed, maybe not him who comforted him, but other people because many survivors of terror attacks never advanced, and so Karl strangers might never be identified. However, the meeting with Sarah helped Karl relieve survivors and maybe find a little more peaceful.
The second story has a neater end:
Emina and her family fled Bosnia during the Yugoslav civil war in 1994 and now lived in Birmingham. Emina wants to thank the doctor who regulates their safe transit. When she is four years old when several routes are safe from the siege. He had the name, but what was saved by a team of foreigners began working with Emina. Returning to Sarajevo and tracking contacts from missing doctors. Finally, Dr Natasa Savic traced to the Netherlands. Where he also fled to a new life, and Emina should meet him and say thank you. It’s enough to make anyone choking.
If I’m churbanish and means, I will show that. It is not too tricky to find Dr Natasa Savic using Google. But I think I will lose the point. Points about being saved by strangers are that you need to reconnect not only with the person. But with whole episode, to become a reconciliation with what you can. And it means more than a few clicks and phone calls.
It would help if you faced places again, like Emina running through a grave. It used as a sniper den in Sarajevo and a 7/7 memorial that is simple but strong in London Russell Square. Near where Karl emerged from the experience of approaching his death. So many of us promise ourselves, we will travel like this, but we never did it. What we have is a version of representative on TV.