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Original poster

I'M A BIG SOFTIE... The Gift, BBC 1

12 replies

BehindEveryCloud · 10/02/2015 22:04

Anyone watch it?

I started half way through and thought it was a cheesy drama or something before reading the "info".

I missed the back stories but got the gist... Still shed a couple of tears when the amputee met his rescuer tho, good job I'm watching tv alone Blush AF better hurry up!

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BobblesAndBells · 10/02/2015 22:20

Awww I'm just watching on catchup and came on here to discuss it!

Just getting to the 'Erman the German' story...she's been thinking about him for 56 years... they were only teenagers! goodness me

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BehindEveryCloud · 10/02/2015 22:28

Grin 'Erman the German ... Did they really refer to him as that? Genius

Felt sorry for her! Did she get married to someone else or something? What did she do that she wanted to apologise for?

I missed the back stories, I started half way through when the guy was interviewing the rescuer...

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BobblesAndBells · 10/02/2015 22:34

Haha no they didn't call him that, but it's the first thing that popped into my head (and the way she pronounced his name dropping the 'H' was cute)

The backstory is that they were courting when she was 17, but she was engaged to someone else. Herman wanted to marry her, so she went to break it off with her Fiancee, but shagged him instead (as you do) and got pregnant (as you do), so broke Herman's heart.

She had the baby but 6 months later her Fiancee left her. She married someone else and had a family but was never happy. 56 years on, and she's still obsessed with 'Erman the German, to the point that when her son finds her daydreaming, he knows she's just thinking of 'Erman.

She's desperate to apologise to him.. but to be honest, I think she's flattering herself a bit. I've just got to the bit where Mel visits Herman the American and he doesn't seem that arsed to be honest!!

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BehindEveryCloud · 10/02/2015 23:02

Oooh I wouldn't have guessed the pregnancy stuff! I assumed she had Erman (yes, that's his name now...) on the side but then lost the nerve to tell fiancé.

It's sad that she ended up living a life of regret though, poor Rose (I didn't catch her name). I agree, I thought it might've been better to her to apologise over a letter or phone call even though I know it's not the same! Then he could reminisce about her as a spritely young thing - so in their minds their final 'conversation' would be a bit like the ending of Titanic in terms of how they see each other it probably isn't but I can't really remember the full story right now

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Original poster
BehindEveryCloud · 10/02/2015 23:04

Also, was he actually German? missing the point of their story

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BobblesAndBells · 10/02/2015 23:33

Yes he was German, he moved over to the UK to work after the war, but emigrated to the USA after she broke his heart or so she flatters herself to think

I thought the ending was quite sad - he felt a bit sorry for her. She was apologizing to him for what she did, and he was saying 'hey, don't worry about it, I don't!'. I think reading between the lines, she's desperately sorry for the cock up that she made of her own life, getting pregnant by the wrong guy, marrying someone else that she never loved, and has idolised 'Erman the German as the perfect man that never was. But she's projected that onto him, and made it all about how she needed to apologize to him for breaking his heart. How sad.

As for the NI helicopter hero. I felt sorry for him too. My interpretation of him was that he hadn't led quite the wholesome, fulfilled life that the Welsh guy had done, and saw in him everything that he himself was not. Very telling when he was telling the Welsh guy how he was the soldier every man wants to be when the join the army, and "You've had a family, stayed faithful to your wife..." he may have suffered horrific injuries, but I think Mr Welsh Hero has lead a happier life than Master Falkland.

Aaah, amateur psychologist me!

And yes, I did blub.

NormHonal · 10/02/2015 23:38

Bobbles I think you've got your analysis of both stories spot-on!

BobblesAndBells · 10/02/2015 23:42

I should shuffle over to the Relationships threads and dish out some wisdom....

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BehindEveryCloud · 10/02/2015 23:54

Ah thanks for the detailed analysis! I thought the same with the The German guy and her seeing him as "the one that got away" while he thought "phew, dodged a bullet" and moved on to have a family etc. That's why I thought the meeting was a bit cringe and made me feel more sorry for her. Hope she gets closer though, horrible living with regrets.

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Original poster
BehindEveryCloud · 10/02/2015 23:55

Closure of course, not closer!

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Kinraddie · 11/02/2015 12:08

Didn't you think the show was a poor imitation of Long Lost Family? Same format, similar music, same 'presenter driving along in the car thinking out loud to camera' shots. I liked Mel, wasn't so keen on the bloke.

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BehindEveryCloud · 11/02/2015 14:34

That's not the one with Davina McCall, is it? I thought they were the same programme but just have different presenters... Confused

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