Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away!

I don't know what it is about it, but there's just something about this show (which is obviously most likely schadenfreude) that keeps me addicted to see more of it. I know, not something many people agree with, but regardless I just personally have some sort of interest in what can happen when you're in serious debt and need to pay it off.

The one thing I definitely like about this show is that it shows people in various circumstances and seeing how they would be able to pay off their debt. Most of the time they either manage to or put it on a weekly/monthly plan. I myself (thankfully) have never been put in such a situation, although I can be glad that this show warned me of what could happen with bad financial decisions which can lead to so much trouble.

Now obviously there's a very huge breach of privacy for those who actually do make an appearance on this show. That's something I do have a bit of a problem with. If you were to be in a sort of situation this show portrays, obviously you'd not want to publicise it, would you?

Regardless, when it comes to watching (and in some cases binging) this show, it's rather easy to do so and you do kind of get used to the tactics the bailiffs use in order to get situations resolved. Good learning experience.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

As the cost of living is rising and real terms wage increases are proving non-existent, more people around the country are sliding into debt than ever before, and many debts are being left to escalate to the point where it's referred to the High Court. One such HC enforcement group goes by the name of dcbl, which this programme follows the exploits of, as they travel the country, enforcing writs and encountering hostility from many of the debtors.

In this sad, unfortunate world, quality, well written, worthwhile television of the sort that was the norm as recently as two decades ago, has all but evaporated, and the craze for this generation's lazy, easily pleased crowd is the none stop splurge of 'reality TV.' Channel 5 (that, forebodingly, came around two decades ago!) is the main purveyor of this endless stream of cheap, easily made, tackily slapped together pile of programmes that clutter the schedules, and of which Can't Pay? We'll Take It Away (the titles are always similarly lazy and unimaginative!) is one of the more popular examples. But what is even more unsavoury about the existence of these programmes, is the sleazy, voyeuristic thrill we are encouraged to derive from those in desperate, life shattering situations, losing everything and falling into despair, but who are happy to have their personal business broadcast to the public without their faces being blurred, which the generation before would have regarded as nobody else's business, which further shows how far we've fallen as a culture!

While some of the debtors don't have a problem with facing the scorn of society, none of the featured baliffs do, and so we learn of them, their names, and are left to examine the moral ambiguity of them as people, of which some fall far short! A man called Paul Bohill is the most charismatic and surprising of the bunch, still tackling problem debtors and putting himself in potentially volatile situations despite being in his seventies now, but with his age he undoubtedly applies a more calm, reasoned approach to things, along with his frequent partner, the similarly aged Steve Pinner. They are undoubtedly the most shining of the group, but there's also the likes of Brian O' Shaughnessy, who seems to get tangled up with serial killers off screen but, most shockingly of all, the now cancer ridden Delroy Anglin, a former Met police commander who was involved in a scandal involving stolen drugs!

Regardless of whether many of the debtors command sympathy or not, and have only themselves to blame, this is nonetheless still cruel, exploitative television, that invites us to voyeur at people when they're at their lowest and caked in misery, and a shattering indictment of what we as a society now demand as our entertainment. *

Each episode is split between four cases, usually. The last is typically the quickest and easiest for the agents. They are instructed by the high court to collect debt, seize assets, or evict tenants. Every case begins with a summary of how much is owed and why, while the agents are driving to the location written on the high court writ. The beginning of each case is usually the best bit, as people aren't aware of the bailiffs' powers and think they're trespassing. The initial attitude of the debtor is also how they'll usually act for the remainder of the case, so if they're angry at the start then they'll most likely be angry for the entire case.

The best episodes are those with debtors/evictees that are extremely angry and aggressive. In the earlier seasons, the cases were more varied than later, as they didn't just collect debt, they also evicted people and moved travellers. In season 5 for example, the vast majority of cases are a simple debt collection which adds to the repetition factor. I'm guessing this is down to the show being criticised as classist and morally bankrupt for showing people at their low points; however, the show does have people from all walks of life and the agents are polite, respectful, and neutral. I'll admit that there are more working-class people on this show, but I don't think it takes a genius to figure out that someone with money, privilege, and an increased likelihood of financial sense will be more likely to pay a debt than those who lack it.

This show is repetitive. It was made for a traditional TV channel which means it's chock-full of summaries of what's to come and what already occurred before and after every ad break. The length of these recounts are asinine. I believe some editing to fit every case within a single segment would've been preferable, to be honest. To add to the fatigue, the show highlights and narrates a relevant factoid as an interim between each case. I'm pretty sure a lot of them are repeated, but I wouldn't know as I skip over them every time. God, I don't miss cable TV at all.

Due to the professionalism required and the impersonal structure of the show, all the agents are very similar to each other. However, some have more coloured personalities than others, especially in the initial seasons. Paul Bohill and Steven Pinner are seen as the mascots of the show, due to their empathetic dialogues in the earlier seasons. Thankfully, this is one aspect they reduce in later seasons of which I'm a fan of. It's not that I disagree with them, I just disagree with the repetitive nature of it. Again, my biggest gripe with this show is its repetitiveness. Any reduction in that department is preferable, even if it removes some personality from the agents. You'll notice small differences in the agents' personalities, like how Stuart McCracken is stern and prefers to get crackin' on the job rather than playing the empathy game; or how Gary Ball has as much personality as a thumb. Thankfully his partner is one of my favourites, so his segments aren't so bad.

My advice is to watch season one and if you're really enjoying it then keep going, but eventually around season four-to-five you'll start to get bored and notice how safe they're playing it. It's not a bad show, but it went on too long and diminished in quality.

Refreshing take on repo guys. Seen a couple of this type of programming based in America. These guys seem kind and patient compared to USA versions.

Sorry that people end up in these situations but the guys are doing their jobs as professionally as possible. Over there they try to be civil about it, whereas over here it often gets violent and leads to usually vulgar verbal exchanges.

As usual, a tasteful UK example of an unpleasant topic. People sometimes over extend their financial obligations and companies are entitled to try and recoup their losses if possible. Unlike in America the British repo men seem to emphasize with those they are repossessing items from. Several episodes show them showing extreme patience by allowing hours for their clients to try to rectify the problem.

It's unreasonable to blame these folks for the delinquency of the debtors. Not saying each debtor is equal. Some have fallen on hard times due to health, loss of job etc. But others simply bought too much too fast and thought they'd get away with it.

The episode with the race car comes to mind. Seriously dude, a race car? Pay for it already. Lots of luxury items mixed in with the decent folks who are just struggling. Not every episode is the same. Some of the wealthier people shocked be at what they financed and then had the nerve to be hateful when they were finally caught.

Caught the first 2 seasons of this on Netflix. Most of the other reviewers have it plain WRONG as they're critiquing the job, not the show, to which I'd respond "Don't hate the player, hate the game!".

The show follows various different 'high court enforcement officers' in carrying out their daily jobs. Sadly, their job involves repossessing houses, apartments, cars and property from down-on-their- luck members of society, usually with either Sad, Pathetic, Hilarious, or sometimes Violent consequences.

The people they meet come from across the wealth spectrum in the UK, poor, middle class, and also wealthy. What they have in common is they didn't pay their bills; full Stop. If they'd paid, they would never have been in the situation, hence the show's title. Most times their predicament is their own fault (not paying rent for 8 months, house sitting in a mansion and then refusing to leave), but occasionally there's a tale that tugs at the heartstrings.

What people lose sight of is that there's always a 2nd party being wronged...it's not just the tenant being kicked out that's losing something. Several episodes discussed the landlords, who've often bought the property as a long term investment, like the seniors on a pension who can barely make ends meet as their tenant hasn't paid rent in 6 months and who leaves the apartment in a trashed condition to boot! Is it fair to have a system that doesn't have a recourse for them? No. Hence why this job (and the show) exist.

Overall it's a poignant, realistic look at a job that appears both tough and heartless, but plays an INTEGRAL part in keeping the gears of modern society in motion. 7/10.

ps. Would rate higher except the editing is crap...typical repetitive techniques of 'what's coming later' and 'what's already happened' really slow many episodes down.