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

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.

It's a show that shows you that you have to be responsible for all of your actions in life. From not paying rent and how your old debt can find you.

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.

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.

As an American, this is an incredible show to watch since the system of High Court Enforcement Agents is something which would *never* function in the United States. Attempting to enter someone's home forcibly and removing property would result in these men being gunned down, especially in places like Texas or other heavy pro-gun conservation states.

While I fully support the 2nd amendment, it does say something that in the UK, even *picking up a knife* is enough to levy serious criminal charges, much less guns, which are nearly impossible to obtain in that country, from what I understand.

Also, the show presents a side of British society hardly ever seen, that of immigrants especially from places like Southeast Asia, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. A lot of the enforcement actions are often against people from these regions, as well as Africa, and while we all know about British Indians (who can forget the British Raj) it's rare to see a British program display the lives and times of these other, lesser known, immigrant groups. What impresses me the most is how the agents deal with such people *exactly the same* as with upper class British who are wealth and better off.

So, a fascinating show, and highly recommended, especially if one is not familiar with the debt collection process in the United Kingdom and how it is enforced. This show will absolutely provide an education.