document_title: Legally Blonde

question_text: what sorority was elle woods in legally blonde

text: Legally Blonde

text: Plot[edit]

text: Fashion merchandising student Elle Woods has everything: rich, pretty, popular, a straight-A student, a handsome boyfriend and is president of her sorority Delta Nu. Elle is taken to an expensive restaurant by her boyfriend, the governor's son, Warner Huntington III. She expects Warner to propose marriage, but he breaks up with her instead, reasoning that she is not serious enough for his political aspirations. Her sorority sisters encourage her to pursue him. After reading a magazine article about Warner's brother getting engaged to a socialite, Elle decides to enroll into law school in order to win back Warner. After much effort, Elle scores a 179 out of 180 on the Law School Admission Test. Her score, combined with her 4.0 GPA, admissions essay video, and strong extracurricular activities, gains her admission into Harvard Law School, where Warner has enrolled.

text: Upon arriving at Harvard, Elle's SoCal personality is in complete contrast to her East Coast classmates' personalities, who refuse to take her seriously. She soon encounters Warner and asks him to meet her later after her first class. Elle struggles to keep up with the reading and is unprepared for a lecture, which causes strict Professor Stromwell, as well as another student Vivian Kensington, to berate her and force her out of the class. Outside in the courtyard, Elle meets Emmett, an associate at Harvard who gives her advice on handling each of her professors. She then meets up with Warner but discovers he's engaged to Vivian, the girl who humiliated her in Stromwell's class. Leaving in a huff, Elle finds the nearest salon to ease her anger and meets Paulette, a beautician who befriends her as she herself recollects all the times a man has rejected her. Paulette’s dog Rufus has been confiscated from her and is now in the hands of her ex. Elle tearfully tells Paulette her situation and Paulette encourages her to "steal the bastard back."

text: Elle tries to blend in with the others, even making an effort to join Warner and his friends in a study group but was unsuccessful. She overhears Vivian inviting people to a party and tells Elle that it was a "costume party" and says that she can come. Elle arrives to the party in a Playboy bunny suit but sees that the party is not a costume party. Elle tells Warner that she intends to apply for Professor Callahan's prestigious internship, but Warner tells her that she is not smart enough and is wasting her time. Elle realizes that Warner will never take her back and finds motivation to prove herself. She does this by helping Paulette reclaim her dog from her ex Dewey Newcomb, stating that their long relationship counts as a common-law marriage, and Paulette should be allowed to keep her dog.

text: After several months of dramatic improvement, Elle, along with Warner, Vivian and another student Enid Wexler, is given a surprise internship at Callahan's law office. Callahan is defending a prominent fitness instructor named Brooke Windham, who is one of Elle's role models and a former member of her sorority. Accused of murdering her wealthy husband, Brooke is unwilling to produce an alibi. She later tells Elle that she was having liposuction at the time of her husband's murder but refused to tell Callahan and the media for fearing it will destroy her career. Discussing the trial, the defending team tries to persuade Elle to reveal Brooke's alibi, which she refuses to do. Warner attempts to convince her, saying if she shares the alibi that Callahan might hire her as a summer associate and to not worry about Brooke and to think about herself. Vivian overhearing this is disgusted with Warner's lack of empathy and ethical stance as a means to get ahead.

text: Elle and Emmett get assigned by Callahan to meet the murder victim's ex-wife at a spa to question her about Brooke. The ex-wife claims that Brooke was a bad stepmother to her daughter Chutney and that Brooke had her eye on the family's pool cleaner, but Elle doesn't believe her. As Elle returns to her dorm-room, she encounters one of her kind, but awkward, classmates attempting to ask a girl on a date. The girl says no and humiliates him. Elle interrupts and feigns having an amazing sexual encounter together in a successful effort to make him seem more desirable. Vivian approaches Elle's dorm to compliment her integrity during the trial. Clearly disturbed by Warner's behavior earlier, she continues to bond with Elle while they make fun of Warner's privileged upbringing and reveals that Warner was put on the wait list when he first applied to Harvard and his father "had to make a call," much to Elle's surprise.

text: Back at the salon, the UPS delivery man catches Paulette’s eye, and Paulette is speechless, not knowing how to communicate with him because she’s that attracted to him. Elle asks Paulette if this was their first time actually talking to each other, and while Paulette is still speechless, Elle decides to teach her, along with the rest of the salon, a technique she learned to captivate boys, called the “Bend and Snap”. Soon Elle is seen teaching the entire salon the Bend and Snap in a hilarious montage, and when Paulette meets eyes with the UPS guy again, she tries the new move on him and ends up breaking his nose in the process.

text: At the trial, Enrique Salvatore, the pool cleaner and the prosecution's main witness, says that he was having an affair with Brooke and that they were planning to run off with her husband's money. Elle deduces that Enrique is gay because he knew the designer brand of the shoes she was wearing, and points out to Emmett that gay men normally know designers and that straight men don't. Brooke recalls that he had once left a 'Cher' tape in the pool house. Armed with this knowledge, Emmett, after cross examination, redirects and then tricks Enrique into outing himself by admitting he has a boyfriend named Chuck; while attempting to deny the revelation, Chuck himself stands up and effeminately shouts "You Bitch!" before storming out of the courtroom. In an uproar, the judge calls for order and dismisses Enrique while the trial resumes.

text: Apparently impressed, Callahan asks Elle to meet him in his office later that evening. In his office that evening, Callahan makes a pass at Elle while offering to "discuss the future of her career." Vivian, approaching the office, saw Callahan trying to seduce Elle, and assuming that Elle was willing and had been relying on her attractiveness to succeed. Vivian storms out of Callahan's office, telling Elle that the only reason Elle has gotten this far is because of her attractiveness. Despondent, Elle decides to quit the internship.

text: As she was preparing to move back to California, Elle stops at the salon to say goodbye to Paulette. She tells her that, despite other people not taking her seriously, the internship made her feel confident about herself but that Callahan only gave it to her because he wanted to have sex with her. As she was about to drop out of law school and leave, Professor Stromwell, who happened to be at the salon, reassures and motivates her to want to stay. Later on, Emmett explains to Brooke how Callahan's behavior caused Elle to quit her internship, and Vivian now regrets her judgment of Elle. Brooke happily fires Callahan as she enters the courtroom and reveals Elle as his replacement for her defense. Despite her law student status, Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court ruling 3.03 allows Elle to legally appear on a defendant's behalf under the supervision of a licensed attorney. Callahan refuses to sponsor her, but Emmett immediately accepts to supervise instead. Nervous at first, Elle cross-examines Brooke's step-daughter Chutney. Chutney claims she did not hear the gun shot because she was upstairs taking a shower at the time of the apparent murder. Elle catches Chutney in a lie when she says she had gotten a perm done less than 24 hours prior to the incident. Elle confidently lures Chutney to expose her faulty alibi and correctly points out that applying water and shampoo to the hair within the 24 hour period deactivates the ammonium thioglycolate used in perming hair. She continues to cross-examine Chutney on how anyone who had sustained as many as 30+ perm treatments in their life would be "well aware of this rule". Now in a panic, Chutney tears up and unwittingly reveals that she intended to shoot Brooke but accidentally shot and killed her father by mistake, thinking it was Brooke that entered the house.

text: Elle had won her first case and all the charges against Brooke are dismissed. Chutney is taken into custody. Warner approaches Elle and tells her that he loves her and tries to convince her to take him back. She rejects his advances and mocks him by repeating his earlier line that she wasn't serious enough for him, and cuts her ties with him. Two years later, Elle graduates from Harvard and gives the graduation speech. Vivian broke off her engagement to Warner and is now Elle's best friend. Warner has graduated with no honors, no girlfriend, and no job offers. Paulette ended up marrying the UPS guy, and they are expecting their first child together, a girl they plan to name after Elle. Emmett has started his own firm and he and Elle have been dating since the trial, and he plans to propose to her later that night.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods
Luke Wilson as Emmett Richmond
Matthew Davis as Warner Huntington III
Selma Blair as Vivian Kensington
Victor Garber as Prof. Callahan
Jennifer Coolidge as Paulette Bonafonté
Holland Taylor as Prof. Stromwell
Ali Larter as Brooke Taylor-Windham
Jessica Cauffiel and Alanna Ubach as Margot and Serena, close friends of Elle.
Oz Perkins as David Kidney
Linda Cardellini as Chutney Windham, Brooke's stepdaughter.
Raquel Welch as Mrs. Windham-Vandermark, Chutney's mother and Mr. Windham's ex-wife.
Bruce Thomas as the UPS guy, Paulette’s crush and soon-to-be husband.

text: Production[edit]

text: Principal photography took place from 10 October until 19 December 2000

text: Although the film is set at Harvard University, it was filmed at the University of Southern California,[6] University of California, Los Angeles,[7] California Institute of Technology, and Rose City High School in Pasadena, California. The graduation scene was filmed at Dulwich College in London, England, since Witherspoon was in that city filming The Importance of Being Earnest. Harvard University appears in the film briefly in certain aerial shots.

text: In the novel and original script, Warner and Elle attend Stanford Law School. Stanford, however, disapproved of the script.[8]

text: The producers intentionally gave Elle a different hairstyle for every scene.

text: The opening song and main theme, "Perfect Day", was performed by Hoku.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Legally Blonde was released on July 13, 2001 in North America. Its opening weekend gross of $20 million[2] made it a sleeper hit for the struggling MGM studio, and it went on to gross $96.5 million in North America and $45.2 million elsewhere, for a worldwide total of $141.7 million.[2] The film was released in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2001, and opened on #2, behind American Pie 2.[9]

text: The film was a critical success. Based on 130 reviews, collected by review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 68% of the critics gave Legally Blonde positive ratings, ranking the film as "fresh". Most reviews praised Reese Witherspoon's lead performance, although some denigrated the overall film.[10] Metacritic reported that the film had an average score of 59, based on 31 reviews.[11] At the 2001 Golden Globe Awards ceremony, the film was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy. The same year, Witherspoon was also nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy.[12]

text: The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

text:
2008: AFI's 10 Top 10:

Nominated Courtroom Drama Film[13]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text: A soundtrack album was released in 2001 on A&M Records, including the songs:

text:
"Watch Me Shine" by Joanna Pacitti
"Sound of Milwaukee" by Fatboy Slim
"Can't Get Me Down" by Lo-Ball
"We Could Still Belong Together" by Lisa Loeb
"Don't Need You To (Tell Me I'm Pretty)" by Samantha Mumba
"One Girl Revolution" by Superchick
"Magic" by The Black Eyed Peas featuring Terry Dexter
"Sex Machine" by Mýa
"That's the Way (I Like It)" by KC and the Sunshine Band
"You Sexy Thing" by Hot Chocolate
"Get Down on It" by Kool & the Gang
"Love Is a Beautiful Thing" by Krystal
"A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton
"Baby, Come on Over" by Samantha Mumba
"Perfect Day" by Hoku
"Ooh La La" by Valeria

text: Musical[edit]

text: In February 2007, a musical adaptation premiered on Broadway to mixed reviews, starring Laura Bell Bundy as Elle, Christian Borle as Emmett, Orfeh as Paulette, Nikki Snelson as Brooke, Richard H. Blake as Warner, Kate Shindle as Vivienne, and Michael Rupert as Callahan. Other cast members included Andy Karl, Leslie Kritzer, Annaleigh Ashford, DeQuina Moore, and Natalie Joy Johnson. The show, Bundy, Borle, and Orfeh were all nominated for Tony Awards. Later, the Broadway show was the focus of an MTV reality-TV series called Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods, in which the winner would take over the role of Elle on Broadway. Bailey Hanks from Anderson, South Carolina, won the competition.

text: Legally Blonde had a successful run at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End, starring Sheridan Smith, Susan McFadden, and Carley Stenson as Elle, and Duncan James, Richard Fleeshman, Simon Thomas, and Ben Freeman as Warner. During the three-year run, the cast also included Alex Gaumond, Denise Van Outen, and Lee Mead.


document_title: Recession

question_text: when is the economy considered to be in a recession

root

text: Recession

text: Definition[edit]

text: In a 1979 New York Times article, economic statistician Julius Shiskin suggested several rules of thumb for defining a recession, one of which was two down consecutive quarters of GDP.[5] In time, the other rules of thumb were forgotten. Some economists prefer a definition of a 1.5-2 percentage points rise in unemployment within 12 months.[6]

tag: p

text: In the United States, the Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) is generally seen as the authority for dating US recessions. The NBER defines an economic recession as: "a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real GDP, real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales."[7] Almost universally, academics, economists, policy makers, and businesses defer to the determination by the NBER for the precise dating of a recession's onset and end.

text: In the United Kingdom, recessions are generally defined as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth, as measured by the seasonal adjusted quarter-on-quarter figures for real GDP.[3][4] The exact same recession definition applies for all member states of the European Union. [8]

text: Attributes[edit]

text: A recession has many attributes that can occur simultaneously and includes declines in component measures of economic activity (GDP) such as consumption, investment, government spending, and net export activity. These summary measures reflect underlying drivers such as employment levels and skills, household savings rates, corporate investment decisions, interest rates, demographics, and government policies.

text: Economist Richard C. Koo wrote that under ideal conditions, a country's economy should have the household sector as net savers and the corporate sector as net borrowers, with the government budget nearly balanced and net exports near zero.[9][10] When these relationships become imbalanced, recession can develop within the country or create pressure for recession in another country. Policy responses are often designed to drive the economy back towards this ideal state of balance.

text: A severe (GDP down by 10%) or prolonged (three or four years) recession is referred to as an economic depression, although some argue that their causes and cures can be different.[6] As an informal shorthand, economists sometimes refer to different recession shapes, such as V-shaped, U-shaped, L-shaped and W-shaped recessions.

text: Type of recession or shape[edit]

text: The type and shape of recessions are distinctive. In the US, V-shaped, or short-and-sharp contractions followed by rapid and sustained recovery, occurred in 1954 and 1990–91; U-shaped (prolonged slump) in 1974–75, and W-shaped, or double-dip recessions in 1949 and 1980–82. Japan’s 1993–94 recession was U-shaped and its 8-out-of-9 quarters of contraction in 1997–99 can be described as L-shaped. Korea, Hong Kong and South-east Asia experienced U-shaped recessions in 1997–98, although Thailand’s eight consecutive quarters of decline should be termed L-shaped.[11]

text: Psychological aspects[edit]

text: Recessions have psychological and confidence aspects. For example, if companies expect economic activity to slow, they may reduce employment levels and save money rather than invest. Such expectations can create a self-reinforcing downward cycle, bringing about or worsening a recession.[12] Consumer confidence is one measure used to evaluate economic sentiment.[13] The term animal spirits has been used to describe the psychological factors underlying economic activity. Economist Robert J. Shiller wrote that the term "...refers also to the sense of trust we have in each other, our sense of fairness in economic dealings, and our sense of the extent of corruption and bad faith. When animal spirits are on ebb, consumers do not want to spend and businesses do not want to make capital expenditures or hire people."[14]

text: Balance sheet recession[edit]

text: High levels of indebtedness or the bursting of a real estate or financial asset price bubble can cause what is called a "balance sheet recession." This is when large numbers of consumers or corporations pay down debt (i.e., save) rather than spend or invest, which slows the economy. The term balance sheet derives from an accounting identity that holds that assets must always equal the sum of liabilities plus equity. If asset prices fall below the value of the debt incurred to purchase them, then the equity must be negative, meaning the consumer or corporation is insolvent. Economist Paul Krugman wrote in 2014 that "the best working hypothesis seems to be that the financial crisis was only one manifestation of a broader problem of excessive debt--that it was a so-called "balance sheet recession." In Krugman's view, such crises require debt reduction strategies combined with higher government spending to offset declines from the private sector as it pays down its debt.[15]

text: For example, economist Richard Koo wrote that Japan's "Great Recession" that began in 1990 was a "balance sheet recession." It was triggered by a collapse in land and stock prices, which caused Japanese firms to have negative equity, meaning their assets were worth less than their liabilities. Despite zero interest rates and expansion of the money supply to encourage borrowing, Japanese corporations in aggregate opted to pay down their debts from their own business earnings rather than borrow to invest as firms typically do. Corporate investment, a key demand component of GDP, fell enormously (22% of GDP) between 1990 and its peak decline in 2003. Japanese firms overall became net savers after 1998, as opposed to borrowers. Koo argues that it was massive fiscal stimulus (borrowing and spending by the government) that offset this decline and enabled Japan to maintain its level of GDP. In his view, this avoided a U.S. type Great Depression, in which U.S. GDP fell by 46%. He argued that monetary policy was ineffective because there was limited demand for funds while firms paid down their liabilities. In a balance sheet recession, GDP declines by the amount of debt repayment and un-borrowed individual savings, leaving government stimulus spending as the primary remedy.[9][10][16][17]

text: Krugman discussed the balance sheet recession concept during 2010, agreeing with Koo's situation assessment and view that sustained deficit spending when faced with a balance sheet recession would be appropriate. However, Krugman argued that monetary policy could also affect savings behavior, as inflation or credible promises of future inflation (generating negative real interest rates) would encourage less savings. In other words, people would tend to spend more rather than save if they believe inflation is on the horizon. In more technical terms, Krugman argues that the private sector savings curve is elastic even during a balance sheet recession (responsive to changes in real interest rates) disagreeing with Koo's view that it is inelastic (non-responsive to changes in real interest rates).[18][19]

text: A July 2012 survey of balance sheet recession research reported that consumer demand and employment are affected by household leverage levels. Both durable and non-durable goods consumption declined as households moved from low to high leverage with the decline in property values experienced during the subprime mortgage crisis. Further, reduced consumption due to higher household leverage can account for a significant decline in employment levels. Policies that help reduce mortgage debt or household leverage could therefore have stimulative effects.[20][21]

text: Liquidity trap[edit]

text: A liquidity trap is a Keynesian theory that a situation can develop in which interest rates reach near zero (zero interest-rate policy) yet do not effectively stimulate the economy. In theory, near-zero interest rates should encourage firms and consumers to borrow and spend. However, if too many individuals or corporations focus on saving or paying down debt rather than spending, lower interest rates have less effect on investment and consumption behavior; the lower interest rates are like "pushing on a string." Economist Paul Krugman described the U.S. 2009 recession and Japan's lost decade as liquidity traps. One remedy to a liquidity trap is expanding the money supply via quantitative easing or other techniques in which money is effectively printed to purchase assets, thereby creating inflationary expectations that cause savers to begin spending again. Government stimulus spending and mercantilist policies to stimulate exports and reduce imports are other techniques to stimulate demand.[22] He estimated in March 2010 that developed countries representing 70% of the world's GDP were caught in a liquidity trap.[23]

text: Paradoxes of thrift and deleveraging[edit]

text: Behavior that may be optimal for an individual (e.g., saving more during adverse economic conditions) can be detrimental if too many individuals pursue the same behavior, as ultimately one person's consumption is another person's income. Too many consumers attempting to save (or pay down debt) simultaneously is called the paradox of thrift and can cause or deepen a recession. Economist Hyman Minsky also described a "paradox of deleveraging" as financial institutions that have too much leverage (debt relative to equity) cannot all de-leverage simultaneously without significant declines in the value of their assets.[24]

text: During April 2009, U.S. Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen discussed these paradoxes: "Once this massive credit crunch hit, it didn’t take long before we were in a recession. The recession, in turn, deepened the credit crunch as demand and employment fell, and credit losses of financial institutions surged. Indeed, we have been in the grips of precisely this adverse feedback loop for more than a year. A process of balance sheet deleveraging has spread to nearly every corner of the economy. Consumers are pulling back on purchases, especially on durable goods, to build their savings. Businesses are cancelling planned investments and laying off workers to preserve cash. And, financial institutions are shrinking assets to bolster capital and improve their chances of weathering the current storm. Once again, Minsky understood this dynamic. He spoke of the paradox of deleveraging, in which precautions that may be smart for individuals and firms—and indeed essential to return the economy to a normal state—nevertheless magnify the distress of the economy as a whole."[24]

text: Predictors[edit]

text: There are no known completely reliable predictors, but the following are considered possible predictors.[25]

text:
Inverted yield curve,[26] the model developed by economist Jonathan H. Wright, uses yields on 10-year and three-month Treasury securities as well as the Fed's overnight funds rate.[27] Another model developed by Federal Reserve Bank of New York economists uses only the 10-year/three-month spread. It is, however, not a definite indicator;[28]
The three-month change in the unemployment rate and initial jobless claims.[29]
Index of Leading (Economic) Indicators (includes some of the above indicators).[30]
Lowering of asset prices, such as homes and financial assets, or high personal and corporate debt levels.

tag: ul

text: Government responses[edit]

text: Most mainstream economists believe that recessions are caused by inadequate aggregate demand in the economy, and favor the use of expansionary macroeconomic policy during recessions. Strategies favored for moving an economy out of a recession vary depending on which economic school the policymakers follow. Monetarists would favor the use of expansionary monetary policy, while Keynesian economists may advocate increased government spending to spark economic growth. Supply-side economists may suggest tax cuts to promote business capital investment. When interest rates reach the boundary of an interest rate of zero percent (zero interest-rate policy) conventional monetary policy can no longer be used and government must use other measures to stimulate recovery. Keynesians argue that fiscal policy—tax cuts or increased government spending—works when monetary policy fails. Spending is more effective because of its larger multiplier but tax cuts take effect faster.

text: For example, Paul Krugman wrote in December 2010 that significant, sustained government spending was necessary because indebted households were paying down debts and unable to carry the U.S. economy as they had previously: "The root of our current troubles lies in the debt American families ran up during the Bush-era housing bubble...highly indebted Americans not only can’t spend the way they used to, they’re having to pay down the debts they ran up in the bubble years. This would be fine if someone else were taking up the slack. But what’s actually happening is that some people are spending much less while nobody is spending more — and this translates into a depressed economy and high unemployment. What the government should be doing in this situation is spending more while the private sector is spending less, supporting employment while those debts are paid down. And this government spending needs to be sustained..."[31]

text: Stock market[edit]

text: Some recessions have been anticipated by stock market declines. In Stocks for the Long Run, Siegel mentions that since 1948, ten recessions were preceded by a stock market decline, by a lead time of 0 to 13 months (average 5.7 months), while ten stock market declines of greater than 10% in the Dow Jones Industrial Average were not followed by a recession.[32]

text: The real-estate market also usually weakens before a recession.[33] However real-estate declines can last much longer than recessions.[34]

text: Since the business cycle is very hard to predict, Siegel argues that it is not possible to take advantage of economic cycles for timing investments. Even the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) takes a few months to determine if a peak or trough has occurred in the US.[35]

text: During an economic decline, high yield stocks such as fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and tobacco tend to hold up better.[36] However, when the economy starts to recover and the bottom of the market has passed (sometimes identified on charts as a MACD[37]), growth stocks tend to recover faster. There is significant disagreement about how health care and utilities tend to recover.[38] Diversifying one's portfolio into international stocks may provide some safety; however, economies that are closely correlated with that of the U.S. may also be affected by a recession in the U.S.[39]

text: There is a view termed the halfway rule[40] according to which investors start discounting an economic recovery about halfway through a recession. In the 16 U.S. recessions since 1919, the average length has been 13 months, although the recent recessions have been shorter. Thus if the 2008 recession followed the average, the downturn in the stock market would have bottomed around November 2008. The actual US stock market bottom of the 2008 recession was in March 2009.

text: Politics[edit]

text: Generally an administration gets credit or blame for the state of economy during its time.[41] This has caused disagreements about on actually started.[42] In an economic cycle, a downturn can be considered a consequence of an expansion reaching an unsustainable state, and is corrected by a brief decline. Thus it is not easy to isolate the causes of specific phases of the cycle.

text: The 1981 recession is thought to have been caused by the tight-money policy adopted by Paul Volcker, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, before Ronald Reagan took office. Reagan supported that policy. Economist Walter Heller, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in the 1960s, said that "I call it a Reagan-Volcker-Carter recession.[43] The resulting taming of inflation did, however, set the stage for a robust growth period during Reagan's administration.

text: Economists usually teach that to some degree recession is unavoidable, and its causes are not well understood. Consequently, modern government administrations attempt to take steps, also not agreed upon, to soften a recession.

text: Consequences[edit]

text: Unemployment[edit]

text: Unemployment is particularly high during a recession. Many economists working within the neoclassical paradigm argue that there is a natural rate of unemployment which, when subtracted from the actual rate of unemployment, can be used to calculate the negative GDP gap during a recession. In other words, unemployment never reaches 0 percent, and thus is not a negative indicator of the health of an economy unless above the "natural rate," in which case it corresponds directly to a loss in gross domestic product, or GDP.[44]

text: The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (August 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

tag: table

text: The full impact of a recession on employment may not be felt for several quarters. Research in Britain shows that low-skilled, low-educated workers and the young are most vulnerable to unemployment[45] in a downturn. After recessions in Britain in the 1980s and 1990s, it took five years for unemployment to fall back to its original levels.[46] Many companies often expect employment discrimination claims to rise during a recession.[47]

text: Business[edit]

text: Productivity tends to fall in the early stages of a recession, then rises again as weaker firms close. The variation in profitability between firms rises sharply. Recessions have also provided opportunities for anti-competitive mergers, with a negative impact on the wider economy: the suspension of competition policy in the United States in the 1930s may have extended the Great Depression.[46]

text: Social effects[edit]

text: The living standards of people dependent on wages and salaries are not more affected by recessions than those who rely on fixed incomes or welfare benefits. The loss of a job is known to have a negative impact on the stability of families, and individuals' health and well-being. Fixed income benefits receive small cuts which make it tougher to survive.[46]

text: History[edit]

text: Global[edit]

text: According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), "Global recessions seem to occur over a cycle lasting between eight and 10 years."[48] The IMF takes many factors into account when defining a global recession. Until April 2009, IMF several times communicated to the press, that a global annual real GDP growth of 3.0 percent or less in their view was "...equivalent to a global recession."[49][50] By this measure, six periods since 1970 qualify: 1974–1975,[51] 1980–1983,[51] 1990–1993,[51][52] 1998,[51][52] 2001–2002,[51][52] and 2008–2009.[53] During what IMF in April 2002 termed the past three global recessions of the last three decades, global per capita output growth was zero or negative, and IMF argued—at that time—that because of the opposite being found for 2001, the economic state in this year by itself did not qualify as a global recession.[48]

text: In April 2009, IMF had changed their Global recession definition to:

text: A decline in annual per‑capita real World GDP (purchasing power parity weighted), backed up by a decline or worsening for one or more of the seven other global macroeconomic indicators: Industrial production, trade, capital flows, oil consumption, unemployment rate, per‑capita investment, and per‑capita consumption.[54][55]

text: By this new definition, a total of four global recessions took place since World War II: 1975, 1982, 1991 and 2009. All of them only lasted one year, although the third would have lasted three years (1991–93) if IMF as criteria had used the normal exchange rate weighted per‑capita real World GDP rather than the purchase power parity weighted per‑capita real World GDP.[54][55]

text: Australia[edit]

text: The worst recession Australia has ever suffered happened in the beginning of the 1930s. As a result of late 1920s profit issues in agriculture and cutbacks, 1931-1932 saw Australia’s biggest recession in its entire history. It fared better than other nations, that underwent depressions, but their poor economic states influenced Australia’s as well, that depended on them for export, as well as foreign investments. The nation also benefited from bigger productivity in manufacturing, facilitated by trade protection, which also helped with feeling the effects less.

text: Due to a credit squeeze, the economy had gone into a brief recession in 1961 Australia was facing a rising level of inflation in 1973, caused partially by the oil crisis happening in that same year, which brought inflation at a 13% increase. Economic recession hit by the middle of the year 1974, with no change in policy enacted by the government as a measure to counter the economic situation of the country. Consequently, the unemployment level rose and the trade deficit increased significantly.[56]

text: Another recession – the most recent one to date – came in the 1990s, at the beginning of the decade. It was the result of a major stock collapse in 1987, in October,[57] referred to now as Black Monday. Although the collapse was larger than the one in 1929, the global economy recovered quickly, but North America still suffered a decline in lumbering savings and loans, which led to a crisis. The recession wasn’t limited to only America, but it also affected partnering nations, such as Australia. The unemployment level increased to 10.8%, employment declined by 3.4% and the GDP also decreased as much as 1.7%. Inflation, however, was successfully reduced.

text: United Kingdom[edit]

text: The most recent recession to affect the United Kingdom was the late-2000s recession.

text: United States[edit]

text: This article duplicates the scope of other articles. Please discuss this issue on the talk page and edit it to conform with Wikipedia's Manual of Style. (October 2013)

text: According to economists, since 1854, the U.S. has encountered 32 cycles of expansions and contractions, with an average of 17 months of contraction and 38 months of expansion.[7] However, since 1980 there have been only eight periods of negative economic growth over one fiscal quarter or more,[58] and four periods considered recessions:

text:
July 1981 – November 1982: 15 months
July 1990 – March 1991: 8 months
March 2001 – November 2001: 8 months
December 2007 – June 2009: 18 months[59][60]

text: For the past three recessions, the NBER decision has approximately conformed with the definition involving two consecutive quarters of decline. While the 2001 recession did not involve two consecutive quarters of decline, it was preceded by two quarters of alternating decline and weak growth.[58]

text: Late 2000s[edit]

text: Official economic data shows that a substantial number of nations were in recession as of early 2009. The US entered a recession at the end of 2007,[61] and 2008 saw many other nations follow suit. The US recession of 2007 ended in June 2009[62] as the nation entered the current economic recovery.

text: United States[edit]

text: The United States housing market correction (a possible consequence of United States housing bubble) and subprime mortgage crisis significantly contributed to a recession.

text: The 2007–2009 recession saw private consumption fall for the first time in nearly 20 years. This indicates the depth and severity of the current recession. With consumer confidence so low, recovery takes a long time. Consumers in the U.S. have been hard hit by the current recession, with the value of their houses dropping and their pension savings decimated on the stock market. Not only have consumers watched their wealth being eroded – they are now fearing for their jobs as unemployment rises.[63]

text: U.S. employers shed 63,000 jobs in February 2008,[64] the most in five years. Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan said on 6 April 2008 that "There is more than a 50 percent chance the United States could go into recession."[65] On 1 October, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that an additional 156,000 jobs had been lost in September. On 29 April 2008, Moody's declared that nine US states were in a recession. In November 2008, employers eliminated 533,000 jobs, the largest single month loss in 34 years.[66] For 2008, an estimated 2.6 million U.S. jobs were eliminated.[67]

text: The unemployment rate in the US grew to 8.5 percent in March 2009, and there were 5.1 million job losses until March 2009 since the recession began in December 2007.[68] That was about five million more people unemployed compared to just a year prior,[69] which was the largest annual jump in the number of unemployed persons since the 1940s.[70]

text: Although the US Economy grew in the first quarter by 1%,[71][72] by June 2008 some analysts stated that due to a protracted credit crisis and "...rampant inflation in commodities such as oil, food, and steel," the country was nonetheless in a recession.[73] The third quarter of 2008 brought on a GDP retraction of 0.5%[74] the biggest decline since 2001. The 6.4% decline in spending during Q3 on non-durable goods, like clothing and food, was the largest since 1950.[75]

text: A 17 November 2008 report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia based on the survey of 51 forecasters, suggested that the recession started in April 2008 and would last 14 months.[76] They project real GDP declining at an annual rate of 2.9% in the fourth quarter and 1.1% in the first quarter of 2009. These forecasts represent significant downward revisions from the forecasts of three months ago.

text: A 1 December 2008, report from the National Bureau of Economic Research stated that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007 (when economic activity peaked), based on a number of measures including job losses, declines in personal income, and declines in real GDP.[77] By July 2009 a growing number of economists believed that the recession may have ended.[78][79] The National Bureau of Economic Research announced on 20 September 2010 that the 2008/2009 recession ended in June 2009, making it the longest recession since World War II.[80]

text: Other countries[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Many other countries, particularly in Europe, have undergone negative GDP growth. Some countries have been able to avoid a recession but have still experienced slower economic activity, such as China. India and Australia were able to maintain positive growth throughout the late-2000s recession.

text: China had their stock market crash, which began with the popping of the stock market bubble on 12 July 2015.


document_title: Happy Gilmore

question_text: who plays the homeless caddy in happy gilmore

text: Happy Gilmore

text: Plot[edit]

text: Happy Gilmore is an aspiring ice hockey player who possesses a powerful and dangerous slapshot that his father taught him as a child before he was apparently struck and killed by a wayward hockey puck, though his overaggressive nature (which once resulted in him trying to stab a guy to death with an ice skate) and lack of skating talent consistently preclude him from joining a hockey team. His girlfriend Terry, a schoolteacher, leaves him because of his hockey obsession.

text: His grandmother, who raised him after his father's death, has not paid her taxes for many years. As such, she owes the IRS $270,000 in back taxes, and her house is about to be repossessed. Happy has only ninety days to come up with the money or else the house will be auctioned off. Grandma Gilmore is forced to temporarily move into a retirement home, run by a sadistic manager named Hal. While repossessing his Grandma's furniture, a pair of removals men challenge Happy to hit golf balls. With his unorthodox, hockey slapshot-style swing, Happy hits a ball that strikes a house some 400 yards away. He wins $40 after the guys bet he can't do it again. As a result, he starts hustling golfers with his swing at the driving range. He is spotted by Chubbs Peterson, a one-handed former golf star and current club pro, who convinces Happy to enter a local tournament for a chance to win "big bucks". Happy wins the tournament and earns a spot on the Pro Golf Tour, though Chubbs advises him to wait six months so he can improve Happy's short game. However, Happy enters the Pro Golf Tour immediately, knowing that he has to come up with the money before the house is auctioned off.

text: On the tour, Happy encounters Shooter McGavin, who sees Happy as both a detriment to golf and a threat to his career. Although Happy has a powerful drive, his putting is terrible, and his violent outbursts and lack of golf etiquette quickly draw the attention of Commissioner Doug Thompson who wants to expel him from the tour. PR head Virginia Venit convinces him to reconsider, citing higher television ratings, increasing attendance, and drawing more youthful sponsors, while offering to work with Gilmore on his anger issues. Thompson threatens to fire her as well if there are any further incidents; Happy begins to improve his performance and behavior, but he is fined $25,000 and given a one-month suspension after a full-scale brawl with Bob Barker during a Pro-Am tournament.

text: Despite bidding $275,000 from his endorsement deal with Subway at the house auction, Happy is outbid by McGavin who has purchased the house for $350,000. This forces Happy to make a bet with his rival based on the upcoming Tour Championship: if Happy wins, McGavin will give up the house, and if McGavin wins, Happy must quit the tour for good. Happy seeks the help of Chubbs, admitting his past mistakes, and the two head to a mini-golf course. Happy makes good progress, and later that night in his apartment, he presents Chubbs with a gift – the head of the alligator that bit his hand off years ago. However, Chubbs is startled by this and backs up, causing him to fall to his death through an open window.

text: Determined to win the tournament for Chubbs, Happy is evenly matched with Shooter after the first two rounds and leads Shooter by the end of the third day. On the fourth and final day, multiple unusual scenarios occur between both Happy and Shooter, with the latter losing after the former succeeds in holing a trick shot learned from Chubbs. Afterwards, an angry and hysterical Shooter attempts to steal Happy's gold jacket, but is chased down by Happy's former boss Mr. Larson and an angry mob of spectators and is brutally beaten. Back at Grandma's house, the film closes with Happy being congratulated by the two-handed ghost of Chubbs, Abraham Lincoln, and the alligator, as Grandma, Virginia, and his homeless caddy look on in confusion.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Adam Sandler as Happy Gilmore, a high-strung former hockey player who discovers a unique talent for golf.
Christopher McDonald as Shooter McGavin, an arrogant golfer who is one of the top stars of the Pro Golf Tour.
Julie Bowen as Virginia Venit, a public relations director for the Pro Golf Tour who becomes Happy's romantic interest.
Frances Bay as Grandma Gilmore.
Carl Weathers as Chubbs Peterson, a pro golfer who was forced to retire early when his hand was bitten off by an alligator. Weathers reprises the role in Sandler's 2000 film Little Nicky, despite Little Nicky being produced by New Line Cinema.
Allen Covert as Otto, a homeless man who becomes Happy's caddy. The character is unnamed in the film (although his name is revealed in a deleted scene but is listed in the end credits). Covert reprises the role in Sandler's 2011 film Jack and Jill.
Kevin Nealon as Gary Potter, an eccentric pro who Happy plays with in his first tournament.
Peter Kelamis as Gary Potter's caddy.
Richard Kiel as Mr. Larson, Happy's towering former boss.
Dennis Dugan as Doug Thompson, the commissioner of the Pro Golf Tour.
Joe Flaherty as Donald, an unruly fan hired by Shooter to distract Happy.
Jared Van Snellenberg as Happy Gilmore's caddy at the Waterbury Open.
Will Sasso as mover
Lee Trevino as himself
Bob Barker as himself
Verne Lundquist as himself
Mark Lye as himself
Ben Stiller as Hal L. (uncredited), the sadistic orderly running the nursing home

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical response [edit]

text: On the film review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, they received a 60% rating based on 52 reviews with a consensus review of "Those who enjoy Adam Sandler's schtick will find plenty to love in this gleefully juvenile take on professional golf; those who don't, however, will find it unfunny and forgettable."[2] On Metacritic, It holds a 31% rating based on 14 reviews, indicating "Generally unfavorable reviews." [3] Brian Lowry of Variety stated that "The general tone nevertheless makes it difficult to elevate the gags beyond an occasional chuckle". Lowry only noted a few scenes he found inspired, including the fight scene with Bob Barker and when Happy attempts to find his "Happy Place" which was described as "Felliniesque".[4] Roger Ebert gave the film one and a half stars out of four, stating that Adam Sandler's character "doesn't have a pleasing personality: He seems angry even when he's not supposed to be, and his habit of pounding everyone he dislikes is tiring in a PG-13 movie". Ebert also noted the film's product placement stating that he "probably missed a few, but I counted Diet Pepsi, Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Subway, Budweiser (in bottles, cans, and Bud-dispensing helmets), Michelob, Visa cards, Bell Atlantic, AT&T, Sizzler, Red Lobster, Wilson, Golf Digest, the ESPN sports network, and Top-Flite golf balls".[5]

text: Ratings effect[edit]

text: The scene with Barker beating up Gilmore increased ratings for The Price Is Right amongst younger demographics. Barker claimed that someone in the audience asked him about Happy Gilmore almost every day. The show's producers had previously tried, but failed, to appeal to a younger demographic with a syndicated variation of the game hosted by Doug Davidson.

text: Box office [edit]

text: The film was a commercial success, ranking #2 at the US box office on its debut weekend with $8.5 million in revenue. The film was made for $12 million and grossed a total of $41.2 million worldwide, with $38.8 million of that at the North American domestic box office.[1]

text: Legacy[edit]

text: Golf.com, Consequence of Sound, and Golf Digest discussed the film, predominantly praising the villain Shooter McGavin.[6][7][8] Other articles have covered relatively unknown trivial facts, such as Carl Weathers's missing arm, which was the same arm from the movie Predator, and the number of times nurse orderly Hal committed nursing home abuse.[9][10]

text: The "Happy Gilmore swing," featuring a walking or running approach, is often imitated or attempted for fun, including by touring golf professionals.[11] Three-time major champion Pádraig Harrington is particularly well known for his impression and even uses the technique in training.[12] The TV series Sport Science has featured Harrington's "Happy Gilmore swing," demonstrating how it can indeed generate additional distance, though at the cost of accuracy.[13]

text: Long drive champion and professional golfer Jamie Sadlowski, also a former hockey player who can hit golf balls over 400 yards, has been called "the real-life version of Happy Gilmore."[14]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Result

1997
Kid's Choice Awards
Best Movie
Nominated

1996
MTV Movie Award
Best Comedic Performance - Adam Sandler
Nominated

1996
MTV Movie Award
Best Fight - Adam Sandler and Bob Barker
Won

text: Pop culture references[edit]

text: In 2015, Adam Sandler and Bob Barker performed a sketch as part of "Comedy Central's Night of Too Many Stars" (in support of Autism Awareness). In the sketch, the two engage in another fight similar to the one in the movie this time in a hospital with both dying when each uses a sample of ebola as a biological weapon against the other. The end of the sketch has the two fighting in heaven, with Carl Weathers (as Chubbs) criticizing Sandler (calling him Happy), then quickly relenting and telling him to "kick his (Barker's) ass." The alligator and Abraham Lincoln are also seen.


document_title: Driving licence in India

question_text: minimum age to drive transport vehicle in india

text: Driving licence in India

text: Background[edit]

text: Applications for a provisional driving licence can be made from the age of 16. Valid for driving a moped or gearless motorcycle (with a capacity of up to 50 cc) from aged 16,[1] and a car from aged 16 or older to drive any other type of vehicle.[2] The common "All India Permit" allows the licensee to drive throughout the country.[3] For driving commercial/transport vehicles, one should obtain endorsement (and a minimum age of 20 years, in some states) in the driving licence to effect under s.3(1) of The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Until a driving test (which consists of three sections: verbal or written test (depending on the state), road sign test followed by a supervised driving examination)[4] has been passed a driver may hold only a provisional licence and be subject to certain conditions.

text: The conditions attached to provisional licences of a particular category of vehicle are:[2]

text:
L-plates must be conspicuously displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle.
Learner drivers of a particular category and transmission type of vehicle must be accompanied by somebody who has held a full driving licence for that category and transmission type, except in the case of solo motorcycles and vehicles of certain categories designed solely for one person.
Motorcycle riders must not carry any pillion passenger.
Bus drivers must not carry any passenger except a person giving or receiving instruction.

text: After passing a driving test, the provisional licence may be surrendered in exchange for a full Indian licence for the relevant kind of vehicle. Full car licences allow use of mopeds, motorcycles and cars.

text: A licence if valid for 20 years from the date of issue or till the licence holders turns 50 years of age, whichever happens earlier. The driving licence is required to be renewed after expiry of its validity.[5]

text: Theory testing[edit]

text: Tests on basic driving rules are conducted at the RTOs when an individual applies for provisional licence. The theoretical test in India consists of basic road sign questions, which are the same for car and motorcycle tests:

text:
Multiple choice questions – 20 questions with a choice of possible answers. At least 12 questions should be answered correctly to pass this section.
Verbal or written test (depending on the state)

text: The theory test are completed on the computer, and both must be passed in order to pass the theory test.

text: Driving licence categories[edit]

text: This is a list of the categories that might be found on a driving licence in India.

text:
MC 50CC (Motorcycle 50cc) — motorcycles with an engine capacity of 50 cc or less.
MC EX50CC (Motorcycle more than 50cc) — motorcycles and (Light Motor Vehicle)CAR.
FVG—Motorcycles of any engine capacity, but without gears, including mopeds and scooters
MC With Gear or M/CYCL.WG (Motorcycle With Gear) — all motorcycles.
LMV (Light Motor Vehicle) — including motorcars, jeeps, taxis, delivery vans.
LMV-NT (Light Motor Vehicle—Non Transport) — for personal use only
LMV-TR (Light Motor Vehicle—Transport) — for commercial transportation including light goods carrier.[6]
HMV (Heavy Motor Vehicle)
HPMV (Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicle)
HTV Heavy Transport Vehicle (Heavy Goods Motor Vehicle, Heavy Passenger Motor Vehicle)
TRAILOR — a person holding a heavy vehicle driving licence can only apply for heavy trailor licence

text: Most of the legislation regarding licensing is in the Rules of the Road Regulation and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Private/Commercial drivers should have an additional Badge if they are driving a taxi or any other public transport vehicle.scout

text: Points and endorsements[edit]

text: India uses cumulative points systems, broadly similar but different in detail in different countries, for offenders.

text: Points are given for driving offences by law courts, and the licence is endorsed accordingly. An Indian driving licence may be endorsed by the courts for various offences, not only for those committed whilst driving or in charge of a vehicle.[citation needed] If the individual committing the offence does not hold a valid driving licence the driver is subject to be penalised or face imprisonment of up to 3 months.[7] Violation of traffic signals, triple driving on motor cycle, using vehicles without registration or in unsafe condition may endorse and attract 3 negative points in each case.[8]

text: In case of two-wheelers, helmet laws is mandatory for the main rider and the pillion rider. Offences such as for drink or drug driving are recorded on the licence and the offender is prosecuted and imprisoned.[9]

text: Twelve points on the licence makes the driver liable to cancellation/suspension of driving licence for one year; accumulation of twelve points for the second consecutive time would lead to suspension of driving licence for five years.[8]

text: Production[edit]

text: Drivers are legally obliged to carry a valid driving licence while driving. Under s.130 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988; A police officer or any other official authorised by the government can ask for vehicle-related documents, and the driver should produce them within 15 days at the police station (or the concerned department).[10]

text: The law permits officials to seize a licence, and issue a temporary one for a specified time. The law also allows the state government to set the fines or prison terms for minor traffic violations, and specifies who has the rights to enforce these rules.

text: Every driving licence has a maximum number of endorsements allowed. If the driver does not follow the traffic rules or causes any fault, then a penalty fine is issued and an endorsement put on the licence. An excessive number of endorsements may lead to cancellation.[8]


document_title: The Musketeers

question_text: who plays the queen in the musketeers bbc

text: The Musketeers

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 1630s Paris, Athos, Aramis and Porthos are a group of highly trained musketeers commanded by Captain Treville who meet d'Artagnan, a skillful farm boy with hopes of becoming a musketeer. The series follows them as they fight to protect King and country.

text: Cast[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Tom Burke as Athos
Santiago Cabrera as Aramis
Peter Capaldi as Cardinal Richelieu (series 1)
Howard Charles as Porthos
Alexandra Dowling as Queen Anne
Ryan Gage as King Louis XIII
Tamla Kari as Constance Bonacieux
Maimie McCoy as Milady de Winter
Luke Pasqualino as d'Artagnan
Hugo Speer as Captain Treville
Marc Warren as Comte de Rochefort (series 2)
Matthew McNulty as Lucien Grimaud (series 3)
Rupert Everett as Marquis de Feron (series 3)

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Bohdan Poraj as Bonacieux (series 1–2)
Charlotte Salt as Marguerite (series 2)
Ed Stoppard as Lemay (series 2)
Will Keen as Perales (series 2)
Thalissa Teixeira as Sylvie (series 3)
Matt Stokoe as Captain Marcheaux (series 3)
Andre Flynn as Gaston (series 3)

text: Production[edit]

text: Conception[edit]

text: The BBC had been developing the idea of a new series based on The Three Musketeers since as far back as 2007, when the project was envisaged as a Saturday evening show to run between series of Doctor Who.[8] The eventual production of the series was finally announced in 2012, with Adrian Hodges in charge of the project.[9]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Paris was not considered as a filming location because over the decades, development had detracted from the grittier architecture wanted. Dublin was also considered before settling on the Czech Republic, which suffered little damage during the two world wars. Many historic buildings were intact and privately owned stately homes were rented for filming.

text: Filming for the series took place mainly in Doksany, 30 kilometres north-west of Prague, where a Parisian square, a number of streets and the musketeers garrison were constructed. A disused convent had additional sets constructed including taverns, bedrooms and mortuary.[10]

text: Casting[edit]

text: During filming of the first series Peter Capaldi learned that he had been given the role of the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who.[11] The show's executive producer Jessica Pope commented that they would have to "recalibrate" plans for a prospective second series, in order to accommodate Capaldi now being unable to reprise his role.[11] Marc Warren joined the cast for the second series.[12] The Musketeers was originally planned to be broadcast in 2013, but was later delayed until 2014.[13]

text: Reception[edit]

text: The Musketeers initially received mixed reviews from critics, but they have become more positive as the series has continued. Jim Shelley, writing for the Daily Mail, heavily criticised the programme, saying "The Musketeers didn't take itself too seriously but was still so bad it bordered on self-parody" and that "the quality of the sub-plots hardly merited its 9pm slot in the schedule rather than (like Merlin or Robin Hood) much earlier, consisting of such clichéd set pieces as a fight following an accusation of cheating during a card game and a randy musketeer being caught in the act and having to dangle out of his lover's bedroom window while his mates watched on chuckling". Overall, he said "The main problem with The Musketeers, apart from the quality of the script, the acting and the predictability of the plot, was that there are only so many ways to make sword fights between men wearing blue leather tunics that entertaining or exciting".[14]

text: However, reviewing the third episode of the drama, Morgan Jeffery, writing for Digital Spy, praised the development of the characters, stating that there was a "real feeling of growth" and that it delivered "something a little more substantial".[15] Den of Geek writer Rob Kemp also gave a positive review, stating that The Musketeers had "won a lot of people over with its fun and adventurous take on this well-loved story", but also wrote that some of the dramatic elements felt "shoe horned and deliberate". Overall, Kemp had hope for the series and praised the change in focus in the third episode, saying that the "time was definitely right to start to explore the characters", before going on to say that the series would have "plenty more opportunities for the Musketeers to hit their more (and hopefully, better) dramatic strides".[16]

text: Upon its premiere on BBC America, Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times gave the drama a positive review, calling the series "not at all bad, just a bit old-fashioned". She also praised the updates made to the series, writing "purists may be dismayed that Mr. Hodges took so many liberties with the original plot, but purists are rarely any fun".[17]

text: Broadcast[edit]

text: Series overview[edit]

text: These are the premiere and finale dates for the show airing on BBC, its origin channel. Series 2 concluded earlier in the U.S., and Series 3 was aired/released before the UK in multiple countries; see the episode tables and broadcast details for these dates.

text:
Series
Episodes
Originally aired

First aired
Last aired

1
10
19 January 2014 (2014-01-19)
30 March 2014 (2014-03-30)

2
10
2 January 2015 (2015-01-02)
27 March 2015 (2015-03-27)

3
10
28 May 2016 (2016-05-28)
1 August 2016 (2016-08-01)

text: International broadcast[edit]

text: Shown on BBC One, the first series of The Musketeers was broadcast weekly at 9pm on Sunday nights starting on 19 January 2014. The programme was the highest rated drama to debut that year. For the second series, it was moved to 9pm on Friday nights and screening began on 2 January 2015. The series premiered in the United States on 22 June 2014 on BBC America.[18] The complete first series was "striped" on 3 August 2014 on the Australian Foxtel Cable TV channel BBC First, the day of that channel's premiere. The series started on 18 September 2014 on 'Box' Sky TV in New Zealand.

text: The third series premiered in Canada on Showcase Canada on 10 April 2016.[6] The full series was made available on Netflix Latin America on 16 April 2016,[19] and on Hulu in the United States on 14 May 2016.[20] The series premiered in the UK on 28 May 2016.[7]

text: Home media release[edit]

text:
Name
No. of
episodes
DVD
Blu-ray

Region 1
Region 2
Region 4
Region A
Region B

Series One
10
26 August 2014[21]
31 March 2014[22]
6 August 2014[23]
26 August 2014[21]
31 March 2014[24]

Series Two
10
21 April 2015[25]
6 April 2015[26]
15 April 2015[27]
21 April 2015[25]
6 April 2015[28]

Series One & Two
20
N/A
6 April 2015[29]
15 April 2015[30]
N/A
6 April 2015[31]

Series Three
10
11 October 2016[32]
15 August 2016[33]
19 October 2016[34]
11 October 2016[32]
15 August 2016[35]

The Complete Collection
30
N/A
15 August 2016[36]
19 October 2016[37]
N/A
15 August 2016[38]