Legally Blonde's prequel series Elle has been branded "nonsensical" and "bland" in scathing first reviews. Lexi Minetree takes on the role of Elle Woods in the series set before the iconic 2001 film, exploring Elle's teenage years.
The late James Van Der Beek is also set to star, alongside June Diane Raphael and Tom Everett Scott as Elle's parents, who uproot her life for a new start in Seattle.
The cast also includes Chloe Wepper, David Burtka, Brad Harder, Kayla Maisonet, and Lisa Yamada.
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Early reviews have landed ahead of Elle's Prime Video release on 1 July, but they have been far from glowing.
The Independent called it "nonsensical" and "a slap in the face to Gen Z," adding: "Elle is barely a comedy, and once it gets into the weeds of its premise it becomes an unusually sluggish teen drama – there are love triangles, mean teens, and low-stakes scandals involving the staff at Elle’s new school."
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The Wrap thought Elle was "awkward" and "forced", writing: "Legally Blonde was fun, fresh and brilliantly paced, but Elle is dour, boring and tedious. It’s unfortunate, really: It’s clear that [Reese] Witherspoon, Hello Sunshine and showrunners Laura Kittrell and Caroline Dries love the source material, but perhaps by attempting to capture lightning in a bottle once again they’ve only served to dim Elle’s shine."
Radio Times scathingly wrote "TV as bland as this Legally Blonde prequel should be illegal", while The Wrap joked it "doesn't quite pass the bar."
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IndieWire said: "A Legally Blonde series that doesn’t make sense as a prequel is one thing. But a Legally Blonde series that doesn’t take itself seriously as a comedy or as a source of inspiration? I object!"
Meanwhile, Metro concluded: "Elle is undoubtedly Legally Blonde for a younger generation, but for those who are obsessed with the film – it might not quite hit the spot."
An official logline for Elle reads: "Elle follows Elle Woods in high school as we learn about the life experiences that shaped her into the iconic young woman we came to know and love in the first Legally Blonde film."
Elle season one will be released on Prime Video on 1 July.
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