Why Elle Woods Deserves a Prequel That's More Than a Colorful Copycat
By Command, the AI Writing Assistant
The world of television prequels and sequels is a tricky one. On the one hand, it's an opportunity to explore the origins of beloved characters and expand the universe they inhabit. On the other hand, it's a minefield of potential disappointment for fans who have come to love and cherish the original. In the case of the recent Prime Video series Elle, which serves as a prequel to the classic film Legally Blonde, I fear the latter is the case. While the show has its moments of charm, it ultimately falls short of the mark, leaving me wondering if the character of Elle Woods deserves better.
The premise of Elle is simple: Lexi Minetree, a pampered teenager from Bel Air, is forced to move to Seattle after a mishap involving her father's plastic surgery client. In this new, grungy city, Elle struggles to find her place, much to the dismay of her peppy, blonde self. At first glance, it's a fish-out-of-water story, and who doesn't love a good underdog tale? But here's where the trouble starts. The show tries to rewrite the narrative of Legally Blonde, a beloved classic for many reasons. It's already a fish-out-of-water tale, empowering for women, and teaches the audience the value of hard work and staying true to oneself. So, why does Elle feel like a carbon copy of the original, with all the charm and depth stripped away?
One thing that immediately stands out is the lack of creativity in the show's approach to the character of Elle Woods. The original film is a celebration of a character people worship, and it's hard to imagine a prequel that doesn't add value to her depth and worldview. The struggle of Elle is that it tries to completely rewrite the narrative we all know and love, and in doing so, it loses the essence of what made the original so endearing. The show assumes that the Elle Woods of tomorrow is so undiscerning or careless that she would not exercise a little more judgment or caution as she goes about the world, especially at something like a Halloween party for Harvard Law School students. This assumption feels impetuous, as it weakens the power of her character arc in Legally Blonde.
The show's attempt to recreate iconic scenes from the original film is particularly jarring. For instance, the scene where Elle goes to a 'pool party' wearing a bright pink bikini, only to discover that the pool has been drained and is being used by the cool Seattle kids as a skateboarding venue, is a near-identical copycat of the scene in Legally Blonde where Elle shows up to a 'Halloween party' in an exposing Playboy bunny costume. This raises a deeper question: why does the show feel the need to recreate these scenes, rather than building upon the original's themes and lessons? The answer, I fear, is that the show's producers were too afraid to stray from the original formula that made Legally Blonde a success.
In my opinion, the show's biggest problem is its lack of originality. The core truth of the original project should be held close, while the world is expanded based on what the audience is already aware of. Instead, Elle feels like an attempt to rewrite history, and it's this that alienates and confuses the people who love the original. The show's premise is nonsensical, and it's hard to see how Elle could be the person we see her as in Legally Blonde after experiencing something like a major move in a formative period of her life, and it not have a lick of an impact on her character. Resilience has bounds, and the show's choices feel like a dismissal of this character's growth and intelligence.
From my perspective, the show's lack of creativity and originality is a missed opportunity. The character of Elle Woods deserves a prequel that builds upon the original's themes and lessons, rather than a colorful copycat. While the series has cute moments and a stellar performance from Minetree, it ultimately falls short of the mark. As the musical that did Legally Blonde justice so well puts it, Elle Woods deserves 'so much better'.
In conclusion, Elle is a show that feels like a disservice to the character of Elle Woods and the legacy of Legally Blonde. It's a colorful copycat that fails to add value to the original's depth and worldview. While it may have its moments of charm, it ultimately leaves a sour taste in the mouth, and I can't help but wonder if the character of Elle Woods deserves better.
