Forced to leave Beverly Hills for Seattle, teenager Elle Woods navigates new friendships, first love and school politics while staying true to herself. Elle web series reviewCast: Lexi Minetree,June Diane Raphael,Tom Everett Scott,Chandler Kinney, Jacob Moskovitz, Gabrielle Policano, Zac Looker.Director: Jason Moore, Sammi Cohen, Pete Chatmon and Stacie Passon.Rating: ★★★ Can you believe it’s been 25 years since Reese Witherspoon basically invented the colour pink? Her character Elle Woods has remained one of pop culture's most unforgettable icons. From Legally Blonde to its sequel and even the stage musical, the pink-loving lawyer has refused to fade from public memory. Now, instead of taking her story forward, Prime Video's upcoming web series Elle goes back to where it all began. Lexi Minetree in a still from Elle. (Prime Video)The series comes with familiar names behind it. Original Legally Blonde producer Marc Platt and Reese Witherspoon return as executive producers, while Laura Kittrell has created the show. Drawing from Amanda Brown's novel that inspired the 2001 film, Laura Kittrell also shares showrunning duties with Caroline Dries. The writing team includes Eli Wilson Pelton, Asmita Paranjape, Julia Brownell, Jem Regan and Chad Charlie, while Jason Moore, Sammi Cohen, Pete Chatmon and Stacie Passon each direct two episodes.The plotSet in the 90s-something timeline, the series opens with Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) living a high-flying, cheerleader lifestyle in Southern California. Surrounded by her close friends, her family throws her a really grand birthday party near poolside of their massive mansion during her junior year. That glamourous world completely shatters when her father, Wyatt (Tom Everett Scott), botches a cosmetic procedure, which could lead to a lawsuit. Desperate to escape the social fallout, Wyatt and his wife Eva (June Diane Raphael) drag Elle away from her perfect life and relocate to Seattle until the heat dies down.To help her cope, Elle is gifted a tiny, designer-clothed pup named Bruiser, who becomes her soul friend in a city that is the literal antithesis of Beverly Hills. Instead of California sun, Elle is greeted by Seattle rain, grunge culture, and endless flannel. Rather than forcing herself to fit the moody local aesthetic, Elle leans into her own core strengths of believing in people and standing up for the underdogs.Across eight episodes, Elle finds herself dealing with everything from messy school politics to an unexpected crush on charming athlete Miles (Jacob Moskovitz), and friendships she never saw coming. Her closest friends end up being the sarcastic Dustin (Zac Looker) and free-spirited musician Liz (Gabrielle Policano), two people who couldn't be more different from her. Making things even harder is her constant run-in with senior Kimberly (Chandler Kinney), who quickly becomes one of the biggest hurdles in Elle's new life.Movie ReviewElle web series review3/52026-06-30T18:30:00+0000Set in the mid-1990s, Elle follows teenager Elle Woods, whose picture-perfect life in Southern California is turned upside down after her father, botches a cosmetic procedure. Forced to leave everything behind, the family relocates to rainy Seattle for a fresh start.DirectorJason Moore, Sammi Cohen, Pete Chatmon and Stacie Passon.CastLexi Minetree,June Diane Raphael,Tom Everett Scott,Chandler Kinney, Jacob Moskovitz, Gabrielle Policano, Zac Looker.VerdictElle was never going to top the perfection of the original movie, but the series doesn't really need to. If you grew up loving Legally Blonde, there's enough here to make the trip worthwhile. And if you're meeting Elle for the first time, this is a sweet, easy watch that reminds you why she's remained such a beloved character all these years.Actors and performancesStepping into Reese Witherspoon's shoes was a massive gamble, but newcomer Lexi Minetree crushes it by making the role her own. She locks right into Elle's warmth and drive without ever becoming a cheap caricature. The show definitely pushes the bubbly blonde bit to its absolute limits sometimes, but Lexi handles the balance well.The supporting cast is just as sharp. Tom Everett Scott is incredibly endearing as Wyatt, a disgraced dad trying to steady the ship. Meanwhile, June Diane Raphael completely steals the show as Eva, elevating every scene with elite deadpan timing.Among the younger cast, Zac Looker is instantly likeable as the sarcastic Dustin, while Gabrielle Policano brings just the right amount of attitude to Liz. Jacob Moskovitz slips comfortably into the role of Miles, the school's popular golden boy who is charming and definitely gives early 2000s CW energy. Chandler Kinney also leaves a solid impression, and fitting seamlessly into the ensemble.What worksLexi Minetree is the biggest reason to watch Elle. Even when the story slows down, she keeps you invested. Taking on a character so closely tied to Reese Witherspoon couldn't have been easy, but she does well with the character in the prequel. There are moments where she looks uncannily like a young Witherspoon, but it's her own take on Elle that works.The decision to set the story in 1990s Seattle is another smart move. Elle walking into a school full of flannel shirts, and gloomy weather dressed head-to-toe in pink never gets old.What doesn't workLexi Minetree does an admirable job carrying the show, but there's simply no replacing Reese Witherspoon. Her take on Elle Woods has become so ingrained in pop culture that it's impossible not to compare the two. Lexi brings her own charm to the role, yet there are moments when you instinctively wish Reese were the one delivering those lines. It's less a fault of the performance and more the impossible standard set by the original.The bigger issue is the central mystery, which never really hooks you. Since everyone already knows where Elle's story is headed, the stakes feel surprisingly low. By the second half, it's obvious the show is buying time. Scenes are stretched for far too long than they need to, some storylines suddenly get far more attention, and the final stretch starts feeling like it's working harder to get that cliffhanger for another season than to tell a satisfying story on its own.VerdictElle was never going to top the perfection of the original movie, but the series doesn't really need to. If you grew up loving Legally Blonde, there's enough here to make the trip worthwhile. And if you're meeting Elle for the first time, this is a sweet, easy watch that reminds you why she's remained such a beloved character all these years.Elle releases on Prime Video on July 1, 2026.