(Image credit: Amazon)

As a die-hard super fan of Reese Witherspoon, it comes as no surprise that Legally Blonde is just as integral to my origin story as any other Y2K-loving millennial. If Elle Woods didn't stand up for herself as a fish-out-of-water fashion major amongst Harvard's snooty elite — and prove them damningly wrong — in the 2001 comedy, I fear my life's trajectory would be so vastly different.From first watch to millionth viewing, I have continued to love the Legally Blonde Universe (referred to as the LBU from now on), so much so that I enjoyed the borderline-average sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, and fell head over heels for the musical adaptation. In a similar vein to the Mean Girls Universe (MGU) — which has followed a parallel path as a coming-of-age movie and is considered now as a 2000s period piece, there has been an ignored sequel, a treasured musical turned 2024 film remake and an obsession with pink, plaid and plastic surgery — the LBU was ready for a revamp.

Elle - Official Trailer | Prime Video - YouTube

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So when the announcement came that Amazon MGM Studios was invested in telling Elle's prequel story, I was pretty much convinced that I was going to adore everything about the series. And IMO, the LBU prequel was set for success from the get-go, starting with the flawless casting of newcomer Lexi Minetree as the younger version of the beloved lead.But after the release of the teaser trailer last month, my higher-than-most-hopes fell a bit flat, with the synopsis somewhat similar to the movie's narrative. Instead of Boston's dull legal atmosphere, we're taken back to 1995 and facing 16-year-old Elle's current dilemma — an untimely move from sunny LA, California, to rainy Seattle, Washington. This follows an unfortunate accident (read: botched nose job) which sees Elle's plastic surgeon dad, Wyatt Woods (Tom Everett Scott), needing to lay low for a while. Along for the ride comes Elle, her fascinating and equally bubbly mother, Eva (June Diane Raphael) and the most important Woods family member — a pint-sized, yet still tough-as-nails pup, Bruiser.Warning: spoilers aheadNow, post-watching the entire 8-episode season, I fear my expectations weren't met, in more ways than one. But before I go on, there are some really excellent things this prequel does well, which I know after reading many a review on the series, have been glossed over.Successfully fuelling 'Legally Blonde' nostalgia