Why a ‘Legally Blonde’ TV Show Is a Good Idea

Two decades later and Legally Blonde is finally making a revival on Amazon Prime with a potential TV show and Reese Witherspoon reprising her role in Legally Blonde 3. As a staple in the 2000s era chick flicks, Legally Blonde did not only pioneer the iconic “bend and snap” but also addressed many compelling issues from female empowerment to sexual harassment. Using comedy and fashion, the film enraptured and encouraged women, particularly “girly girls,” to never underestimate themselves, and the character of Elle Woods practically became a role model. It would be impossible to replace or re-imagine this cult classic, but framing the TV show as a love letter to the original may open up opportunities to delve into more contemporary issues without parodying its charm and nostalgia.

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The ‘Legally Blonde’ TV Show Should Only Draw Inspiration From the Original Movie

Following the booming success of Legally Blonde, several installments followed but like many sequels, they didn’t garner as much popularity as the original did. Legally Blonde 2 featured Reese Witherspoon in an animal testing storyline while Legally Blondes introduced Elle’s cousins. Although they didn’t wholly capture the charm of the cult classic, they returned us back into a world we love, clad in pink with scented papers. Now that it’s over two decades later, it would be difficult, and possibly foolish, to try and emulate a similar 2000s nostalgic effect in the TV show. By only drawing inspiration from the original, the series has far greater potential for success in not antagonizing and winning over fans.

Whether they present a new cast or re-introduce original members; set the series in the same world or create a different one; or revisit elements of the films, the series should take creative liberties to engage us with more versatile storylines and cases. The show only works if they acknowledge that the magic of the original cannot be replicated but instead could be expanded upon. With the reboots of the Harry Potter and Twilight series, it seems filmmakers are preoccupied with reaching into the past and recreating. So why not build an original and creative series in reverence to its predecessor rather than trying to build over it.

‘Legally Blonde’ Has Great Potential as a TV Show

Every good law series undeniably has a schtick, from Mike’s secret in Suits to the whodunit atmosphere in Lincoln Lawyer. And Legally Blonde has a classic one. Following an underdog storyline, fashion-oriented Elle Woods becomes a Harvard-educated lawyer and wins her first case through unorthodox methods. Despite being underestimated, sexualized and demeaned, she perseveres and creates her own unique identity while supporting other women too. These themes themselves create a solid foundation for an exciting and uplifting series. But a new TV show also has the opportunity to explore a vast array of avenues by introducing characters from different demographics and backgrounds like class, race and sexuality. We’ve seen the pretty, rich, white woman succeed many times thus representing other demographics (whilst maintaining the obligatory fashion obsessed core) could inspire the many different types of girly girls around. The original film set out to inspire women and the series should have the same goal.

The series also has an opportunity to represent working in the legal field more accurately. In the original film, Elle flippantly makes the decision of going to law school just to get back with her ex and doesn’t acknowledge the costs, earnings nor passion it takes to truly succeed, or even just manage, in the field. Her parent’s wealth seemingly justifies this but more majority of students, the only time you wouldn’t be slightly concerned, is if you scored a scholarship. With extended screen time in the form of a TV show and broader demographics, there is more room to accurately represent the lack of affordability, the sometimes unmanageable workloads and the tedious research that is coupled with each scene in court. Themes like mental stress along with the primary female empowerment could be amalgamated into a more holistic view of women working in the legal field.

We Need More Women-Supporting-Women TV Shows

Legally Blonde fostered multiple iconic female friendships from Elle and Paulette’s (Jennifer Coolidge) growing support for each other to Elle’s enemy to friends twist with Vivian (Selma Blair). It’s a beautiful masterpiece that supports the notion of women supporting women in a time when rejecting female friendships and female rivalries, especially in a workplace, was the norm. However, in modern times, these attitudes towards female friendships are transformed and women learning to embrace other women instead of tearing them down. A Legally Blonde series would thrive in this social environment, even more so when addressing the still constant discrimination women face in a male-dominated industry. In the end, it would revitalize much needed discussions surrounding these issues.

Prime has already released shows like The Power and Class of ’07 with female-fronted casts, directed by women, for women, creating a powerful trend that amplifies female voices. Legally Blonde is the perfect addition to this rumination and celebration of female friendships in TV shows, and perhaps even the ideal platform to discard outdated tropes like female competition in the workplace and in relationships. We can finally move away from scenes of two bickering women casting snide remarks over a man and instead focus on other ambitions or motivations that encourage women to have a career in the first place.

Who Doesn’t Want More ‘Legally Blonde’?

The only complaint we have about Legally Blonde is that there is not enough of it. Although there are several more installments, who can complain about gaining an entirely new comedy-driven, style-centric legal drama to binge on? Although Reese Witherspoon hasn’t confirmed her appearance in the new series, a cast with a savvy sense of style and an intimate knowledge of fashion rules and trends is intertwined with the premise of Legally Blonde and therefore is bound to be in the show. Case by case, we would follow along to more character development, drama and hopefully catch some easter eggs to the original film. Legally Blonde has stood the test of time and has become a staple in female cinema, any series following in its legacy needs to tread carefully but also have fun reveling in buoyant and optimistic Elle Wood style.