In the 1980s and 1990s, the American city Seattle was the epicentre of grunge culture.
It was the home of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, and its very cool residents with their Doc Martens, flannel shirts and ripped jeans were pushing back against the excesses of the greed is good 80s.
What it really was not, was a fit for Elle Woods.
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Yes, that Elle Woods, the pink-clad bubble of sunshine and optimism that Reese Witherspoon made famous in two Legally Blonde movies.
The prequel series about a high school Elle is landing in July and the first trailer has just been released.
Set in 1995, years before she storms into Harvard as a fresh-faced law school student, Elle is living her life in Bel Air in Los Angeles, where it’s all pool parties and frothy high school life inside a Barbie dreamhouse.
Then her parents spring a surprise – they’re moving! To Seattle. Where it rains all the time and everyone wears shades of grey.
Think of it as an origin story of how Elle Woods can adapt to any environment and still retain that plucky can-do spirit, and never, ever tone down her look.
Seattle is a little grim compared to Elle. Credit: Jessica Brooks/Prime
The series stars Lexi Minetree as Elle, and there is one profile shot in the trailer where she really looks like a young Witherspoon, while the supporting cast includes June Diane Raphael as Elle’s mother and Tom Everett Scott as her dad.
The late James Van Der Beek has a recurring role in the series.
The show is being produced by Witherspoon’s company, Hello Sunshine, and she’s also an executive producer. It’s already been renewed for a second season.
The first Legally Blonde movie came out in 2001 and was a commercial success, which lead to a 2003 sequel.
The show will premiere on Prime Video on July 1
