There are a lot of ways Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot’ could have introduced its young version of Elle Woods. Of course, it leaned into the pink and the fashion, but the premiere also show us Elle fail because she’s been taken out of the only world she’s ever known. By the end of the episode, Elle hasn’t conquered Seattle or won over her classmates. She hasn’t even managed to hold on to the little bit of happiness she finally starts to find. But she makes us want to see her try again. Ready?
Here we go!
Seattle Forces Elle to Face Something She’s Never Experienced Before
When we first meet Elle in Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot,’ it’s impossible not to understand why she loves her life so much. Los Angeles is her home in every possible sense of the word. She has amazing friends, she’s popular at school, and she walks through every day knowing she belongs exactly where she is. Everything feels familiar, bright, and full of possibilities, and Elle can’t imagine living anywhere else.
Then her father’s mistake changes everything.
Almost overnight, the family is forced to leave Los Angeles behind and move to Seattle. That shake Eva and Elle’s world, but they don’t allow themselves to sit with what they’re feeling. Instead, they accept that Seattle is their new reality and convince themselves they’ll make the best of it until they can eventually return to Los Angeles. It’s almost as if admitting how devastated they really are would make the move feel permanent. So they choose optimism.
That attitude feels true to who Elle is. She isn’t pretending she wanted this but she’s refusing to believe one change can define the rest of her life. And we admire her optimism. But, at the same time, we can’t help noticing that underneath every smile is a girl who’s desperately trying to convince herself that she’ll be okay.
So, in Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot’ Elle arrives in Seattle believing she can approach this new chapter the same way she approached everything back home. Smile. Introduce yourself. Make people feel welcome. Except none of it works.
Her new school couldn’t be more different from the one she left behind. Back in Los Angeles, she was the girl everyone wanted to know. Here, she’s the girl everyone immediately judges. And it hurt us because we know Elle isn’t trying to become someone she’s not. She wants to get to know Liz and connects with Dustin. She really cares…but nobody believes her.
In Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot’ her classmates think she’s superficial. They see a pretty blonde girl and decide they’ve already figured her out before she even has the chance to explain who she really is. In many ways, they’re convinced she’s pretending to care about other people just to become popular. And we’re MAD about this! Elle doesn’t deserve that!
And Kimberly only makes that feeling worse. As the most popular girl in school, she wastes no time making it clear that Elle isn’t welcome anywhere near her group, reinforcing the idea that no matter what Elle does, she’s already lost a game she didn’t even know she was playing.
And for someone who has always lived inside a comfortable bubble where she felt, Seattle becomes a constant reminder that she’s no longer in her comfort zone. That’s why the two people who do offer her a little kindness immediately stand out.
Meeting Miles in Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot’ becomes the brightest moment of an otherwise awful first day. There’s an instant connection there that makes us smile alongside Elle because, for the first time since arriving in Seattle, she looks genuinely excited instead of simply trying to stay positive.
And Donna is a queen! When Elle doesn’t want to face another humiliating lunch, Donna quietly lets her spend her breaks with her instead. She doesn’t ask Elle to prove herself. She doesn’t judge her. She’s the only one who gives her somewhere safe to be. And, after everything Elle goes through that first day, that small act of kindness means absolutely everything for her—and for us.
Elle Refuses to Stop Believing in Herself
By the time Elle gets home in Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot,’ she’s discouraged and it’s normal. Nothing about her first day has gone the way she imagined. The city she promised herself she was going to conquer has done nothing but remind her she doesn’t belong there.
Talking to her friends back in Los Angeles, however, changes her perspective. Instead of giving in to disappointment, Elle starts thinking about another way to approach Seattle. She refuses to believe her first impression has to become everyone’s final impression, and once she comes up with a plan, she’s determined to prove that she really does belong there. And we’re proud of her!
Unfortunately, everything goes wrong. Because nothing goes right for our Cosmo girl! Instead of seeing a girl who’s trying to connect with them, her classmates become even more convinced that Elle is making fun of them or pretending to be someone she isn’t just so she can fit in. And it’s frustrating because we know Elle and she just wants to fit in.
That misunderstanding pushes her to one of her lowest moments in Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot.’ And that’s where Eva becomes exactly the mother Elle needs. She reminds Elle that if anyone is capable of taking on Seattle the same way she once took on Los Angeles, it’s Elle Woods.
That conversation gives Elle exactly the push she needs and she decides to try one more time. Helping Dustin with the school’s fundraiser finally gives everyone the chance to see another side of Elle. Little by little, people stop looking at her with suspicion and start seeing someone who’s genuinely willing to help without expecting anything in return.
For a brief moment in Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot,’ it finally feels like all her effort has been worth it. But then, Elle discovers that something she said ultimately led to Donna losing her job. And it’s so unfair! Donna is a queen and doesn’t deserve that. Also, Elle feels responsible because Donna was the only person who welcomed her into Seattle without asking her to change who she was. And she hurts her, not intentionally, but still.
So, by the end of Elle Season 1 Episode 1 ‘Pilot,’ Elle has been pushed right back to where she started. Even worse. Now, not only most of the school still looks down on her, but she also carries the guilt of hurting the one person who made her feel at home.
And she still has no idea how she’s going to make Seattle believe in her. But she will, we’re sure of that.
Elle Season 1 is available to stream now only on Prime Video.
