These Boys Aren't Emmett
Elle’s Love Triangle Is The Least Interesting Thing About The Show
And that’s a great thing.
Spoilers ahead for Elle. The Legally Blonde prequel series ends with a dramatic cliffhanger that’s... kind of boring. The Season 1 finale of Elle sees teenage Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) entering an unexpected love triangle, which is, frankly, the least interesting thing about the show.
And when you think about it, this is actually a good thing.
Like most teenagers, Elle has crushes, specifically on “Hot Josh” (spoiler alert: he becomes “Tepid Josh” later on). She even has a specific list of requirements for her first kiss, which go flying out the window when the time comes. However, the TV series shows that her primary focus isn’t relationships, at least until Warner breaks up with her in the 2002 film. (And no, we still haven’t forgiven him for it.)
When Elle’s parents tell her they’re moving to Seattle, her main concern is leaving her friends behind and missing the all-important social events that make junior year. Her dreams of coupling up with “Hot Josh” are only a small fraction of that, which is shown when she immediately forgets about him as soon as she meets Miles (Jacob Moskovitz).
Throughout the season, Elle keeps resisting her attraction to Miles after finding out that he’s dating Shannon (Danielle Chand), aka the only girl that’s been remotely nice to her in Seattle (at least until Liz finally comes around). After they split, it takes approximately 48 hours for Elle to have her first kiss with Miles. However, even that drama gives way to more important matters, which Elle appropriately makes space for, showing that romance isn’t her biggest priority.
Meanwhile, Dustin (Zac Looker) initially writes off Elle as a shallow LA girl, but slowly starts liking her romantically after realizing she’s just as passionate about social justice causes as he is. Naturally, Elle completely misses the signs, proving that she’s always cared more about helping others than any potential suitors. Well, except for Miles. (She’s human, OK?)
Dustin denied his crush in the name of said causes. However, after Elle returns from Los Angeles, he couldn’t resist letting her know why she hurt him by leaving Seattle (that’s a whole other story) and planted a big kiss on her — which Miles witnessed. And just like that, the season ends.
Elle proves that she’s always been more than her looks or love life, even if her legal journey started with a breakup. She grows tremendously after moving to Seattle, proving she can make a difference without giving up what makes her Elle Woods. Watching the roots of her social justice ambitions and how she befriends peers so different from her is what makes the show so rewarding — plus seeing her interact with her parents, who are loving, fabulous, and tone-deaf in all the right ways.
As a result, Elle’s love triangle... just isn’t as interesting. No matter who she chooses, neither Miles nor Dustin will be anything more than a high-school fling. But they both play a part in her personal growth, so it’s cool if they stick around for now. Besides, no one can possibly beat her future husband, Emmett (Luke Wilson), who still remains the standard for supportive partners everywhere.
