Parents' Guide to

Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Kid-friendly, but main aim may be selling tickets.

TV MTV Reality TV 2008
Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Mr.Ray
Mr.Ray Parent of 14-year-old
December 11, 2022
age 18+

Taking the Lord’s Name in vain is celebrated w/ gusto!

I saw Legally Blonde The Musical, (the traveling show) (not the search for Elle Woods). This musical takes absolute singing, dancing and shouting delight in taking the Lord’s Name in vain. The OMG musical number is sung three times in the show and almost every cast member is involved. Plenty of sexual references and innuendos. There is a significant LGBTQ component. The message of staying true to your moral values especially as a women is present even though the cast seems to have surrendered to the pressure of Hollywood’s values. Entertaining never the less.

This title has:

Too much swearing
MomToAll101
MomToAll101 Adult
December 7, 2011
age 10+

Give the kids a chance here, no bubble wrap necessary!

To be honest half the things in this would fly over kids heads, all they want to be is entertained. Since this is fun and quirky I would say it's very entertaining. With sexual content at a height I think as long as you explain to your child not to repeat things and they actually show interest in the programme and show maturity then it should be ok for over 10's.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL: THE SEARCH FOR ELLE WOODS, 15 talented young women in their teens and 20s compete for the chance to sing, dance, and act the part of perky blonde sorority girl-turned-Harvard law student Elle Woods, a role originated by Reese Witherspoon in the 2001 film. But only one lucky contestant will win bragging rights to replace Tony Award nominee Laura Bell Bundy as the next Elle on Broadway (talk about the chance of a lifetime). Judges include the show's director, Jerry Mitchell; casting director Bernie Telsey; writer Heather Hach; and actor Paul Canaan. Shepherding the girls through the audition process is singer-actress Haylie Duff, who earned her Broadway chops in 2006 playing Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

In terms of entertainment value, this show is sure to appeal to fans of Legally Blonde the musical, fans of musicals in general, and fans of the Legally Blonde movies -- in that order. But if you don't meet those criteria, you probably won't find it that interesting. You'll like it even less if you don't like the musical version, since most episodes consist of the contestants singing the same Legally Blonde song, dancing the same Legally Blonde, dance or acting out the same Legally Blonde scene over and over.

Unlike other talent-driven reality shows of its ilk, Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods doesn't waste any time airing footage of the untalented hopefuls who didn't make the cut during open auditions. Instead, it cuts right to the chase, narrowing 50 semi-finalists down to a pool of 10 finalists in minutes. In a way, it's a process that's as ruthless and unemotional as a real-life Broadway casting, making this one of the most realistic reality shows on the air. And for that, it probably deserves a standing ovation.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether watching the contestants go through the audition process changes the way they perceive Broadway stars in general. Were you surprised by the long rehearsals and grueling hours? Did some of the competitors handle the stress better than others? Do you think you'd have what it takes to make it in show business? Families can also discuss whether watching a TV show about Legally Blonde the musical makes them want to see it live. Do you think that's what the show's producers had in mind when they created it?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: June 2, 2008
  • Cast: Haylie Duff
  • Network: MTV
  • Genre: Reality TV
  • TV rating: TV-PG
  • Last updated: February 24, 2022

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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