Elle Robinson - Reception

Reception

In 2006 Black was nominated for Most Popular New Female Talent in her role of Elle at the Logie awards. She was also nominated for Best Actress at Cosmopolitan's Fun, Fearless Female awards in 2009. Ruth Deller of entertainment website Lowculture commented on Elle branding her a "fierce businesswoman and journalist". She also stated that Elle was the most notable 'victim' of character aging in soap opera because fellow Neighbours character Sky Mangel was born before her remained younger than her. In a separate feature Deller credited Elle as one of the best soap opera characters in the whole 2000's, stating: "Elle is one of the best characters on Neighbours in the past decade. Feisty, cutting, bitchy, but with a heart underneath, she also hates Libby, which we approve of. Plus the scenes with her and Susan becoming frenemies recently were good value. Long may she reign." When Elle took revenge on Lucas using his gambling addiction, Metro.co.uk likened Elle to her father Paul, branding her "a chip off the old block", also stating it as a cruel way to get revenge. The Daily Mail's Caroline Fitton said that Elle would often "stomp around" in a loud manner while sealing business deals.

Columnists for the Daily Record have regularly analysed Elle's storylines. Through her revenge campaign on Max they said she proved "herself once again to be a chip off the old Robinson block". One perceived the whole "will-they won't-they" storyline between Elle and Oliver to be "tiresome" and "nonsense" and their later affair was deemed predictible. While another said that the start of her relationship with Lucas was more epic than "Doctor Zhivago, Romeo and Juliet or The Thorn Birds". They said it was a silly storyline because they were "clearly mad for each other" yet "too stubborn to let each other know it". They later stated that it would have been easier if Lucas told Elle the truth more often. However; they opined that there was no need for Elle to be jealous of Lucas and Steph's friendship. They observed Elle as spending most of her days "wandering around looking like a wounded puppy" and said she should get over herself. As Elle is involved in different building disasters they said she has the "kiss of death". They quipped "If there's one thing you really must never do in soapland, it's enter a dodgy building with Elle Robinson. That's because before you know it, some disaster will have struck, and it's likely you'll be left fighting for your life because of it." Upon Elle's final scenes, they said that viewers could expect "plenty of tears" when Elle makes her departure and leave Lucas behind. Inside Soap asked their readers whether Oliver should be with Elle or Carmella. Elle was voted their second best with only thirty-four percent of the vote.