The Jake Mistake

spoiler alert: this post makes reference to the August 24 episode on CBC

Since the untimely death of Liam the First (Ask Roy for details - ed), this blog has boldly bemoaned the lack of good-looking men on the Street (was that before Kirk appeared? - ed). please refer to the SHS (Serious Hunk Shortage) for further details. Then, out of the blue, comes this saucy, handsome young roofer named Jake who climbs up Michelle Connor's ladder (whoa, watch it, this is a family blog - ed).

Could Jake address the hunk shortage on Coronation Street?

In a word: 'No'. First of all, he's slung his hook (metaphorically speaking, of course - ed) and is off to Glasgow, presumably to yank the tiles off someone's roof and apply his unique brand of peeping tom-ism and skiving to the lucky Scots. I think ol' Jake fails the SHS requirement on several fronts.

First, he's all flash and no substance. All that endless yakking about how tasty Michelle is (okay, we get it, shut up already). Second he seems to combine the least desireable attributes of two former - better quality -hunks.

1) He seems to have the business ethics and cowboy builder qualities of Charlie Stubbs (remember when Chuckie got Jason to remove the tiles from Keith's roof because Keith refused to pay the exorbitant bill?). Jake's stunt vis a vis Dev's roof seems to come from the same book.

2) He has all the sincerity of the recently-departed Luke Strong. He simply says whatever it takes to get what he wants. If he wants to cop off with Michelle, he climbs through her window, takes off his clothes, gets arrested, asks her to run away to Scotland with him and then complains about her son and the baby she's looking after.

Don't get me wrong, I like flashy, smooth-talking guys who look good (Norris Cole, come on down - ed). But Jake?  Once you remove that towel, there's really not that much left.