Ep 17. Jake vs. Jake

Jake vs. Jake is the 17th episode of the first season of the hit 90s drama series Melrose Place. The episode revolves around a storyline that pits two of the show's most popular characters against each other in a bitter feud.

At the start of the episode, fans are reintroduced to two very different versions of Jake Hanson, the show's resident bad boy played by actor Grant Show. In one corner, there's the scrappy, rough-around-the-edges Jake who spent time in jail and has a history of getting into trouble. In the other corner is the clean-cut, responsible Jake, who has cleaned up his act and started his own small business.

Over the course of the episode, tensions mount between the two versions of Jake as they both vie for the attention of Alison Parker, the show's protagonist played by Courtney Thorne-Smith. Alison finds herself caught in the middle of the feud, torn between two very different men with different sets of values and priorities.

As the episode progresses, the stakes are raised even higher when Jake's business is threatened by a shady developer who wants to buy out his property and turn it into a large-scale development project. The conflict comes to a head when the two Jakes finally come face-to-face in a heated confrontation that leaves both of them bruised and bloodied.

Despite the physical altercation, the episode ends on a somber note, with Alison struggling to come to terms with her conflicted feelings and Jake's business hanging in the balance. The episode serves as a powerful example of how the show was able to blend melodramatic soap opera elements with more grounded, realistic themes and storylines.

Overall, Jake vs. Jake is an iconic episode of Melrose Place that exemplifies the show's signature blend of over-the-top drama and grounded realism. Fans of the series will no doubt find it to be a memorable and emotionally resonant installment that showcases the best of what the show had to offer.