Usually, I really hate the whole “guy teases his crush because he secretly likes her” trope. I find it’s just so juvenile. What is the guy, five years old? Also, I find it’s usually not realistic. I don’t think any actual women wants to date a man who takes part in such childish antics. But in most stories, the guy still gets the girl despite the fact that he spends most of the story making fun of her. It sends the false message that women find this kind of behavior endearing.
But with Jake and Amy’s relationship, that isn’t the case. Jake starts off the series as kind of a jerk. His constant teasing of Amy isn’t something that draws Amy to him, if anything it’s what puts her off him. She even classifies this time as as when she found him “annoying and hard to be around”. It’s the thing that gets in the way of them getting together. Jake had to start to mature before him and Amy could get together. It’s a flaw that aids his character development.
I don’t think enough people talk about how Jake had to change in order to pursue an actual relationship with Amy. He had to mature. One the reasons why “The Bet” is such a good episode is because it showcases two things. 1. it shows how immature Jake is and 2. that moment on the roof shows the potential for what Jake and Amy’s relationship could be
It shows his potential for his relationship with Amy as well as what’s holding him back.
