I've always wondered why the writers tried to make Helen and Thelma Lou friends, particularly since whenever Thelma Lou and Helen would appear onscreen together, Thelma Lou would act out of character either going ditzy (the hands up for fried chicken bit in Barney and the Cave Rescue) or completely childish (all of the other episodes she and Helen appeared in save for The Rumor and Barney runs for Sheriff). There's also the bit that in the episode The Return of Barney Fife at the reunion Helen ignores Thelma Lou completely.

I suppose Thelma Lou had to try because Andy and Barney were close friends. I know I would not want to be friends with Helen.

IMO, Andy had terrible taste in girlfriends. He was so nice and mild-mannered and the gals he dated would excoriate him if they got the chance.

IMO, Andy had terrible taste in girlfriends. He was so nice and mild-mannered and the gals he dated would excoriate him if they got the chance.

Which begs the question: What was Opie's mother like?

Which begs the question: What was Opie's mother like?

Firey redhead, for starters..

The thing I found strange was Barney getting so excited when he thought Andy was getting engaged/married. Barney was gun-shy when it came to marriage, so why would he want Andy to get engaged/married. His situation with Thelma Lou sticks out like a sore thumb the second this happens, he's been going out with her longer and she wants to get married. You know she'd be lobbying Helen to talk to Andy as well as pushing on her own for Barney to pop the question.

To answer the question posed to start the thread, I think Thelma Lou would definitely want to be friends with Helen. First, it gives her someone to compare notes with and gives her an ear to talk to and women love that. Also she could send messages through Helen figuring she'll mention her various concerns about Barney to Andy who in turn might mention them to Barney.

I think the character of Thelma Lou might have been destined to be written out of the show even if Don had returned for season 6. What I'm suggesting is this, the Warren scripts for season 6 were really scripts for Barney that were reworked, could it be that season 6 would have played out pretty much as it did with Barney instead of Warren. The Mayberry High reunion episode could have been played in much the same way as it was with Barney and Andy referring to the off screen break-up and the subsequent departure of Thelma Lou from Mayberry. As reunion day approaches Barney's excitement about Thelma Lou coming back and his hopes of rekindling the romance lead to the same crushing end, and the episode would still be the final appearance of Thelma Lou. Barney freelancing would have given the writers more options with respect to the character, this would have punched up the comedic elements of the series, an aspect which Andy no longer seemed interested in.