Helen Crump is a character that has about as many fans as Warren Ferguson. It's not hard to see why, given how she has an unreasonably short temper, gets jealous very easily, is extremely unreasonable, and has a general grumpy disposition. Most of the fans responses to Helen usually portray her as a monster of sorts or give her unflattering nicknames (Hellcat Helen is a very popular one) So I'm curious: Does anyone like Helen?

Helen was ok but she was annoying at times as well.

I won't go as far as to say I like her, but I don't mind her as much as I used to. There's a long, weird tradition in sitcoms that they bring in romantic interests without any even considering the impact on the comedy. I can see that Andy notices her because she's a bit exotic for Mayberry - pretty, and a little city-fied. And she had a nice frame, which is something that I didn't appreciate as a kid.

The color episode which had Helen Crump dancing in the newfangled, "Pulp Fiction" style may have been the hottest thing on television, circa 1968.

:D

Helen Crump is a character that has about as many fans as Warren Ferguson. It's not hard to see why, given how she has an unreasonably short temper, gets jealous very easily, is extremely unreasonable, and has a general grumpy disposition. Most of the fans responses to Helen usually portray her as a monster of sorts or give her unflattering nicknames (Hellcat Helen is a very popular one) So I'm curious: Does anyone like Helen?

I love Helen Crump... she was hot!

For example...

That was one long hot kiss on the fade out to the color episode after Andy tells Helen she needs to make up her mind who she wants to "run with", she calls him "vulgar" and then they lock into a long kiss, even Gober showing up doesn't stop them.

A good bet is Andy and Helen got it on that night, am I right?

:D

Nobody liked her! Remember, the School Board almost had her fired (spoilers, lol!)

The color episode which had Helen Crump dancing in the newfangled, "Pulp Fiction" style may have been the hottest thing on television, circa 1968.

:D

That "Pulp Fiction" dance would be called The Frug. :D

I think Helen was one of the few major characters who became permanently modernized in appearance, alluding to a more modern woman in Mayberry. When you consider Aunt Bee, Thelma Lou, Clara Edwards, and Emmett's wife, all of them wore long dresses and kept their long hair in updos. Also most of Andy's earlier girlfriends, like Ellie Walker and Peggy, wore very conservative or even dowdy clothes. Long skirts for Charlene Darling as well.

In the dancing scene mentioned in this thread, here we had Helen in a very short hairstyle, wearing a sleeveless (shift?) dress, hemline above the knees. Earlier in the series, she too had an updo and wore long dresses. Part of this is just the series changing somewhat with the times, like the Taylors getting a more modern phone in the kitchen. But I can't help but think, somehow the changes in Helen's appearance signaled something more significant...?

I liked Helen; she was spirited and complemented Andy's easy-going temperament. I also thought she was pretty and they made a cute couple.

That "Pulp Fiction" dance would be called The Frug. :D

Thanks!

I have to admit I've never been much of a dancer in my life... regret that sometimes, but just never had the knack, really.

I liked Helen; she was spirited and complemented Andy's easy-going temperament. I also thought she was pretty and they made a cute couple.

Agreed on all points.

:D

Nobody liked her! Remember, the School Board almost had her fired (spoilers, lol!)

She got in trouble with the law, in Siler City or some such big town, even had her photo in the newspaper as a criminal of some sort... which just added to her exotic allure.

I think Helen was one of the few major characters who became permanently modernized in appearance, alluding to a more modern woman in Mayberry. When you consider Aunt Bee, Thelma Lou, Clara Edwards, and Emmett's wife, all of them wore long dresses and kept their long hair in updos. Also most of Andy's earlier girlfriends, like Ellie Walker and Peggy, wore very conservative or even dowdy clothes. Long skirts for Charlene Darling as well.

In the dancing scene mentioned in this thread, here we had Helen in a very short hairstyle, wearing a sleeveless (shift?) dress, hemline above the knees. Earlier in the series, she too had an updo and wore long dresses. Part of this is just the series changing somewhat with the times, like the Taylors getting a more modern phone in the kitchen. But I can't help but think, somehow the changes in Helen's appearance signaled something more significant...?

Just when we think everything about the Mayberry scene has been completely covered, we find even more.

"I am curious... Helen."

:D

Give me Themla Lou any day!!:D

Hated the Crump!

Give me Themla Lou any day!!:D

I liked Thelma Lou, also Ellie was a favorite... and Opie agrfeed, of course.

:D

Give me Themla Lou any day!!:D

Yeah Baby!

I wish Andy would have ended up with Ellie from the early episodes!

Yeah Baby!

I wish Andy would have ended up with Ellie from the early episodes!

That would have been alright if somehow Ellie had come back instead of them bringing Crump on the show. Even though Andy seemed a little old for Ellie, at least her character had some qualities other than crabbiness, anger, and jealousy.

I'm not a big fan of Helen Crump. She did have her moments though and it seems to me that she kind'a sort'a fit well with Andy. Now, since the name Warren was also mentioned in the original post ------ well --- I watch an episode or two of Andy nearly every day --- simply put ---- I flat refuse to watch an episode with Warren in it. I absolutely loathe that character. Adding some unasked for info --- I'm not a fan of the fun girls either. They should have married Warren and moved to Iraq.

I was partial to her for being in The Blob. Well, technically, almost being. And, Corsaut, i.e., not Crump.

That would have been alright if somehow Ellie had come back instead of them bringing Crump on the show. Even though Andy seemed a little old for Ellie, at least her character had some qualities other than crabbiness, anger, and jealousy.

No kidding! She was cute, and had a spunky personality, that made Andy nervous at times, saying that she "has all our young bucks all stirred up" in Mayberry!

GREAT SHOW!

I was partial to her for being in The Blob. Well, technically, almost being. And, Corsaut, i.e., not Crump.

Wow, great photo from The Blob.

:D

I've usually had a little better opinion of Helen than most posters on this board. I really don't think Helen should have had a personality that lines up with Thelma Lou. She shouldn't have been all sweet and patient. If TL had to take a firm stand about something, it seems like she had to just force herself to do it. But taking a firm stand comes more natural for Helen and, being a teacher, that's probably a good thing. That being the case, it's not surprising that she has a quick temper and jumps to conclusions. That is exactly how she is presented in her first appearance. She is mad at the boys in her class for not studying their history, and then Opie repeats Andy's evaluation that history is not really as important as other subjects which are more practical. So on Andy and Helen's first meeting, she is yelling at him; and she is right that he invaded her own area of authority, but she is totally unwilling to listen to any clarification that he did not tell the boys they don't have to study their history, as she claimed. So Andy knows the only thing to do is to get the boys on the right track again, and only after that does she recognize that Andy has some admirable qualities. So the pattern is set... Andy makes Helen mad by some action of his, she becomes unreasonably b^tchy toward him, but Andy can 'calm the storm' in her temperament either by explanations or by patching things up if he did cause the misunderstanding. I don't think they should have turned into another Thelma Lou.

My favorite of Andy's 'girlfriends' is Peggy. And all the above is true, though to a lesser extent, about Peggy. She could be angered by a misunderstanding, but could be reasoned with in the end. I probably shouldn't go into my 'theories' about why women act as they do, but Peggy and Helen did follow that pattern. Ellie, however, was always a threat to Andy, and I'm glad she didn't stay on after season 1.