Reaching for things is what makes this blog interesting. You never know when your reach hits the mark. I could see a "Helen" evolving from the woman on the train. Especially when women in the late 50/60's were dying their hair red to be more like Lucille Ball. Helen could have liked the attention she was getting as a red head and just kept going with the red dye. Interesting post, MCohen. Cheers!
Lindy, what's your thoughts on this one?

.....I just finished watching that episode too. Today is the last day if you want to catch Season 1 On Demand.

After serious consideration of Lindy's and Drink&Smoke's comments about the Helen/Don connection in other episodes, I wouldn't go straight to the conclusion that they knew each other prior, but it does seem very obvious they have some kind of silent rapport, with the looks and all.

Two people with a lot to hide, maybe? Or I don't know.....

She clearly feels perfectly comfortable approaching him in a personal way, and her comment to him in the backyard at Sally's birthday party, "That's some crowd in there," was definitely some kind of meeting of the minds, to which we were not necessarily invited.

Can't speak for him, but it looked very much to me that Helen could envision herself being involved with Don Draper in some way. He was less transparent, as is his way, as Drink&Smoke said before.

Like many other red herrings, this bears analysis....just can't say for sure where it was going.....I've looked but can't find evidence that Helen will even be back for Season 3.....

Matt put the kibosh on IMDb and any other spoilers are sketchy, mostly involving new characters.

.....Maybe it's just that Helen, as a divorcee horrifying all the married women, being targeted by unscrupulous husbands, having to work when no one else around her does, etc., just feels like an outsider to the whole suburban thing, and recognizes that same thing in Don Draper.....lots of "maybes" here.....

Let me take my hypothesis one step further...

If Helen is the woman on the train 10 yrs ago, and if they slept together, doesn't that line up the timing for Glen to be Don/Dick's son?

Glen does seem to be living a childhood similar to that of Dick's.

Well, it just might, MCohen!

I love all this speculation! I posted on Drink's Helen and Don thread that I think it'd be great if Glenn turned out to be Dick/Don's.

I also think that that kid finishing up his piano lesson at Anna's might be Dick/Don's, too...the timing seems right on that one to me.

Let's face it, someone who plants his seeds in as many wrong gardens as Don is going to have some unexpected crops springing up!

Wow, well I am planning a marathon of re-watching before Season 3.

That's what makes this fun. Maybe they know each other and maybe not. I do not personally believe they had a sexual relationship. The dynamic doesn't seem to impy that especially - and I think that would scare him, her being in such close proximity. Even more so if the kid was his.

I think if they know each other she knows him as Dick in a platonic manner. I am waiting for the episode when they are alone and out of the blue she says, "So Dick..."

Of course, there is a good chance they don't know each other at all. But this is my secret hold-out... :)

That women looks absolutely nothing like Helen, IMO.

That women looks absolutely nothing like Helen, IMO.

Sorry for the double post. Nice theory, though.

I've said this on other threads, but this possibility sounds too contribed to me.

Isn't it enough that each character is drawn in such a dark and beautiful way? The isolation, the unfulfilled dreams, the way they mistreat and disrespect each other....it's just so gorgeous and heartbreaking. We can see that Don and Helen are both outsiders, and in a very subtle and real way at Sally's party, we saw that they understood something about each other in that brief moment. They don't need to have had a history for that moment to be meaningful.

.....This site is definitely messed up right now, but I'm sure they'll fix it.

Just wanted to add how fun it is watching new Maddicts get hooked.

Kind of takes the edge off the guilt!

Ha ha! Don't feel too guilty - at least I tell myself that in addition to entertainment we are getting a little education about human nature and culture in the 60's....;-)