Karen Nicholson is a young woman who works as a housekeeper.
Background[]
Karen comes from a wealthy family that she was never close to. During her childhood, servants did everything for her and she never learned to take care of herself. After she got out of college, she was bored, so she latched onto Ian McCall. Ian told Karen he loved her and asked her to marry him. Karen was in love with Ian until she found out that he was seeing other women. In the end Ian went back to his wife, from whom he had been separated. Karen lived off her trust fund for a year. During that time, she talked to Ian again. He said he'd call her tomorrow, but didn't contact her for another three months. Eventually her trust fund ran out, and she applied for a job as a housekeeper, hoping to find a family she could become close to.
On the series[]
Karen applies for a job as the Keatons' housekeeper in Help Wanted. The family is looking for someone to help out around the house and run errands during Elyse Keaton's pregnancy and Andrew Keaton's infancy. Karen applies with no references, no experience, and no ability to cook. Alex P. Keaton hires her anyway because she's attractive. Karen proves to be a highly incompetent housekeeper who shrinks clothes in the wash, burns them with the iron, spills food everywhere, breaks dishes, and damages the Keatons' furniture and appliances while trying to fix them. However, she immediately bonds with Mallory and Jennifer, and Mallory says that cleaning up after Karen is worth it because of all the fun they have together. Steven and Alex invite Karen to Guido's to fire her as gently as possible, but before they can fire her, Karen starts apologizing for being such a bad housekeeper and tries to quit. Steven is guilted into begging her to stay. Karen agrees to keep working for the Keatons.
In Karen II, Alex 0, Alex invites Karen to the Alpha Phi Epsilon dance, knowing he doesn't have a chance of being accepted as a pledge unless he has a hot date. Karen refuses to go at first, but later changes her mind and follows Alex to the dance. Karen lets Alex introduce her to Craig Duvall and Don Caruthers, then tries to leave the dance. Alex insists on introducing her to Dean Ian McCall, not knowing about their history. Ian tells Karen he still loves her and wants to spend his next birthday with her, but Karen says she never wants to see him again. The two get in an argument that attracts the attention of everyone else at the party before Karen storms out. Karen goes home, tells Steven that she's quitting, and explains her past to him. When Alex arrives, Karen explains that she's been happy with the Keatons but it's time for her to move on.