In this week’s DIVA Dating Digest, we look at the first responder and her rocket scientist wife
BY YASMIN VINCE, IMAGE BY HULU
911, the hit show about a first responder squad in LA, is filled with beautiful romances. TikTok users will already know all about the will-they-won’t-they between Buck and Eddie, whose sexual tension is the subject of many videos. But the best relationship has to be the loving marriage between paramedic Henrietta “Hen” Wilson (Aisha Hinds) and her rocket scientist wife, Karen (Tracie Thoms).
Join us as we recap the pivotal moments in their relationship. Be warned, spoilers for the eight season procedural lie ahead…
The blind date that wasn’t a blind date
In a flashback shown in the sixth season, we learn how Hen and Karen met. The pair first met when Karen mistook Hen for her blind date. It was clear Karen did not want to be there and she started the conversation coldly. But this was endearing to Hen, who decided to play along.
Thankfully, she soon won over the rocket scientist, even when Karen realised the person sitting opposite her was not who she was supposed to be meeting. Except, as the two continued to chat they discovered they had a mutual friend, Chimney Han. As it turned out, this was all an elaborate plan to set the two up but make it feel organic.
Marriage and adopting Denny
Before the first season begins, Hen and Karen got married and adopted a son called Denny.
Denny’s biological parents were Nathaniel Green, who had no idea of his existence, and Eva Mathis. At the time of Denny’s birth, Eva was Hen’s ex-girlfriend. She had an extensive history of addiction long before she met Hen, so when Denny was born, she signed all parental rights away.
Initially, Karen didn’t want to raise Denny and broke up with Hen. But after Hen almost died in an accident, they reconciled and adopted their son.
Hen cheats on Karen with Eva
On these types of shows, the path to love never did run smooth, no matter how far down the road you may be. In the first season, Hen slept with Eva. Though she immediately regretted it, Hen didn’t tell Karen.
Unfortunately, on the day Hen decided to come clean, she arrived home to find an incredibly angry Karen. She found out about the infidelity, as Eva decided to sue for custody of Denny. She claimed the Wilson’s home was not a secure one, due to the fact that Hen had been unfaithful. Karen took Denny and left Hen that evening. Fortunately, the family were soon reunited and Hen and Karen worked on their marriage to make it stronger than ever.
Their IVF journey
Karen and Hen always wanted multiple children. In season three, the pair decided to start using IVF to have another child. They decided to use Karen’s eggs, but the process was unsuccessful. This put further pressure on their marriage, but they soon decided to try fostering instead.
Fostering Nia Gonzalez
Shortly after agreeing to stop IVF, Hen and Karen started fostering. Their first foster child was Nia. Throughout season three and the first few episodes of season four, Nia lived with the Wilsons and soon called the paramedic “Mama Hen”.
But before long, Nia’s social worker began the reunification process with her birth mother, Evangeline. But Nia and her mother remain in the Wilson’s lives and the little girl is even a flower girl when the two renew their vows.
They get married again!
Hen and Karen first got married offscreen in the backyard of their house. In season five, Hen’s mother Toni wants to get married in the same spot, but Karen won’t let this happen as Toni didn’t show up to their wedding. Karen never quite forgave Toni for letting Hen down.
Hen soon talks Karen around but on the day of the wedding, Toni announces she is not getting married. Rather, she wants to right her wrongs and not just be at her daughter’s wedding, but officiate it. Hen and Karen walked down the aisle again and renewed their vows. It was a beautiful moment that solidified the two as the best couple on the show.
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