Things are soon going to get very intense for Thomas Barrow, the dashing but scheming underbutler played by actor Rob James-Collier on Downton Abbey. That might seem completely unsurprising as Barrow has already demonstrated a penchant for manipulating and scheming against his coworkers — not to mention that time he was entangled with the hot, but dead Turkish envoy. Still, on the upcoming fifth season of the compulsively watchable British drama, Barrow will “not only question his sexuality but try to change it, with devastating consequences,” according to the Daily Mail. James-Collier told the paper he’s lost sleep over the upcoming storyline which will push his character into an abyss.
“It’s quite a harrowing storyline and I hope it is,” he said. “Because if it isn’t, I haven’t done it justice.There are mornings of those scenes when you haven’t been able to sleep at night because you are so worried about how it will go. Thomas comes right up to the abyss.”
In an interview with Metro, the actor also expressed his excitement about what’s in store for Barrow.
“In this series, because of an event, for the first time he reflects and turns it inwards on himself and questions his sexuality,” he revealed. “Whether or not he would, or could, be happy staying as a homosexual.”
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James-Collier added, “He goes on a traumatic path to find out whether he can truly be who he is. It’s quite an emotional story line, and hopefully quite gripping.”
Stay tuned. The new season will premiere later this month in the U.K. and in the U.S. in January.
Dawson
He needs to team up with Allen Leech(Tom Branson). Actually they need to do a series with just Tom Branson with no females.
Jake357
Tom Branson and Lord Gillingham doing nothing but shirtless (and frequently pantless) scenes of random chores, like chopping wood or oiling each other up.
MacAdvisor
Mr. Barrow is the under butler, sort of an assistant butler, not an “underservant,” whatever that is.
[email protected]
This character was castrated early on. Disappointing.
Saint Law
The American fascination with this creaky pseudo-feudal bollocks is baffling. If you love our posh bastards so much why don’t you take them?
Sweet Boy
I have always suspected there is an inter-generational thing going on between Barrow and Carson…
throwslikeagirl
“Underservant”? That’s not the correct term, as MacAdvisor pointed out. Hmm…. an early 20th Century British bottom?
TampaBayTed
He could bottom for me any day.
stranded
UGH! Again? They need to change up the drama a bit. This guy was screwed over by his Turk lover, he got cheated off his market business with rotten goods, he was forced to join the war because what else he could do. Then he gets all rapy and obsessed over the new footman. THEN we think he’s becoming a decent human being and for no reason he goes back to his conniving ways. So what? He’s going to seduce a girl and get married even though he’s gay.
Alan down in Florida
“In this series, because of an event, for the first time he reflects and turns it inwards on himself and questions his sexuality,” he revealed. “Whether or not he would, or could, be happy staying as a homosexual.”
What is this – a flashback from the ex-gay movement?
SteveDenver
@Jake357: Thanks for the laugh!
I was quite impressed with the story and when it looked like Thomas might be cast out or prosecuted, how Grantham commented that alumni of boys schools aren’t strangers to such things.
Couldn’t help but wish Thomas would be humbled or fall wildly in love and have his heart smashed, so he could stop being such a cad.
mz.sam
@[email protected]: Was never a fan of Dalton Abbey and thought its worth watching this new season. Thanks for the heads-up. Now this confirms its not worth watching altogether.
Kenover
I fear the worst.
Maude
He’s done, done it!
Electronic shock treatments, injections, and what all else?!!
This guy is a bad seed, and his creator has to either be in the closet himself, or straight because he didn’t have to, but he made him a homosexual…and I predict, he did that so he could have him commit suicide.