Thomas Barrow's Best Trait On Downton Abbey According To Fans
Since its premiere in 2010, "Downton Abbey" continues to be relevant to fans and critics alike. The aristocratic show takes place in the fictional estate in post-Edwardian England, featuring the lives of the Crawley family. The Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), and his daughters are confronted with their way of life slowly giving way to modernism as they try to hold onto their wealth. Applauded for its soapy storylines as well as delving into events of the time, "Downton Abbey" became so successful that it still continues through films following the end of the series (via Collider).
The series particularly excels with the relationship between the downstairs vs. upstairs characters. The servants at Downton Abbey are focused on just as much as the elite, with varying and often heartbreaking moments. Each character is given emotionally resonant storylines, even that of Thomas Barrow (Robert James-Collier).
First introduced in Season 1, Barrow is depicted as ambitious and manipulative, vying for the position of valet. When he loses it to John Bates (Brendan Coyle), Barrow does everything he can to get Bates fired. Since then, Barrow has gone through great character development, especially when showing emotion after the death of Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay). But there is one redemptive quality in particular that fans love.
Barrow protects the children from Nanny West
After Lady Sybil's tragic death, Thomas Barrow takes a liking to her daughter, Sybbie (Ava Mann). This connection makes him immediately wary of Nanny West (Di Botcher). Though Barrow's dislike of her first seems to be because she speaks down to him, it turns out that his suspicions are correct.
Fans on Reddit were delighted when Barrow got Nanny West fired for abusing Sybbie. His suspicions start when he sees Nanny West trying to keep Sybbie from having her eggs. "He knows Miss Sybbie should get an egg with her tea!" posted u/bunny8taters. "Nanny West was evil. I felt like Barrow could actually tell something was off about her and that's why he didn't like her."
While Nanny West appears to treat Mary's (Michelle Dockery) son George (Logan and Cole Weston) perfectly well, she treats Sybbie far worse because her father is Irish in an English household, calling the her a "wicked cross-breed." Barrow goes to Lady Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) and tells her his concerns, even saying that he wouldn't have said anything if it wasn't for the safety of the children. "Barrows affection for, and protectiveness toward, the children is one of my favorite things about him," commented u/thistleandpeony.
Many posters, such as u/drretro, loved this development. "I absolutely loved it when Barrow started to use his talents for good," they wrote. Barrow has often used his machinations to get what he wants. But sometimes, it's because of his affection for the children of the household.