SlayerNina wrote:
Finally I watched the CS episode (I'm late, I know) and I was a bit dissapointed. Not just how they handled the plot overall the season (suicide attempt and no development at all!), Thomas was the only character clearly with a bittersweet/sad ending.
1. He's working at the house he tried to kill himself like three months ago.
-- He only tried to kill himself because his whole world was collapsing on him. He was not wanted anymore in the one place he was able to put roots on and he was under pressure to find a less desirable job than the one he really wants. His past faults have caught up with him making Carson more than happy to let him go at the next available opportunity.
2. And because there's no better choice. No good job with the Stiles, no clock shop, not sportsman, not anything else.
-- Professional cricket player maybe? His only desire job wise is to be the butler of Downton. It is kind of hard to satisfy yourself with second best especially when the real thing is so close.
3. He's gonna be butler, which is ironic because he's the only character that since the beginning had tried to escape actively from servitude/be his own boss/be rich/upgrade his social status.
-- He did try to escape and he got away. His business enterprise was a failure though and I think that point in his life started to change his mind about leaving Downton.
4. He's gonna be butler, in a world where servants/butlers are dissapearing. In four years there's the Crash plus the rest of the staff are quiting the jobs/being only part of the time.
--Master George will not let that happen and besides, Lady Mary also has a soft spot for him. They (Mary and Thomas) are almost the reflection of each other in an upstairs and downstairs mirror kind of thing.
5. No scheeming anymore. What makes him so entertaining it was his dry sense of humour and his nasty behaviour. IIt seems the fire is extinct (well, ice) forever.
-- There will be future Downton visitors and some will not be so nice and whoever tries to hurt Master George or any of the other members of the family better be ready for some Thomas Barrow treatment.
6. He doesn't get laid and apparently he won't. (Remember Dr Clarkson about doing the best with the thing he has). Like... Everybody is with someone. Even Tom with the editor that appeared three seconds. When they talked again about Peter Pelham (100% sure he was gay, anyone?), I just thought "what a waste, a spin off of Thomas & Peter adventures in Tanger" XD
-- Maybe the Duke of I can't remember (Season 1 ) will try to mend fences with the Crawley family and they can have their last fling.
There's also potential for younger guests at the Abbey maybe visiting guests with Edith and Bertie (as mentioned by one of the other posters).
Do you think it was intended as a happy ending or Fellowes was scared of conservative audience? Or he wanted to make a moral point of some sort? Any thoughts?
-- Thomas will be happy if he can only remain less envious of the other people around him and what he thinks he deserves and how his life is turning out compared to other people. Baxter said it the best. Thomas is his own worst enemy. He has his gifts. He is a smart, well spoken, efficient, an exceptional athlete (cricket), and to top it off.. very good looking. He also has a friend in Master George which almost guarantees him the job of Butler in Downton Abbey regardless of the impending market collapse and the second world war.
I think Season 6 has shown that Thomas is past his selfish and scheming ways (maybe not completely lol!) and is a better and nicer person as a result. He has and will always be one of my favorites.