Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier)-former footman, would-be blackmailer, and early modern homosexual everyman-is now head butler on staff, giving him ample opportunity to interact with the visiting stars, and in particular, with the debonair Guy Dexter (Dominic West).
As half the family hares off to the French Riviera to unravel a mysterious inheritance, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) stays behind to shepherd the production of a silent film at Downton. In the latest addition to the Downton Abbey franchise ( Downton Abbey: A New Era ) one thing remains constant: change.