Tobey Barrett is a recurring character on Dawson's Creek. He is portrayed by David Monahan.
Character[]
Tobey is a passionate LGBTQIA+ activist who spearheads the cause in Capeside, with a group of activists. He can be somewhat acerbic and short-fused because of the discrimination he is used to facing, but is really a very sweet and caring guy. Tobey also volunteers in a reading programme for kids.
Story[]
Tobey is the founder of a Gay-Straight coalition in the Capeside area, to which Jen drags Jack. Tobey is direct and confrontational, which puts Jack off at first, and Tobey basically dresses Jack down in front at the meeting, almost as if to prove some kind of point. Jack takes issue with his behaviour, but doesn't think much about him until Jen makes him come to the coalition's bowling night. Tobey gets along really well with Jen and is puzzled by her friendship with Jack, whom Tobey views as some kind of popular football kid who has no problems in life. When Jack arrives wearing his letterman jacket, Tobey's thinks his assertions about Jack are further confirmed and he proceeds to call Jack, 'Captain America'. Because of this, when Jen goes off to get soft drinks, the guys have a confrontation of sorts where Jack tells Tobey he doesn't know him and shouldn't make assumptions. Tobey is honest and tells Jack that, to him, Jack looks like the kind of person that is always harassing Tobey.[1]
Jen and Tobey begin to develop a friendship that leads her to encouraging a relationship between him and Jack. Tobey remains critical of Jack's avoidance of his sexuality, but the two begin to develop a friendship when Jack begins to volunteer with the same underprivileged youth that Tobey does. Throughout these past few months, Tobey began to develop feelings for Jack. Ironically, when Tobey is gay-bashed in the episode 'Late,' he tries to keep it to himself. Jack encourages him to go to the police for help, but Tobey is pessimistic as to whether or not they will take the event seriously because of their own homophobia.
As the school year begins to come to a close, Jack is forced by Jen to bring Tobey to his prom much against Jack's will and the two at the end share a kiss. Jack spends most of the night hesitant about whether or not to make his relationship with Tobey official because of a mix of fear due to what happened with Ethan and from other people's homophobia. By the end of the episode, Tobey is Jack's first official boyfriend. Tobey is introduced to Jack's sister, Andie, when the main cast graduates in the penultimate episode of the season.
Tobey does not appear again until his final episode, 'Use Your Disillusion.' He comes to visit Jack at Boston Bay College unannounced. Jack is in the middle of rushing his fraternity and is on call for when he is needed. When one of these calls interupts a date with Tobey, Tobey becomes passive-aggressive. Jack's other pledges, including Eric, comment on how it would be just an inappropriate if a girlfriend showed up unannounced and express their feelings on Tobey trying to both monopolize Jack's time and turn him into someone he's not. Tobey threatens Jack with an ultimatim that it is either him or the fraternity. When Jack chooses the fraternity, Tobey leaves.
Photos[]
Episodes[]
- SEASON 4
- Self Reliance
- The Te of Pacey
- Hopeless
- Late
- Promicide
- The Graduate
- SEASON 5
- Use Your Disillusion