One day a few months ago, I was watching The Queen’s Gambit (an excellent show by the way), which has Thomas Brodie-Sangster in it. Since I love Thomas Brodie-Sangster I wondered what else he’s in that I could watch, and I stumbled on this little TV show called The Artful Dodger. After seeing a Reddit post about how good it was, I decided to give it a try.
And boy am I glad I did. I wasn’t expecting much, but The Artful Dodger delivered. It’s fun, fast, and funny, and I was surprised I’d never heard of it before.
Show: The Artful Dodger
Genre: Comedy, Action & Adventure, Drama, Romance
If you’ve never heard of it, The Artful Dodger is a series on Hulu and Disney+ about Jack Dawkins, aka the Artful Dodger. It’s a spin-off of Charles Dickens’s Oliver Twist. Taking place more than a decade after the novel, Jack Dawkins has escaped the life of thievery to become a surgeon in 1850s Australia. But someone from his past arrives, stirring up all sorts of trouble for the Dodger.
“There are times in this life when we have to face the loss of something so precious, it makes the heart clench just to think of it. Love’s frail, it don’t last. Especially not in our world. That’s what gives it its pain. And it’s also what gives it its shine because in the flickering of a glim, it’s gone.”
Norbert Fagin, The Artful Dodger
Rating: 5 Stars
Why Is No One Talking About The Artful Dodger – My Review
This TV show has so much going for it, so why is no one talking about it? Let’s dive into my review of The Artful Dodger.
One of the best things about this show is how accessible it is. Going into it, I was worried because I’d never read Oliver Twist, and the only adaptation I’d seen was Oliver & Company, which I haven’t seen in years. But The Artful Dodger doesn’t require its viewers to know anything about Oliver Twist. The show explains everything you need to know about Dawkins’ past, and since it takes place 15 years after the original, it feels a bit like a separate story.
The show has excellent casting. Thomas Brodie Sangster does a great job, of course, along with Maia Mitchell. They have great chemistry together. But David Thewlis stands out with his portrayal of Norbert Fagin. He truly embodies the character and delivers such great lines. The rest of the cast is wonderful too.
It helps, though, that the cast had a fantastic script to work with. The opening sequence sets up the show perfectly, and each episode pulls you in a bit more. I watched the show for the second time over the past week, and I had to stop myself from finishing it in 2 days (it’s only 8 episodes so it would have been easy).
The writers, creators, cast, and crew brought 1850s Australia to life. It’s really refreshing to see a period piece set somewhere other than England (don’t get me wrong though, I love England). We don’t often see 1850s Australia, but this show has made me want to learn more about what was going on there during this time. While it is a period drama, it also has a modern twist that doesn’t feel out of place.
My only complaint is that a few aspects of it can be a bit predictable, but even though I saw some things coming, I enjoyed every second of watching it all unfold.
I suppose I have one other complaint: there isn’t more of it!
If you haven’t seen this show, go check it out. You’ll have a lot of fun—plus, I’d love for it to get another season. If you have seen The Artful Dodger, let me know what you thought of it in the comments. If you’d like to read more of my reviews, click here.
