The Artful Dodger

As a fan of both the 1967 movie Oliver! And author Charles Dickens, I was excited about watching The Artful Dodger. The casting is extraordinary. Familiar characters are given a twist without that "wet lettuce" Oliver Twist. And yet... I couldn't shake off some of the show's departures from Dickens. Is Fagin even Jewish anymore? Would Dodger really settle into a surgeon's workhorse life? But, a series even bringing up such questions must be doing something right.

The show may share some of Dickens' faults as a writer: moralizing. Of course, our heroine rejects Victorian womanhood and loves science as she should. And she loathes the ignorance and filth around her just as a modern young woman might. But, some of the Victorian tropes from Oliver Twist come up. Do we admire Belle more because she is "the closest thing to royalty...here."? Just like Oliver was really an heir and not a poor street urchin (sorry, spoiler alert for Oliver Twist.) Maybe Belle the Governor's daughter just reminds me of Hermione Granger at times.

The Australian setting does offer possibilities and perils. But I can't help but mourn what we're losing- Victorian London. Of course, I'm only two episodes in as of now. I'm hoping Fagin will discuss his Judaism and everyone will jaunt off to see Big Ben- but I'm not holding my breath. Dickens based Fagin on a real criminal who was also sent to Australia before being hung- if I remember Wikipedia correctly. I'm fascinated by Ron Moody's take on Fagin in Oliver! And how the actor insisted on avoiding antisemitism from old stage traditions. I'm glad to see another take on the character. I look forward to the next episode. As for Fagin's partner in crime, have no notes on the Artful Dodger performance- it's perfect.

Absolutely enjoyable- in fact, I am obsessed- a new spin on the old characters "the artful dodger" and Fagin or Dickens fame. Thomas Brodie-Sangster is charming and progressive surgeon Dr Jack Dawkins, secretly an escaped convict turned Navy doctor, in 1850s Port Victory. Maia Mitchell plays Lady Belle Fox, a headstrong young woman with the drive to be a surgeon. I would go to war for her. David Thewlis's Fagin is at once conniving and dirty, fatherly and droll- a real highlight of the show. Secrets are spilled and a bargain struck, and of course a romance blossoms. The series is witty, heartwarming, adventurous- and addicting. I have binged it twice. The best thing Disney+ or Hulu or Star OR WHOMEVER could do now is give it a second season. It's absolutely fantastic.

This series was done in the time of Oliver Twist, and it revolves around a surgeon(once thief) who became much more after he was abandoned by his uncle. And in another town, with a hospital to do surgeries in, he and the lovely governors daughter push the bounds of the 1850s modern medicine.

I watch quite a few series, and as of late they have been pretty dull, but this one is fire. There's simply no other way to put it. It has everything you could possibly want in a series. Great actors, drama, love, medicine, crime, a villain, and twists and turns for everything.

10/10 well done. Seriously at a time when we couldn't get a great series this is a cut about the rest!

This reminded me of when I used to see the old Disney stuff with Hayley Mills or early Kurt Russel stuff.

It's fun, family friendly, excellent writing, great casting across the board. David Thewlis as Fagin is just a scene stealer, Thomas Brodie-Sangster is great and so utterly likeable as the Dodger and Maia Mitchel is channeling Hayley Mills in such a modern way that it's hard not to smile when she does.

Big fan of the show, really would love to see Disney make more fare like this, it's what a show should really be and I would love to see something done with Bed Knobs and Broomsticks, The Ghosts of Buxley-Hall or even the Dexter Riley trilogy.

This is fun, and there should be more of it!!!

I absolutely LOVED this show. It was a delightful period drama with comedy and an excellent romance story. I felt like it has everything you want in a show. It was so much better than I thought it would be and I already had high expectations. The characters Fagin, Jack, and Belle were likable and they had amazing chemistry with each other. The relationship between Jack and Belle destroyed me in the best way possible and I want nothing more than to see their story continue. The writing and the dialogue are entertaining and on point. The main actors especially did a great job delivering their lines. This is my favorite Hulu original by far.