The Artful Dodger
The Artful Dodger
Now Showing

The Artful Dodger

"The Dodger is in."

8.1
Yr 2023
Status Returning Series
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

It's a tale of reinvention, betrayal, redemption, and love with a twist. Jack Dawkins is The Artful Dodger, whose pickpocketing fingers have become the skilled hands of a surgeon. He is torn between an impossible love and the criminal underworld he secretly craves. This will require Artfulness.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 78 /100

The Artful Dodger has been largely well-received by critics, who praise its zippy, Dickensian tone and the charming performances of Thomas Brodie-Sangster and David Thewlis. Many reviewers highlight the clever reinvention of the classic characters, noting that the series effectively balances medical drama with criminal escapades and witty, dark comedy. The production design, costume choices, and overall chemistry between leads are frequently cited as series strengths.

While the majority of critics find the show to be a refreshing and entertaining spin-off, some reaction is more measured. A few reviewers argue that the premise feels unnecessary or that the comedy remains surface-level, occasionally resulting in thin characterizations or formulaic subplots. Despite these isolated critiques, the consensus leans toward the series being an engaging, high-energy adaptation.

“A zippy Dickensian spin-off with a darkly comedic tone.”

“Conveniently combines all three modes into an enjoyable zippy package.”

“With its stellar cast, sumptuous costumes, plucky score, and surprising story, the series is easily one of the best—and most refreshing—to debut.”

“The series offers flimsy comedy, half-baked characterizations, and a dubious romantic subplot.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Disney Plus
UK • CA
Hulu
US
Why fans love it

Thomas Brodie-Sangster plays a former petty thief who trades his pickpocketing past for a career as a surgeon in 1850s Australia. The show shifts the focus from juvenile street crime to the gritty, high-stakes medical environment of colonial Sydney.

This drama balances the technical tension of 19th-century surgery against the pull of a criminal underworld that never fully lets go of its veterans. It captures a specific flavor of historical reinvention where the tools of a thief are repurposed to save lives, forcing the lead character to constantly choose between professional legitimacy and the adrenaline of his previous life.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 19
Longest run 16 eps
Show 67 more
Brigid Zengeni as Rotty Falkirk 12 episodes Tim Minchin as Darius Cracksworth 13 episodes Miranda Tapsell as Red Scrubbs 6 episodes Luke Carroll as Tim Billiberllary 14 episodes Kim Gyngell as Alistair McGregor 14 episodes Nicholas Burton as Rainsford Sneed 14 episodes Susie Porter as Jane Fox 14 episodes Jessica De Gouw as Peggy Gaines 4 episodes Andrea Demetriades as Marianne Cracksworth 1 episode Justin Smith as Tinkler Duckett 3 episodes Tom Budge as Hon Mortimer Smales 4 episodes Akita Priston-Turner as Mrs Wellings 1 episode Kevin MacIsaac as Angus Hootens 1 episode Josh Price as Ebenezer Gulch 1 episode Sofia Nolan as Milly Wince 1 episode Alexandra Davies as Mrs Tinkler 1 episode Trevor Jones as Sea Captain 1 episode Mackenzie Fearnley as Hugh Champflower 1 episode Jude Hyland as Charlie Salt 3 episodes Finn Treacy as Young Dodger 2 episodes Fayssal Bazzi as Captain Sebastian Grimm 1 episode Huw Higginson as Father Cruikshanks 9 episodes Ezekiel Simat as Ned Monks 4 episodes Stephanie Begg as Mrs Brennan 1 episode George Holahan-Cantwell as Nathaniel Brennan 1 episode Fletcher Kennedy as Orphaned Waif 1 episode Stephen Ryan as Edwin The Butler 4 episodes Alex Parker-Knowles as Young Dying Sailor 1 episode Uwe Taugerbeck as Amputation Sailor 1 episode Jacob Drew as Teenage Gatehouse Guard 1 episode Robert Snars as Guard #1 1 episode Fintan Smith as Guard #2 1 episode Yannick Lawry as Guard #3 1 episode Robbie Durant as Guard #4 1 episode Tarkan Erdogan as Guard #5 1 episode Benjamin Scott as Sailor 1 episode Michael Sheasby as Sergeant Bramwell 11 episodes Maua Fuifui as Grunters 2 episodes Nicholas Cassim as Navigator 1 episode Brandon McClelland as Sailor Pike 1 episode Darren McMullen as Sailor Rackham 1 episode Nicholas Hope as Justice Micawber 3 episodes Steve Morris as Big Kit Wilderkins 1 episode James Finnian as Alfie Wilderkins 1 episode Marcus Holden as Fiddle Player 1 episode Catrina Paradis as Beautiful Prostitute 1 episode Hal Cumpston as Oliver Twist 2 episodes Shaun Martindale as Norton Tussock 1 episode Nadene Dorling as Molly Crutchley 1 episode Mike Duncan as Brawny Bill 1 episode Zac Burgess as Phineas Golden 3 episodes Lynette Curran as Miss Linnet 1 episode Sarah Edmondson as Lady Smedley 1 episode Stephen Washington as Fiddler 1 episode Maximillian Johnson as Davy 1 episode David Adlam as Sailor 1 episode Richard Cotta as Gobber 1 episode Jimmy Fitzgibbon as Smike 3 episodes Louis Hunter as Manners 1 episode Leon Ilades as Urchins 1 episode Kate Mulvany as Elizabeth Maxwell 2 episodes Paula Nazarski as Alinta 2 episodes Mark Langham as Affrey Giles 4 episodes Benedict Hardie as Uriah Heep 3 episodes Lucy-Rose Leonard as Fanny Fox 16 episodes Jeremy Sims as Dickey Fox 8 episodes Damien Garvey as Edmund Fox 16 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Sound Effects Editor
Casting Director
Supervising Sound Editor
Orchestrator
Executive Producer
Extras Casting
Gaffer
Key Grip
Extras Casting Assistant
Original Music Composer
ADR Recordist
Music Supervisor
Production Design
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Artful Dodger overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

surgeon sydney, australia australia sequel heist criminal underworld 19th century 1850s crime
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
November 29, 2023
Status
Returning Series
Origin
AU
TMDB Votes
242