This Limited Series Is Actually Worthy of a Season 2
One of the most exciting series airing right now is Hulu’s The Artful Dodger. Fans of the pickpocket surgeon are probably curious about whether the action drama will return for a season 2.
As of now, there is no confirmed release date for The Artful Dodger season 2. Unfortunately, it seems like the show was intended to be an eight-part miniseries from the start, so it will most likely stay this way in the future. However, this could change depending on what the production company decides.
The Artful Dodger is a 2023 TV show based on the famous 1838 Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. It borrows a few characters, such as the eponymous Artful Dodger, as well as Fagin (David Thewlis), and a few others, though acts as a sequel and invents its own narrative.
The show is set in 1850s Australia and centers around a famous ex-surgeon by the name of Jack Dawkins, played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster. Dawkins, who led a respectable career in the Navy as a doctor, eventually meets the ghosts of his past. His old friend Fagin gets into contact with him, steering him back into a life of crime, and Jack must once again assume the role of the infamous pickpocket known as Artful Dodger.
Spoilers from here on out
As we’ve talked about before, it’s not the first time Dickens’s classics have been given a delightfully charming new spin. And The Artful Dodger is no different. One of the most shocking twists in the show is Oliver Twist’s appearance and reveal as the main villain. This is a brilliant subversion because everyone sees Oliver as a kindhearted, innocent little orphan kid. It keeps things fresh and the viewer on their feet.
The series finale concludes with Oliver stealing the governor’s gold before Fagin and Jack. However, Fagin manages to take back the stolen gold and Oliver is eventually sent to jail for his crimes (though he can finally reconcile his past with Fagin). Fagin gets pardoned for his crimes and released from prison, and it is hinted that Oliver might also get a pardon because he saved the governor’s daughter.
Looking back on the show, it still holds up surprisingly well. It’s difficult for me to get into Dickens stories usually, as many of them can be unsurprisingly saccharine. A big part of this is because it doesn’t follow many Dickensian traits to begin with. As said by RadioTimes, Sangster talked a bit about what makes the show break tradition.
Brodie-Sangster then admitted: “We were doing quite a different – it’s very, very different. It’s colourful, not really very Dickensian when you think about it. I wanted to focus on what was on the page, on the script, do them justice and not worry quite so much about the history because anyone that’s truly a Dickens fan and loves the books, it’s not that.
“It’s taken those characters and throwing them into a different setting, different pacing, different feel. The closest thing you’d get is probably some of Fagan’s dialogue [being] Dickensian.”
The Artful Dodger star admits series is “not very Dickensian” | Radio Times
Given its unique approach to Dickens storytelling, I expect The Artful Dodger to be one of the more memorable Dickens adaptations as time goes on. And with a solid 92% average on Rotten Tomatoes, I wouldn’t be surprised if we got either a sequel or some related spin-off in the future.
There’s actually a petition to save The Artful Dodger
Even though the show was intended to be a miniseries, that finale definitely did leave the door open to some future developments. And a good chunk of the show’s audience seemed to think the same since there is now a Change.org petition accepting signatures to try and give The Artful Dodger a second season.
“We believe that continuing The Artful Dodger will not only satisfy its existing fans but also attract new ones. Its potential for growth is immense given its initial success. We urge the producers and network executives to reconsider their decision and give this remarkable show another chance,” wrote the person who started the petition, which now counts more than 17,000 thousand signatures towards its goal of 25,000—a goal that was actually extended twice before, since the petition was originally intended to have 1,000 signatures and then 10,000.
Keep an eye out for further show developments in the future. In the meantime, check out 2023’s Great Expectations, another great Dickens TV series, as well.
(featured image: Hulu)
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