The Artful Dodger is a spin-off series of the infamous Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. This Hulu series includes eight 50-minute episodes and it focuses on the life of the Artful Dodger, known now as Dr. Jack Dawkins, played by British actor Thomas Brodie Sangster. The series depicts his journey of transitioning from a thief to a well known medical surgeon. It takes place in a colony in mid-1800s Australia, which brought much popularity to Dr. Dawkins, due to him being one of three doctors in the area. As a fan of Sangster’s work, this series came out at the perfect time for me.
After his brutal time in prison and getting abandoned by his only parental figure, Norbert Fagin, Jack decided it was time to begin a new life. He served in the Navy as a medical surgeon, gaining hand-on experiences, which helped him to pursue his career in the future. Although Jack loved what he did, he got paid in “pennies and thimbles” and was incredibly poor compared to other doctors, therefore looked down upon. In order to sustain a sufficient life, he gambled by playing cards. However, one day, his opponent tricked him by sneaking an extra card behind his sleeve. This got him in a 26 pound debt, which if he could not pay would result in him getting his hand chopped off. This would presumably be extremely detrimental to his work. After this, Jack’s misfortune led him to be reunited with Fagin. After being told Jack’s issue, Fagin encourages him to turn back to thievery, or as he would call it “pickpocketing.” Whether or not Jack returns to his old ways is revealed in later episodes.
There are several themes and aspects expressed throughout the show, such as romance, politics, revolution, grief, and comedy. Social themes include the entanglement of the poor and the rich classes. This is shown by the forbidden romance between the daughter of the governor, Lady Belle, and Dr. Jack Dawkins. Both experience issues due to the extreme wealth gap between them. In addition, they have different views of how the colony is being politically run. Jack is enraged by the harm it causes the people and Belle is understanding of what positive implications can come out of it. However, I think this issue should be more focused and discussed in the show as they only dwell upon it for very little time.
One thing I enjoyed about this show was how well Lady Belle and Dr. Dawkins work together medically. Belle has theoretical practice in surgery by reading several books and taking biology lessons, while Jack has practical knowledge due to his time in the Navy. Together, they are able to perform surgeries never done before and have a great impact on the progress towards better and more efficient medical practices.
As a disclaimer, if you do not like the sight of blood or internal organs, they should not watch this series as it is centered on surgery and medicine. Furthermore, as the series does not have an entirely positive outcome, people who are a fan of happy endings should be cautious in watching. Nevertheless, there is comedic relief to aid grief shown in the plot of the show.
While I understand this series to be fast-paced and underdeveloped in certain areas, it’s a perfect thing to binge for the weekend. I enjoyed the abrupt conclusion and how it encouraged me to imagine my own ending. However, I am anticipating a season two to further develop the plot and bring me more closure.
