ICYMI: Hulu’s The Artful Dodger Is a Delightful, Irreverent Twist on Dickens
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Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has been adapted to the screen more than a hundred times. From feature films to BBC miniseries, there is no shortage of ways to engage with this story. But, though it takes place in that world, The Artful Dodger is not an adaptation of Oliver Twist. Instead, the show serves as a pseudo-sequel to the 1838 novel, centering on the character of pickpocket Jack Dawkins, aka “The Artful Dodger.”
Relocating the characters and story from London to Australia, Hulu’s 2023 series The Artful Dodger picks up in the 1850s, several years after the events of Oliver Twist. Twist himself is no longer in the picture and Jack Dawkins (a hardened Thomas Brodie-Sangter) has pushed aside his problematic past to take up a nobler ambition: medicine. He soon meets royalty in Lady Belle (played by the delightfully sardonic Maia Mitchell), who is eager to practice medicine herself, despite the disapproval of everybody around her. The thing is, women just don’t do that, particularly if they are royalty. Her father is the airheaded Governor and has no intention of making staffing changes to his hospital, nor the way it is run.
Though Dawkins is one of the primary surgeons in the city and has (mostly) turned away from his pickpocketing past, he is far from well-regarded by those of high social standing—quite the opposite, actually. Despite his honorable work, he isn’t compensated for his duties. With no money to speak of, he must gamble to collect any kind of living wage. Thus, he is forced into impossible situations where he usually is prone to lose. For instance, his business with the Harbour Master Darius Cracksworth (a Dickens name if I ever heard one) is just one of many bad turns for Dawkins. When Cracksworth cheats him during a game of cards, he finds himself in considerable debt. Though everything in his current conscience tells him not to return to his criminal ways, the untimely arrival of pickpocketing mastermind Fagin (David Thewelis) makes his reentry into that world all the more tempting.
In this series, the adjective “artful” takes on a whole new meaning. Before, the word was used to describe the way in which Dodger nicked watches and other trinkets from passersby. Now, his artfulness can be seen in the surgeries he performs on the people of the city. Despite his young age and lack of proper training, he is meticulous in the operating theater, something that cannot be said for his contemporaries despite their credentials. This marks another significant departure from its source material: its genre-bending nature. The best way to describe it might be as a “period medical drama.”
The show balances its literary roots nicely; it isn’t overly Dickensian—at least for those closely familiar with his stories and characters. But it does indeed riff on the exaggerated characters and environmental factors which force characters like Fagin and Dawkins into seemingly impossible circumstances, with only extreme measures to be taken in response. In his works, Dickens always offered explicit commentary about poverty and the inequality of social class. Scrooge’s lack of charity and disregard for the poor in A Christmas Carol is a well-known example. Workhouses, debtors’ prison, and the abusive education system are detailed in other stories. And then there is, of course, that famous image of Oliver Twist, bowl in hand, asking for more food. The continuation of this theme of social discrepancy through Dawkins’ story does allow it to maintain its Dickensian flavor.
The biggest surprise (a pleasant one, to be sure) with this show is its ability to set itself apart from the baggage of the original novel and rather take on a whole new identity. Instead of being a stodgy remake or uninspired adaptation, it takes the story in genuinely unexpected directions, particularly as it relates to Oliver Twist. A few retcons have been made from the ending; Fagin doesn’t hang, for example, but is very much alive. Initially, it seems as if the story has little to do with Oliver Twist, apart from using its characters, but (without diving into spoilers), this proves to be untrue as the season moves along, and new complications arise which do pertain to that original tale. Still, you need not be overly familiar with the source material to follow what is going on here: the gaps are filled in nicely.
Oliver Twist himself is described as “wet lettuce” here—a portrait of the character that plays a critical role later in the season. At first, some of these characterizations may seem contrary or even like a parody of the original portrayals, a choice that will vary in effectiveness from viewer to viewer. However, the writing justifies these decisions, making the evolution feel natural. Some Dickens’ purists may be turned off, but its narrative decisions and irreverent style were never meant to appeal to Dickens purists.
And even beyond its effective plotting, the cast is excellent as well. Brodie-Sangster effectively plays the role of a young man with high moral standards, who is also constantly wrestling with the choices and circumstances of his past. He is equaled by Mitchell as the spirited and passionate wannabe-surgeon who is not afraid to demonstrate her frustration with the patriarchy. Though it’s Dodger’s show in title, an argument could be made that it is Lady Belle’s story nearly as much as his own.
David Thewelis as Fagin balances the intricacies of the character well, while also being appropriately hammy. Dickens aficionados know that the way this character has historically been portrayed is problematic. Specifically, he was written as a Jewish stereotype, rife with antisemitism. Suffice to say, there is no trace of this here. The writers do indeed remain true to the criminality of the character, and avoid deviating from them by softening his instincts.
The supporting cast is similarly excellent: Damon Herriman plays the slimy Captain Gaines, who senses something isn’t right with Dawkins and Fagin and yet doesn’t have the evidence to prove it. Cracksworth is played by multi-hyphenate Tim Minchin, who musical theater fans will know as the lyricist for Matilda the Musical.
Though it has yet to be renewed for a second season, the series ends on a note allowing for almost infinite possibilities as to the direction of what is next. With no preexisting narrative to hold them down, the writers have complete freedom to take these characters wherever they see fit, which is sure to be at once familiar and surprising. In the meantime, the first season of The Artful Dodger is a worthwhile watch, even for those with no interest in Charles Dickens.
Josh Sharpe is a Pacific Northwest based entertainment journalist with bylines in TheaterMania, Collider, and Paste. To hear about his thoughts about film, TV, and musical theatre, follow him @josh_sharpe22 on all socials.
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