Hold onto your hats, because TV's most exhilarating Dickensian drama is back with a vengeance! The Artful Dodger, a show that’s never been shy about its high-octane, historical hijinks, has burst forth from its Australian prison cell for a second series of delightfully chaotic, old-timey adventures. Prepare for unbridled joy as our protagonist, Jack Dawkins (played with infectious energy by Thomas Brodie-Sangster), is set to lead the charge.
But this freedom is fleeting. Almost immediately, we see wardens in a frenzy, their faces contorted with rage as the very urchin who transformed into a surgeon, and then a convict (described as being stitched up like a bleeding kipper), makes a daring escape towards the harbor. Dawkins, with a cheeky "Tee-hee," navigates through a throng of extras in mud-caked breeches. Yet, his path to liberty is suddenly blocked by a mysterious figure cloaked in black. "I am Inspector Boxer, from London," the stranger declares, his voice resonating from the depths of his elaborate cravat. "Here to replace…" his brow darkens, "…Captain Gaines."
Dawkins visibly pales. Captain Gaines? The very same Captain Gaines who met his end, shot in the face by the notorious pickpocket Red (portrayed by Miranda Tapsell) at the conclusion of the first season? This fatal encounter, a consequence of a web of lies and betrayals, led to the innocent Dawkins being condemned to the gallows. It seems the game is truly up. However, a sudden commotion erupts from the cobblestone streets. An extra has been attacked by a shark and is in grave danger of perishing unless a surgeon – ideally one who has just broken out of the local jail with the assistance of the wily old recidivist Norbert Fagin (brought to life by David Thewlis) – can attend to his severely shredded calf. A miraculous reprieve! Dawkins rushes to the scene, while Inspector Boxer reluctantly mutters about giving the man space. And just like that, the Artful Dodger lives to smirk another day. Or does he?
And this is the part most people miss: The entire sequence I've just described unfolds within the first five minutes of the second series' opening episode. There are no recaps, no flashbacks to ease you in. Instead, a caption boldly declares "Six months later" in a font so large it could be mistaken for a headline, accompanied by a thumping blast of Blur's "Song 2" (with a perfectly timed "woo-hoo!"). The viewer is left scrambling to catch up, desperately trying to piece together the unfolding narrative.
Confused? Let's rewind the hands of the Extremely Modern Period-Drama Clock to the events of season one, for a clearer understanding of what on earth is happening.
Conceived by James McNamara, David Maher, and David Taylor as a follow-up to Charles Dickens' iconic novel, the series picks up 15 years after the events of "Oliver Twist." Dawkins and his former father figure, Fagin, are now residents of the harsh penal colony in New South Wales, known as Port Victory. Dawkins has established himself as the colony's most skilled surgeon. However, the allure of daring heists, orchestrated by the cunning and slippery Fagin and his band of rascals, ensures that trouble is never far away.
A romantic interest emerges in the form of the earnest Lady Belle Fox (played by Maia Mitchell). As the governor's daughter, she is expected to suppress her feelings for Dawkins and her aspirations of becoming the world's foremost female surgeon. The season finale saw Dawkins and Fagin apprehended by Gaines, bringing the series' core themes – the unbreakable bonds of loyalty and the inescapable nature of one's past – to a poignant conclusion in scenes filled with genuine tenderness. It was, by all accounts, a remarkably strong season.
And now? Well, mercy me, it's… just okay.
While Dawkins is being pursued by Inspector Boxer (Luke Bracey, an Australian actor seemingly engaged in a fierce battle with his own accent), Belle's rather unpleasant mother, Lady Jane Fox (Susie Porter), presents our hero with a stark ultimatum: stay away from Belle for two years, or face the noose once more.
Unfortunately, the breakneck pace that characterized the first series now feels a tad desperate. Every available moment is crammed with chase scenes, brawls, and relentless "contemporary pop" music. The result is a drama that seems to be in a race against itself to reach the end credits. It feels a bit like "The Artful Dodger: U Got 2 Pick a Pocket or 2." The apparent guiding principle is "more of the same, but with extra gun-finger gestures." And the emotional depth that was so beautifully cultivated in the quiet, tender conversations between Dawkins and Fagin? It's vanished, buried beneath a mountain of used surgical dressings and the less nuanced demands of yet another heist. As one character exclaims, "we’ve got bigger problems than your feelin’s!"
So, hooray for the energy and the audacity! But a hearty sigh for those who, hoping for something more than just a louder rehash of the first series, might find themselves, as Fagin grumbles at one point, "a bit bleedin’ put out." Is the frantic pace sacrificing genuine character development, or is it an intentional choice to reflect the chaotic lives of these characters? Let us know your thoughts below!
