After a three-year wait, the second season of Disney Plus’ hit historical heist drama, The Artful Dodger, has finally landed.
The imaginative Oliver Twist sequel series, set 15 years on, follows the titular thief in his adult life as he attempts to shed his criminal identity and train as a surgeon in 1850s Australia., in the colonial town Port Victory.
But when a figure from Jack Dawkins’ (Thomas Brodie Sangster) past in the form of his old, conniving, mentor Fagin (David Thewlis) shows up at his doorstep, he is reluctantly dragged back into a life of crime.
As light-fingered physician attempts to keep himself afloat, he meets Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell), a forthright intellectual determined to break into the medical profession and soon, sparks fly.
The first season of this under-the-radar period drama raked in rave reviews, scoring a mighty 92% critics and 96% audience Rotten Tomatoes score, and cultivating a devoted fanbase.
The second season, also made up of eight episodes which are now all available to stream, has landed a perfect 100% from early reviews, with particular praise for the slow burn love story at the heart of the show.
‘The casting is as masterful as the writing is imaginative,’ Beverly Hills Courier praised.
‘Brodie-Sangster and Thewlis are a fine double act, and it’s all so breezy you barely pause to consider how unlikely the whole romp is. An artful dodge indeed,’ The Times said at the time.
‘Incredibly interesting show that hasn’t been advertised enough to my opinion. Finished watching all in one day and hope to watch another season, it was entertaining and had a great story plot,’ fan Tania H praised.
‘One of the best TV shows that’s I’ve seen in a very long while. Well written and acted. Very engaging and enjoyable to watch,’ NikNak echoed.
The early reactions to the new batch of episodes are also glowing.
‘The Artful Dodger’s Season two return guarantees that viewers will remember it as one of the decade’s best historical series,’ Collider hailed.
‘Delightfully, after a debut run that left audiences wanting more, the show’s second season perfectly picks up where its first batch of episodes left off,’ Screenhub teased.
Over on X, corthreadgoode wrote: ‘Jack and Belle are back. Truly, they have some of the most underrated chemistry, and one of the most beautiful love stories currently on television. I truly recommend watching the show.’
What does Metro think of The Artful Dodger?
After loving season one, senior TV reporter Asyia Iftikhar can’t wait to watch the second season…
The Artful Dodger first season totally captivated me. Not only was it a really inventive take on a well-loved story (Oliver Twist) but it managed to make its mark in its own right.
Thomas Brodie Sangster brought a brilliant energy to our titular reformed thief and I was completely drawn into his fiery, sharp and taut chemistry with co-star Maia Mitchell who plays the vivacious lady Belle Fox.
For those who enjoy the daring hijinks and messy dynamic between Dodger and Fagin – there’s plenty of criminal cahoots to dig your teeth into with a strong underlying plot.
But I was all about the burgeoning love story and this historical romance will sweep you in and leave you hooked – as it did me.
Wisebraiiin dubbed one scene ‘peak romance, peak yearning, peak everything’ and sensates99 declared: ‘I don’t understand how there aren’t more people obsessed with The Artful Dodger I swear it’s soo good and WE ARE SO BACK.’
Explaining why he decided to explore Dodger and Fagin in a sequel story, James McNamara told SweetyHigh: ‘I love 19th century literature.
‘It just tickles my brain. And while I really like Oliver Twist as a book, I just don’t like Oliver that much as a character. For me, when Dodger and Fagin arrive, it’s like the book comes alive. They electrically charge that story.
‘…[Dickens] brings these characters out, and all of a sudden, the story becomes really intense and visceral and interesting. I was always fascinated with the relationship between Dodger and Fagin.’
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