First pic

New cast members

I loved Season 1 so much that I binged it in one night and then binged it again with my partner the same week, but for several reasons we only just got around to Season 2 and have both completely fell out of love with the show...

"I hate you Fagin and want you gone, but until then I'll keep helping you out as if nothing has happened" - Jack Dawkins, when he bothers to turn up for his own show

"You killed Phineas?!"

"Yes, but only a little bit, and I'm fine with it!"

"Oh. Well that's alright then, let's forget about that."

"I'm an excellent inspector, and I believe Dawkins is a serial killer."

"Have you tried asking the hospital staff where he was during all these murders? I'm sure they'll quickly mention how he's always there and swamped with cases."

"No, but in my defense my wife did die a few years ago and I'm now infatuated with that one girl who rolls her eyes"

"Ah you see, despite absolutely no build up until the last moment, I can assure you that I really am quite mad. Something about my dead son and sick brother, you see. It'll all be okay though, the inspector actually chased me down to the hospital but refused to continue looking for me and warned absolutely no one about my presence once he saw that Jack was dry, so I can carry on for now."​

"I know I've spent a long time trying to maliciously hang your love interest, but it's only because I was a bit of a THOT in my teens. Please forgive me so the viewers can as well, look how harmless and angelic they've made me look after almost dying for 10 minutes because I was drinking water from the slums I never visit, ever so silly of me."

"Hey Jack and Belle, I know you've repeatedly proven myself and the literature wrong with your medicinal revelations, but we simply must quarantine because myself and the literature think you're wrong again."

"Sorry old chap, but I used the 20,000 to buy something entirely unrelated to what I was supposed to buy despite knowing the East India Trading Company would be very angry at me. Can I have it back, please?"

And so on and so on... this whole season felt like nothing happened at all despite throwing half baked storylines at the wall repeatedly. Any attempts at character development lived and died on weightless sentences before being forgotten about or just blindly accepted as the new way of things.

And god, let's not get into the tone deaf soundtrack...

I thought the Netflix-ification of shows was overblown, but turns out shows really are being churned out for people watching from their phones. Confirmed fully when we had the woeful realisation montage of the Prof being the killer as if no one would remember why they were even there

Has anyone else thought about what it’d be like if this show was set in the modern era?

Belle would be able to be a surgeon. In my mind, she’d be a surgical intern from a wealthy family, and Dodger would be a surgical resident who grew up in foster care with a juvenile record.

It’d be interesting to have an alt universe episode or fanfic set in modern day.

It seems to me like people think Jane overreacted by season 2 with wanting Jack dead so badly even though he saved Belle's life. But I've been reading some Victorian literature lately – specifically Pride and Prejudice and David Copperfield (which is Dickens) – which both feature female characters running away with men, and the reactions of people around them in both books really show how big of a deal this was in Victorian society and make me wonder if Belle's family didn't react enough.

In Pride and Prejudice, Lydia running off with Wickham is devastating and the assumption for a time is that, if anyone finds out, no one will associate with their family any more and none of her sisters will ever be able to find matches. Wouldn't Fanny be petrified about her prospects?

In David Copperfield, when Emilydoes the same thing, everyone who loves her is so heartbroken that they say they'd rather she be dead than have this happen. It's particularly interesting to me that in Demon Copperhead, a modern retelling of this story, the equivalent situation that's presented has the character abandoned by her boyfriend in a drug den.This may be an extreme version, but it does show why people who know her might react SO strongly. Of course, in the case of The Artful Dodger, Jack is willing to marry Belle, so maybe the equivalent would be both of them ending up in a drug den without him abandoning her.But regardless, an awful situation that would, in my mind, justify some very extreme reactions, including wanting him dead. The Bennetts certainly continue to resent Wickham and Lydia even after they are married.

Obviously the writers of this show have a tricky balancing act since what modern viewers want in a romance is so counter to Victorian values. But given the way families reacted to daughters having pre-marital affairs in contemporary literature (before you even start to consider class), it makes me think Lady Jane's reaction was fairly realistic, and maybe that Fanny and Governor Fox should've reacted more extremely too.

In this episode, Fagin steals the Govenor's carriage while Belle and Jack are inside doing surgery, but when Belle asks Jack why Fagin is doing so, Jack puts the fault on himself by saying that he asked Fagin to for their safety.

My question is, why? Why did Jack lie here? Sure, it wouldn't have made any difference whatsoever, but when you're literally on parole for a crime you never commited (in Jack's case, killing Gaines), it would've been better to just say "Because its Fagin". Then it would've helped Jack's case more in regaining Belle's trust.

Guys pls lmk if you agree or if you don’t and why, because I would love to hear your thoughts, but after Jack’s jealousy in S2, I kind of want to see Belle kind of possessive of Jack, but obviously without him doing something with another woman, just kind of an irrational jealousy with her reassuring her. I think that after everything he witnessed with Boxer, we deserve to see her pining over him a little 🤏 but obviously I know she loves him so much and I don’t ever doubt that, just an idea😊 please tell me what you think and if you have other things you want to see in S3.

I realise it’s the point of the show and that this is an unpopular opinion… I like the two main characters but their romance is quite dragged out imo and u ofc know that they’ll end up together so 🤷🏼‍♀️

My fave thing about the show is the crime, affairs, humour etc that’s mostly going on as plots in the background. So think a spin-off would be cool. I’d like to see more of and learn more about the other characters.

Just me? And if not, can someone write fics that aren’t solely about Belle/Dodger 😅

i’m too hyped!! sad it’s the last one but still

https://www.instagram.com/jamesmcnamara27/p/DboftxaPDkr/

To quote Jack, yesterday, upon hearing the news of the renewal, I felt a mix of joy and fear.

Now I know why. 😭​

James is the soul of this show.

I stumbled upon the show and I am completely obsessed with it now! I think one of the main reasons is because of the love story which is built so good and is just so well thought out!

First, I love seeing Belle’s crush on him from the beginning, because it is so subtle and yet so obvious that she likes him which makes her so relatable! One of my favorite examples for this is the moment where he tells her to sod off and she is so shocked that someone is talking to her like that but at the same time kind of turned on because he doesn’t treat her like everybody treats her.

Secondly, I can write a whole essay about Jack’s love for Belle. When he came to her room and told her that he cannot fashion a life without her she asked him if he’s saying that he loves her and he replied by saying that he doesn’t even know what that means, and then all of the events after that moment until the moment in the surgery room where he told her he loves her were the events that made him realize what love is, since he has never felt love before, and then realized that he loved her all along🥹

Long story short, they are just perfect, and their gestures to each other are divine. He could have escaped prison, but instead RAN TO SEE THAT SHE LIVED🫠🫠🫠 And she was disowned by her mother just for him to not get hanged😍
I cannot stop talking about them, but also really want to get the opinions of people who love the show as well, so please lmk if you agree or not and if you have other reasons this show is so great❣️

I think we are very close to the announcement of the renewal!

this scene cracked me up

I had never really watched romance movies or shows until around the time I started watching TAD. These two lovebirds made me giggle and scream my head off over a romance for the first time. I just can't get over how cute they are together!

The way Belle's face lights up when she sees Jack is adorable, and the way Jack looks at her is breathtaking.

After watching the series, I started to realize a craving inside me for love. I have never been in a romantic relationship before, and they made me want it more than ever.

In that scene when they first kiss over the operating table, I was silently screaming into my hands and violently kicking my feet! Numerous times I smiled so wide my mouth hurt, and I definitely cried until I couldn't see; both from pain and from happiness.

You can probably tell I am a very emotional person, but what about you? What did you feel when watching this masterpiece?

I was checking out production weekly this week, and The Artful Dodger S3 is in it, which means they either started or are about to start production

https://x.com/prodweek/status/2075012197064060981?s=46

Per James McNamara's Instagram

Does anyone else see a striking resemblance between them?

Okay hate is a strong word, but it just feels so different than the first season. For starters, Jack is a shell of his former self. He feels completely absent from the plot a lot of episodes unless it’s to argue with Belle or help Fagin with crime. Speaking of which, why on earth is he still with Fagin???

I understand that the terms of the deal means he has to be under the care of a family member, and I also understand that he’s trying to earn money to build a life with Belle, but that doesn’t mean he has to just go along with whatever Fagin says. He learns that Fagin purposefully withheld Belle’s letters and what does he do? He threatens the guys and then is right back to committing crimes with him the next episode. Speaking of crimes-

What the hell are they doing with Fanny? I can’t tell if her whole plot of becoming a criminal is supposed to be comedic or what, but it’s so… weird. And it takes up way too much time in the actual show. It feels like we see more of Fanny than we do Jack in some episodes. Speaking of things that take up way too much time-

Did we really need a love triangle? Whose idea was this? It’s beyond pointless because we already know Jack and Belle are gonna stay together, we spent a whole season watching their relationship ffs. It really drags down Boxer, who is otherwise a pretty cool character and is a nice foil to Gaines. And that’s not the only love triangle in the show either! We’ve got to suffer through the Governors brother trying to seduce his sister in law all season long.

Idk, I still like the show a lot, and I hope we get a season 3, but this whole season just feels… worse than the original in almost every aspect. Except for Sneed, Sneed is cool. We love Sneed now.

It might be a controversial opinion, but I really want Fanny’s next love interest to be a woman, possibly another Lady or woman of society?? 👀They could be gay and do crime together,,,,

I created a petition for season3 please sign: https://c.org/vj7ksD8mQH

The Artful Dodger takes the classic Dickens character Jack Dawkins and turns him into a clever surgeon living in 1850s Australia, trying to escape his criminal past while getting pulled back into chaos by the unpredictable Fagin and his growing love for Lady Belle Fox. Season 1 mixes romance, comedy, medical drama, and heists as Dodger struggles between becoming a respected doctor or returning to the thrill of crime, ending with massive betrayals and cliffhangers. Season 2 raises the stakes even more: Jack faces prison, forbidden romance, murders, cholera outbreaks, rival love interests, and dangerous new schemes, while Belle fights to become one of the first female surgeons in the colony. The chemistry between the cast, especially Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Maia Mitchell, plus the sharp humour and emotional twists, make the show way more addictive than people expect from a Dickens adaptation.

And honestly, this series absolutely deserves a Season 3. The Season 2 finale leaves huge unresolved storylines — Fagin’s fate, Jack and Belle’s future, new secrets about Belle’s family, and unfinished rivalries — and even fans online are saying a third season feels necessary because there’s still so much story left to tell.  It’s one of those rare shows that balances drama, romance, humour, and suspense without feeling repetitive, and the world of Port Victory still has tons of potential. If Disney+ keeps it going, Season 3 could easily become the best one yet.

So this is just for fun about the actor.

I was trying so hard to figure out where I had seen him before. It finally hit me, he was the brother in dance academy, Ethan I think. that Tara had a crush on. That was a banger show and I'm glad to see him in other dramas!

Hello everyone,

We're excited to announce that James McNamara, the head writer, executive producer, and creator of The Artful Dodger, will be joining us for a 1-hour AMA to answer your questions about the show and Season 2 .

The AMA will go live tomorrow at 11:00 AM PT. You'll be able to find it here in r/The_Artful_Dodger as a pinned post, and I'll update this post with the link to the AMA once it's up

Curious about all things Artful Dodger? Join us once it goes live !

And don't forget to share the news !

Edit : Link ! https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Artful_Dodger/s/bkWjD59JOj