Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell) and Jack “Artful Dodger” Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) have blessed our screens once again in season two of “The Artful Dodger.”
I already love a good period piece. But to whoever thought of putting two of my favorite icons of the 2010s in one: I hope you got laid.
You may know Mitchell from “The Fosters” or the absolute masterpiece that is the “Teen Beach Movie” franchise. And you may know actor Brodie-Sangster from “Nanny McPhee,” “The Maze Runner” and the voice of Ferb from “Phineas and Ferb.”
The first season of “The Artful Dodger” came out in late 2023, and it knocked it out of the park for me right away. It immediately reminded me of “Enola Holmes.” In fact, in my mind, they’re somewhat sister stories.
Like “Enola Holmes,” “The Artful Dodger” is a unique take on a classic novel. In this case, it’s Charles Dicken’s “Oliver Twist.”
In the novel, a side character, Jack, better known as Artful Dodger, is a cunning child pickpocket during the 1830s. The show is his own adaptation, along with Norbort Fagin (David Thewlis), another character from the book. The show takes place 15 years after the book, now in Australia.
In the first season, Jack meets Belle, the governor’s daughter, who wants to be a doctor, like Jack. Reminder, we’re in the 19th century here. A few problems: Belle’s a woman and Jack is a criminal. Under these circumstances, you can probably gather that it’s a bit difficult for either of them to seriously practice medicine.
You can also probably guess that it doesn’t stop either of them.
It’s an enemies-to-lovers plotline, with angst. I love shows where I can tell the characters want to jump each other’s bones. We ended season one with Jack being arrested after saving Belle from her aortic aneurysm with experimental heart surgery. Well, while probably not the way he wanted, he ended up inside her one way or another. To get to her heart, of course.
It’s the classic trope of a stubborn, independent woman and a man who basically worships her. So, in other words, it’s perfection, and I will not be hearing any arguments on the matter.
In season two, we start with Jack being taken to the hanging block. Here’s the thing about having two years between seasons of a show: when you start the second season with the main character about to get hanged, viewers probably have to go back because you can’t remember how the hell we got here.
Long story short, no, he didn’t die. I think I would’ve lost it if I had to see Brodie-Sangster die on my screen, again, but I digress.
Norbort set up a decoy. While this is great and all and “Yay, he saved his life,” Norbort has to be one of the stupidest, irrational-thinking characters ever.
One, Norbort tries constantly to sabotage Jack and Belle’s relationship, and I will have none of it. Leave my babies alone.
Two, the whole second season is Jack and Belle struggling to stay away from each other. Why do they have to stay away from each other? Oh, because this imbecile ruined Jack’s chance at a pardon.
Lady Jane Fox (Susie Porter), Belle’s mother and a bitch who seemingly hates her daughter and refuses to see her happy, requested that Jack have two years’ probation. This includes Jack and Belle not being able to be together for two years, in exchange for Belle’s chance at a medical career.
Meaning, Belle has to choose between Jack and her career.
She decides to do the two years, but of course, Jack apparently can’t stay away. If they’re caught, he’s executed immediately.
Who would carry this warrant out? Oh, I’m so glad you asked, because it’s Inspector Henry Boxer (Luke Bracey). Let me tell you that man could cuff me any day.
I’m an apologist for the Inspector. At the beginning of the season, he was genuinely trying to help Jack. But then Jack got sassy and was being rude. Hell, you want to be ungrateful while I’m trying to save your life? Yeah, I’d have the same attitude as the Inspector.
It was an amazing season overall. I’m incredibly grateful because I didn’t even know if this show would have a second season.
As a firm believer in bringing back yearning, Mitchell and Brodie-Sangster did not disappoint. The yearning, the story and everything in between were just perfect.
