Why The Artful Dodger needs to be renewed for season 2

The Artful Dodger flew under the radar when it was first released on Hulu, but it's gained a considerable following since. Similar in tone to other historical dramedies like The Great and Dickinson, the show balanced modern comedy with historic setpieces, bringing 1850s Australia to life in a remixed, Dickensian fashion.

The premise was simple: Jack Dawson, the titular Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist, was living in Australia, trying to make an honest life for himself as a doctor. However, his old mentor Fagin reappeared to tempt him back into a life of crime, right when the governor's daughter Belle Fox blackmailed her way into the hospital, turning his world upside down.

It's a wonderful show, and while it has been described as a miniseries, there was clearly a possible second season in mind when the finale was written, with loose threads to be played with and new secrets to be revealed. Furthermore, cast interviews frequently mentioned hoping for more. However, the show has neither been canceled nor renewed, stuck in limbo when it should have easily earned another season.

Fans have taken many different routes to fight for a second season, from tagging it all over social media to making a Change.org petition. I'm happy to add my name to the list of people desperate for more from The Artful Dodger, and here's why you should be too.

Excellent ratings

Casual television viewers don't usually pay much attention to ratings, but entertainment companies do. And The Artful Dodger has the numbers to back up its appeal. While there aren't official numbers on viewership, Television Stats found that it was the 49th most popular show earlier this year, and its Wikipedia page made it into the top 20 most-viewed television pages.

While this may not sound very impressive, the approval ratings for that level of popularity make it stand out. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series earned a 92% critical score, with a 96% audience score. Compare that to the year's most popular show, House of the Dragon, which only scored 87% critically, and 79% popularly.

Although it may not have as much immediate popularity as other series, those who find it do tend to enjoy it. This is a common pattern with shows that become cult classics, a path this story could certainly take. If The Artful Dodger were to get a second season (and market it properly), it could see significant popularity moving forward.

Powerful character dynamics

One of the best elements of The Artful Dodger is how richly it builds up the characters' relationships with one another. This is most obvious in the dynamic between Jack and Belle, although a similar negotiation happens between Jack and Fagan. Each comes from a distinctly different world, but rather than getting past their differences, they use them to help push each other to improve.

Belle comes from an incredibly privileged place in society, so she is ignorant to many things. Jack teaches her the limitations of modern medicine, as well as the limitations of conventional morality. "Stealing is wrong" just doesn't have the same impact when someone is starving, and "try it anyway" is medical advice that can easily get someone killed.

Jack forces Belle to consider (and take part in) things that she considers immoral, which allows her to grow as a character. It's important to see her learn that some people will die, no matter what procedure she tries. It's important for her to see Red as a person and a mother, not just a criminal. But she also does the same for Jack.

In many ways, Jack resigned himself to accepting conditions that he knew were wrong. The professor actively kills someone in the first episode, and there is nothing he can do. Belle is the one who teaches Jack that changes can be made. Some of these come thanks to her social standing, but others come from ingenuity and determination. She teaches Jack to find a way, even when others say to give up.

Similarly, Jack and Fagin both push each other. More than just tugging at either end of the criminal-doctor dichotomy, they teach each other how to live. Fagin lacks any sense of propriety, and Jack teaches him how to interact with 'high society.' But Fagin teaches Jack when to abandon the morals and rules of that society, particularly when someone he cares about is at stake.

While the chemistry between the two duos shines, the supporting characters are just as powerfully-written. For instance, smaller characters like Lady Jane Fox or Frances 'Red' Scrubbs appear from the first episode, make their mark on the leads, and then remain integral to the story until the end. Each character is necessary to the story, with none feeling like they exist for just one moment.

This is rare in television, where many characters are invented for an episode or an arc, vanishing after their purpose is completed. But The Artful Dodger makes use of all its characters, reinventing their perspectives and relationships to fit new adventures. This helps build the world, as such an isolated community would require people to live with those around them, whatever frustrations and compromises that might demand.

Perfect casting choices

While much of the show's character dynamics is written into the script, The Artful Dodger would not be as deserving of a second season without its cast. The show stars Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Jack Dawkins, David Thewlis as Fagin, and Maia Mitchell as Belle Fox. The actors embody their characters so profoundly that all three, despite being in many popular films and television series, are hard to imagine in any other roles.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster has an unquestionable roguish energy to him in this role, which makes it easy to see Jack's criminal past, even when he is doing everything he can to deny it. He has the necessary flair for the dramatic that comes from having to put on a show while attempting to save a life, and the complexities of his character are always just below the surface.

While Brodie-Sangster weaves conflicting layers into Jack's personality, David Thewlis manages to keep up a perfectly smarmy exterior. He has his softer moments with Jack, but they always feel like part of the performance... until his actions prove them. By foregrounding Fagin's worst traits, Thewlis made the question of whether Fagin truly cared for Jack the most important part of the series, driving audiences to keep watching.

Finally, Maia Mitchell takes on the role of Lady Belle Fox, which requires etiquette and grace that her male co-stars don't have to worry about. While she can be annoying in her constant privilege, Belle's fascination with medicine and desire to help people are tangible. The character feels constrained by her gender, both in her desire to be a surgeon and her need to have her health taken seriously, and Mitchell performs that tension by explicitly choosing when to use "proper" intonation and body language and when to release it.

The supporting actors are likewise exceptional, proving that a strong script will attract a strong cast. While there will undoubtedly be another version of Oliver Twist in the future, it won't be able to capture the same energy as this series. If for no other reason, a second season of The Artful Dodger is needed to showcase even more of these actors' performances.

Plenty of stories left to tell

While there are many things I could say about the writing in The Artful Dodger, I'll finish instead by focusing on what plot threads are still there to be picked up in the future. The season one finale provides enough closure to get by if the show is finished, but there are still so many issues to explore.

Jack's fate was left hanging in the balance when the first season ended, and that's the biggest reason that there needs to be more. Will he truly end up Fagin's servant, in a reversal of fortunes from the beginning, or will he be pardoned for saving Belle's life? If he does get a chance at true freedom, will he attempt to have a real relationship with Belle, or will he be forced to stay away?

I felt like the relationship between Jack and Belle was a bit rushed in the first season, despite their electric chemistry, so it would be good to see them grow more. Will Belle be more concerned for her social standing, now that she isn't dying? Will they still feel drawn together if they no longer need each other? If the forbidden aspect of their relationship is taken away, it forces them to get to know each other outside of life-and-death circumstances.

Furthermore, there are multiple plotlines that were mentioned but could play a larger role in a future season. Belle wanted to start a women's clinic, and perhaps after her near-death experience, her father would allow it. If so, the dynamic between her and Hetty could develop more, giving her someone else to learn from.

Fanny could also have the opportunity to grow, since her instant attraction to Oliver was obviously a bad choice. Will she stay with him, having to learn more about how the world works, or will she abandon him and have to find a new chance for love? If Fanny stays with Oliver, that might cause further conflicts with Jack and Belle, which would elevate both characters.

Finally, there was a quote from Jack in the first episode that, in my mind, provides at least enough potential for another season: "the biggest risk to any surgeon is the addiction to feeling like God." Belle makes Jack take risks, and he is a gambler at heart. After saving her life in a surgery believed impossible, he might start taking risks that he can't take back.

While some people died in the first season, most of Jack's wildest schemes worked. That structure works well, allowing the writers to show off the innovation needed to push medicine to the next level. But it can't always succeed. Experimental medicine is inherently dangerous, and Jack forgets that promises plenty of conflict and emotional crises to come.

There are far more reasons than this to warrant another season of The Artful Dodger, but this should be all the justification the studios need. It shows signs of becoming a cult classic, powered by a stellar cast and characters that are adaptive enough to thrive in different circumstances. The first season established who they are and what they believe in their core, so a second could hit the ground running, putting its characters in increasingly difficult situations.

People have fallen in love with the character of the Artful Dodger for centuries, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster's portrayal brings in a whole new audience, one that might not read classic literature but loves a compelling antihero, stumbling into misadventures and confronting social issues along the way.

At one season, it's binge-able. But if it continues, The Artful Dodger has the potential to be one of the biggest shows out there, balancing humor, philosophy, and romance in a swashbuckling spree that audiences won't be able to get out of their heads. The fanbase is already eagerly re-watching the eight episodes that do exist, constantly finding more to love. Just think how much bigger it could get with more time, more advertising, and another season for viewers to sink their teeth into.