We have a date for the return of The Artful Dodger as season 2 of the underrated period drama is coming next winter!
While Disney+ and Hulu may have scores of highly hyped shows, some of their best series fly under the radar. That was the case with The Artful Dodger, which premiered on Disney+ in November 2023. The Australian drama surprisingly caught on with viewers enough to earn a second season renewal.
Deadline now reports that season 2 will drop all eight episodes on February 10, 2026, on Disney+ and Hulu. The series will be coming off a release in Australia first.
“We’re excited our fan-favorite Aussie original is back for a second season. It has more romance, adventure and razor-sharp wit, plus several new faces. The show’s return is a testament to its local and international success and the high-caliber talent involved, both in front and behind the camera. We’re immensely proud to be bringing quality Australian storytelling to the world stage and to have further elevated the production with intricate new costuming and sets that take audiences even deeper into the adrenaline-pumping world of The Artful Dodger,” Kylie Watson-Wheeler, the Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand Senior Vice President and Managing Director said.
It’s great news for fans of this fun show that puts a new spin on an iconic literary character!
What is The Artful Dodger?
The series is a sequel to Charles Dickens’ classic novel Oliver Twist. It follows the Dodger, aka Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), who relocates to Australia (then still used as a penal colony) and makes a new life as a surgeon. He also indulges in gambling, drinking and wooing various women.
Jack’s life is thrown when his “mentor,” Fagin (David Thewlis) pops up, still working his various criminal schemes. The first season revolved around Fagin trying to pull off a robbery while Jack had to escape his past. It culminated in Jack saving the life of Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell) but was arrested for it. It looked like he might escape his fate, but only by working for Fagin again.
Season 2 has Jack out of jail but on the run and trying to recover his life while a new enemy threatens him and Fagin.
“Jack’s back! The Artful Dodger returns, and he’s in deep trouble. He’s got an appointment with the noose, he’s being hunted by Inspector Boxer, Port Victory’s new lawman, and if he sees the woman he loves, Lady Belle, he’ll be hanged. Meanwhile, Lady Belle is determined to forge her future in medicine, defying expectation and stepping into danger, driven by ambition and a love already hanging in the balance. With Boxer competing with Jack for Belle’s affection, the crafty Fagin drags Dodger into their most dangerous heist yet, and a killer is on the loose. Get ready for an explosive season of new characters and locations with more thrills, humor, heart, invention and deception than ever.”
Also back is Susie Porter as Lady Jane Fox, Damien Garvey as Governor Fox, Tim Minchin Darius Cracksworth, Lucy-Rose Leonard as Lady Fanny Fox, Nicholas Burton as Dr Sneed, Kim Gyngell as The Prof and Luke Carroll as Tim Billiberllary.
Joining the cast are Luke Bracey as Inspector Henry Boxer, Jeremy Sims as Uncle Dickie and Zac Burgess as Phineas Golden.
The show was a nice surprise, mixing some modern music and touches with a unique take on the Dickens tale. The cast was engaging and the series had a few nice surprises in store. If the second season is as good then the Dodger will continue his nice run for fans!
The Artful Dodger season 2 premieres February 26 on Disney+.