'Masterpiece' period drama with Harry Potter star to return

In season two, Jack Dawkins, aka The Artful Dodger, is back and he's in deep trouble. The pickpocketing surgeon is being hunted by Inspector Boxer, Port Victory's new lawman, and if he sees the woman he loves, Lady Belle, he'll be hanged. 

The synopsis continues: "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, humour, heart, invention and deception than ever."

The new episodes follow the dramatic season one finale, which saw Jack perform life-saving surgery on Belle following an aortic aneurysm before finding himself locked up in jail with Fagin, who signs a pardon which should guarantee his freedom. 

The series boasts a cast of familiar faces, led by Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Pistol, The Queen's Gambit) as Jack Dawkins aka The Artful Dodger, alongside David Thewlis (Landscapers, Fargo) as Fagin and Maia Mitchell (Good Trouble, The Fosters) as Lady Belle Fox. 

Fans can also expect to see some new faces, including Luke Bracey (Elvis, Hacksaw Ridge) as Inspector Henry Boxer, Jeremy Sims (Mr Inbetween) as Uncle Dickie and rising star Zac Burgess (Cruel Intentions, Boy Swallows Universe) as Phineas Golden.

It's safe to say season one went down a storm with viewers, who have hailed the drama as a "masterpiece". Taking to X, one person penned: "Arguably, the best TV series I have seen. Incredible. Flawless script. Flawless camerawork. Utterly in awe of this marvellous cinematic masterpiece," while another added: "The Artful Dodger is a masterpiece! The whole cast is phenomenal but Thomas Brodie-Sangster as the Dodger was a stroke of genius!! I need a season 2!"

Meanwhile, the show, which boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 92 per cent, was met with rave reviews from critics, with The Guardian hailing the drama as "a very good time" in its four-star review, while The Standard also handed out four stars and highlighted David Thewlis as "the trump card in this rampantly fun take on Dickens".

All episodes of The Artful Dodger season two will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ in the UK from February 10, 2026.