The Artful Dodger is not what you'd expect - and it's better for it

When Dickens tales spring to mind, they can often bring with them thoughts of dreary school classrooms, rewatches of some of the classic adaptations and an altogether rather serious tonality.

Well, politely throw away your trepidations, because The Artful Dodger is far from what you'd expect of a Dickens adaptation – and it's honestly all the better for it.

The new drama is fast-paced and throws you right into the action from the offset, quickly flitting from a confronting poker match to a bloody surgery scene, bringing with it the kind of chaos you can come to expect throughout.

The surgeries themselves pop up often (as is to be expected), so while they're not for the faint of heart, they do chuck you right into the 19th century - with amputations put on in the theatre in front of a watching audience like a live performance.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster fronts the cast as Jack, who is leading something of a double life, keeping his ties to criminality but forging a new path for himself as an esteemed surgeon.

It's 1850s Australia, and we learn that Jack had worked in the navy as a surgeon, but now works as a respected doctor in the lively colony of Port Victory.

However, Jack's not as far from his past as he would hope, as Fagin (David Thewlis) soon turns up in his town, having been sent from the UK for his own crimes.

Jack is far from happy to see him, but soon the pair are reunited, as Fagin convinces Jack to let him be his personal servant.

Will Dickens purists perhaps not get on with this series? Possibly. But really, if you've read Oliver Twist, or if you've watched an adaptation of it, it's surely time to reinvent the wheel and welcome in some vibrancy with this sequel.

It's an inventive swing to take a classic and turn it on its head with characters that many already know, and it does pay off here.

As much as the sparring and jibes between Fagin and Jack underpin the episodes, so too does their rocky relationship, and Jack's lingering feelings of abandonment by this unlikely father figure.

David Thewlis positively excels in the role as the ever-suspicious Fagin, providing a wit and darkness to the character - but at the same time being totally watchable and hilariously pedantic over his crumpets.

Part of the thrill of a series like this, though, is seeing themes from the original tale pull through into the new format, like those to do with class, wealth and betrayal.

While we're in a different setting, The Artful Dodger maps out what society was like at the time, and although Jack is an English doctor who is very much respected, his fears over his background being exposed create an innate suspicion of the gentry within him.

Even so, Jack soon works closely with the governor's daughter, Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell), who is as intrigued by medicine as Jack, and has dreams of becoming a doctor.

But, of course, that's no role for a lady, she's told. Despite her family not being the most supportive, she strives to work, and has no desire to get married and have children like the other women in her family.

As is to be expected from the offset, really, there is a natural spark between Lady Belle and Jack, with the pair bickering almost as much as Jack and Fagin, but with a warmness that starts to develop as the episodes go by.

A romantic undertone may not be expected in a series like this one, but it offers a breath of fresh air in among the blood, gore, fraud and deception.

Self-assured and confident in his own life, Jack isn't the most loveable of protagonists, but there's something endearing about an unlikely lead, and one who many may not gel with initially.

Brodie-Sangster brings an electricity to the role and an unpredictability that is woven throughout the series, meaning you never quite know where this tale could take you.

The finale is worth holding on for, without question, with the last episode bringing with it a final dose of heartfelt emotion, drama and the climax of Fagin and Dodger's criminal plots.

And really, the series does a grand job of broaching the heavier topics of the time without ever really diving fully into them, meaning if you're after a slice of pure TV escapism, The Artful Dodger is simply ideal.

The Artful Dodger is available to stream on Disney Plus. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.