If you loved
The Artful Dodger
David Maher · Series · 2023
What hooked you in The Artful Dodger was the way characters caught in criminal webs navigate the blurred lines between redemption and their dangerous pasts.
Start with the source
The source
Oliver Twist
Roman Polanski · Film · 2005
Adaptation
Oliver!
Film · 1968
Adaptation
Oliver & Company
Film · 1988
Books on the same thread
The Lost Bookshop
Evie Woods · Book · 2023
Explores: Books about books, Hidden history, Second chances.
Much like the reinvention seen in The Artful Dodger, this story follows characters seeking second chances, using the mystery of a hidden bookshop to explore their own forgotten pasts.
All the Colors of the Dark
Chris Whitaker · Book · 2024
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: Redemption.
If the moral ambiguity of Jack Dawkins resonated with you in The Artful Dodger, you will appreciate how this thriller forces its characters to confront dark secrets and vigilante justice.
The Wager
David Grann · Book · 2023
Explores: Shipwreck Survival, Mutiny, Social Class Conflict.
The Artful Dodger thrives on the tension between survival and social class, a conflict that mirrors the brutal struggle and mutiny found in this historical account of maritime disaster.
Jack Reacher
Lee Child, Andrew Child · Book · 1997
Explores: Military Justice, Vigilante Justice, Conspiracy.
If you enjoyed the way Jack Dawkins maneuvers through the criminal underworld in The Artful Dodger, you will find a kindred spirit in the transient, justice-seeking lifestyle of Jack Reacher.
Films on the same thread
Crime 101
Bart Layton · Film · 2026
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: Redemption.
This film echoes the high-stakes obsession found in The Artful Dodger, focusing on a thief attempting one final job while his path collides with those standing in his way.
Roofman
Derek Cianfrance · Film · 2025
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: Redemption.
Like the duality of the surgeon-thief in The Artful Dodger, this film explores the redemption of a criminal who struggles to balance his illicit activities with his personal life.
Thunderbolts*
Jake Schreier · Film · 2025
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: Moral ambiguity.
The found family dynamics and redemption arcs in this story mirror the alliances forged in The Artful Dodger, where morally ambiguous characters must confront their pasts to survive together.
The Handmaiden
Film · 2016
Explores: Deception, Forbidden Romance, Manipulation.
If the forbidden romance and constant deception in The Artful Dodger kept you captivated, you will be drawn into the complex power dynamics and manipulation present in this period thriller.
Podcasts on the same thread
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: moral ambiguity.
This podcast investigates the same moral ambiguity that defines The Artful Dodger, focusing on the lives of those caught in the middle of crime, law, and human fallibility.
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
Just as Jack Dawkins fights for survival in The Artful Dodger, the castaways in this audio drama face a harsh universe where love and loss define their struggle to endure.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Artful Dodger based on the same source material as the 1968 film Oliver!
Yes, The Artful Dodger is a reimagining of characters from the classic Charles Dickens story, which also served as the source material for the 1968 film Oliver!, the 2005 movie Oliver Twist, and the 1988 animated feature Oliver & Company.
Does The Artful Dodger require prior knowledge of Oliver Twist movies to understand the plot?
No, you do not need to watch the 2005 movie Oliver Twist or other adaptations to follow the story. The Artful Dodger functions as a standalone tale focusing on Jack Dawkins as he transitions from a pickpocket into a skilled surgeon.
What is the main conflict Jack Dawkins faces in The Artful Dodger?
In The Artful Dodger, Jack Dawkins struggles to balance his life as a surgeon with his lingering ties to the criminal underworld. He must navigate themes of betrayal, redemption, and an impossible love while relying on his signature artfulness to survive.
How does the character of Jack Dawkins in The Artful Dodger differ from his depiction in Oliver & Company?
While both versions originate from the same literary source, The Artful Dodger portrays Jack Dawkins as a man seeking reinvention. He has traded his life as a pickpocket for a career as a surgeon, creating a complex internal struggle not explored in the 1988 film Oliver & Company.