What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Artful Dodger
David Maher · Series · 2023
If you loved The Artful Dodger, start with Oliver Twist (Roman Polanski, 2005) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Artful Dodger across media.
You were captivated by The Artful Dodger because of the way it balances high-stakes criminal life with an urgent, desperate search for personal redemption.
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.
Like the protagonist of The Artful Dodger, these characters seek a transformative escape from their past lives, finding that second chances often require a touch of historical magic.
The Fraud
Zadie Smith · Book
Explores: class struggle, identity fraud, colonial legacy.
This novel mirrors the Victorian atmosphere and focus on identity fraud found in The Artful Dodger, exploring how class and reputation complicate a person's path to legitimate success.
Jack Reacher
Lee Child, Andrew Child · Book · 1997
Explores: Military Justice, Vigilante Justice, Conspiracy.
If you admired the transient, skilled survivalist nature of Jack Dawkins in The Artful Dodger, you will appreciate this relentless protagonist who lives entirely by his own moral code.
Crook Manifesto
Colson Whitehead · Book
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: criminal underworld.
The Artful Dodger excels at depicting the tension between legitimate life and the criminal underworld, a struggle that defines the gritty, high-stakes atmosphere of this 1970s crime narrative.
Films on the same thread
Roofman
Derek Cianfrance · Film · 2025
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: Redemption.
This film captures the same specific blend of criminal ingenuity and the longing for redemption seen in The Artful Dodger, following a man whose survival instincts define his character.
Crime 101
Bart Layton · Film · 2026
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: Redemption.
The cat-and-mouse dynamic between a thief and his pursuer in this film echoes the intricate, tension-filled professional conflicts that drive the narrative of The Artful Dodger.
Thunderbolts*
Jake Schreier · Film · 2025
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: Moral ambiguity.
Much like the cast of The Artful Dodger, these characters exist in a state of moral ambiguity while desperately attempting to overcome their pasts through a shared mission.
Wardriver
Rebecca Thomas · Film · 2026
Shares 2 threads with The Artful Dodger: moral ambiguity, criminal underworld.
The Artful Dodger relies on the duality of a character caught between crime and consequence, a theme mirrored here as a hacker finds his digital life spiraling into violence.
Podcasts on the same thread
Sherlock & Co.
Podcast
Explores: detective, crime investigation, bromance.
This modern adaptation shares the clever, investigative spirit of The Artful Dodger, focusing on a brilliant but unconventional duo navigating the complexities of the London criminal landscape.
Criminal
Vox Media Podcast Network · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with The Artful Dodger: moral ambiguity.
If the moral ambiguity of The Artful Dodger kept you watching, this podcast will satisfy your curiosity by exploring the complex, often blurry lines between right and wrong behavior.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Artful Dodger based on the same story as Oliver Twist?
The Artful Dodger is a reimagining of the character Jack Dawkins from Charles Dickens' work. While it follows his life as a surgeon, it shares origins with the 2005 movie Oliver Twist, the 1968 musical Oliver!, and the 1988 animated film Oliver & Company.
How does The Artful Dodger connect to the 1968 movie Oliver!
Both The Artful Dodger and the 1968 movie Oliver! feature the character Jack Dawkins. While Oliver! focuses on the original Dickens narrative, The Artful Dodger serves as a modern spin on his later life, exploring his transformation from a pickpocket into a skilled surgeon.
Should I watch Oliver & Company before starting The Artful Dodger?
You do not need to watch Oliver & Company before starting The Artful Dodger. Both titles draw from the same source material but offer distinct interpretations of the characters. The Artful Dodger is a standalone series focused on Jack Dawkins' life as a surgeon.
What is the main conflict in The Artful Dodger?
The main conflict in The Artful Dodger involves Jack Dawkins struggling to balance his new career as a surgeon with his past ties to the criminal underworld. He is torn between his professional responsibilities and the criminal life he secretly craves while navigating an impossible love.