Hulu's The Artful Dodger is Set in a Time and Place of Near-Absolute Freedom

Thomas Brodie-Sangster is Jack Dawkins in The Artful Dodger. Hulu's newest series appears to be a period show with a modern twist. The question is, when is The Artful Dodger set, exactly?

What is Hulu's The Artful Dodger About?

Considering Sangster's history of playing roles in period projects such as Queen's Gambit, it's no longer surprising to see him lead a new series where his character is once again living in the past.

Now that he's starring as the former pickpocket-turned-surgeon in The Artful Dodger, here's what to expect from the series, according to its official synopsis:

Set in 1850s Australia, in the lively colony of Port Victory, Jack Dawkins is The Artful Dodger, whose fast, pickpocketing fingers have turned into the skilled hands of a surgeon. Dodger's past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin, luring him back into a world of crime.

A greater threat - to Dodger's heart - is Lady Belle, the Governor's daughter, determined to become the colony's first female surgeon. From heists to life-and-death surgeries, to the harsh realities of the criminal world mingling with the middle ground and gentry. This is a tale of reinvention, betrayal, redemption, and love with a twist.

As the plot description states, The Artful Dodger is set in the 1850s in Australia.

However, one thing that viewers can discover right away is despite the show being set in the 1800s, The Artful Dodger's Australian rock soundtrack seemingly suggests that there would be a modern take on the series.

READ MORE: The True Story Inspiration Behind The Doll Factory on Paramount

Is The Artful Dodger a Spin-off or Reboot?

Credit: Hulu

Hang on a second, though. Based on the official synopsis, The Artful Dodger is a tale of reinvention, betrayal, redemption, and love with a twist.

While we do know the 'reinvention thing' here is how the former pickpocketer has decided to use his skills to become a surgeon instead, what does this mean for the show? Is The Artful Dodger a spin-off or a reboot?

As it turned out, Jack Dawkins was an original character in Charles Dickens' novel, Oliver Twist, which was a three-volume book published in 1838.

The book was meant to portray the poor state of poverty in London and how this often led to crime.

At the time, Dawkins was the leader of a gang of pipsqueak riff-raff, who worked as thieves and pickpockets. While Dawkins was a mere side character in the story, he exhibited a similar line of career with The Artful Dodger's main character.

Oliver Twist depicted that Dawkins was eventually sent off to Australia to become a surgeon, all the while keeping at his pickpocketing days. Sound familiar?

READ NEXT: Is 'Tiny Curse' a Real TikTok Trend? Nathan Fielder's The Curse Explained

Interested in more Geek Culture news stories and updates? Check out more right here on EpicStream!