The first episode of Dodger begins in the north of England in 1837. Young kids are shown working in a factory where they’re not allowed to wear shoes. Mr. Canker (Colin McFarlane) asks Jack Dawkins (Billy Jenkins) if he has finished trying to run away. Jack promises he’ll never try again before asking for his cards back. He shuffles through them quickly and suspects his jack of hearts is missing. He tells Canker it is under his hat. He pulls it out from under his hat. When Canker asks how he did that, Jack offers to show him for a penny. Cranker slaps his hand and says he won’t before leading him into the factory by his earlobe. Once the machines are turned off, Canker warns the other kids that this is what a week in the hole looks like so they would never try to run away. He throws Dawkins to the ground and orders him to collect any cottage wastage he can find under there.

When they turn their backs, Dawkins tries to run for it once again. The chase continues as Dawkins leaps out of an open window despite Canker saying he’ll never survive the fall. After the intro, Fagin (Christopher Eccleston) receives word from Polly that it is done and Bowhouse was the hangman. Polly (Ellie-May Sheridan) confirms that Ruben saw her and knew she was there. Fagin blames her for not going back, but she argues that the place was swarming with coppers. He only has Polly and Tang (Mila Lieu) now that Tom is locked up and Ruben is dead. He insists they’re going to need a new member to build the gang back up. Meanwhile, Canker sends the dogs after Dawkins who continues running until he encounters a scarecrow. He takes its hat and prepares to run again as Canker and the dogs close in on him. Once Canker reaches the scarecrow, he realizes it is the scent of Jack’s scent. Canker attacks the scarecrow while Jack nearly runs into a trap on the ground.

Charley Bates (Aabay Ali) tackles him to the ground to prevent him from running into the trap. She accuses him of being a poacher, but he denies it and explains he is from the cotton mill. Charley tells him he better get out of here before her master nabs him and forces him to work on the farm forever. She asks about his boots since his feet are ripped like ribbons. Dawkins says the first rule of the factory floor is no clog irons. Jack has to hide when Charley’s master arrives and scolds her for not being at her post. He orders her to get back to her post before he pegs her feet to the ground. When Dawkins makes a noise, Charley quickly distracts her master to prevent him from being captured. Once he is gone, Dawkins tries to leave, but Charley says he’ll get gangrene. She takes him to the barn where he can sleep for the night. She also promises to see if she can find some grub and bandages.

Polly tells Fagin she has found the perfect boy. Tang leads Nibbs into the room and says they found in wandering the streets. Fagin asks if they’re having a laugh because the body isn’t even on solids. Although Nibbs has a good begging face, Fagin says they’re not beggars because they work. He makes them put the boy back where they found him. Fagin throws Nibbs a parsnip on his way out although he doesn’t catch it. Charley’s master sings songs with his wife, Aggie, and his son. They drink while trying to figure out what number comes between three. He pours Aggie some of Grundles’ home distilled whisky before Charley enters to say she has finished doing her day’s work. She is told there is some potato peeling soup for her, but she’ll have to clean the kitchen first. Her master’s underwear is going to need boiling again since he had a little accident in them this morning. Charley gets to work while her master sings and drinks with his wife and child.

Dawkins suffers because of his feet throughout the night. As he suffers, he remembers spending time with Miss Piptree (Nadine Marshall) at the orphanage and how she taught him card tricks. He still has the cards she gave him in the pack that says property of The All Saints Orphanage. Then, we see the day that Canker purchased Dawkins from the orphanage and he had to say goodbye to Piptree who asks him not to forget her. With her master asleep, Charley decides to steal food, alcohol, and the son’s shoes. She goes to Dawkins and tells him to get up because they don’t have much time. She begins cleaning his feet to get out the glass and things. When she pours alcohol on them, Dawkins begins moaning in agony. She tells him to bite on a stick so she can remove the items. She finishes with the good foot and begins working on the bad foot.

Canker knocks on the door and Grundles opens it a few seconds later. He explains his most dangerous apprentice escaped so he is searching through every barn in the parish. Dawkins asks Charley about her mom and dad, but she doesn’t know and tells him to mind his business. Jack doesn’t know if his are alive or what their up to and he doesn’t want to know. If they’re dead, that is sad and he doesn’t want to know. If they’re alive, it is bad because they didn’t want to know him. Jack explains he wants to return to his old orphanage to tell them the truth about that horrible mill. He suspects that Mr. Monkton will believe him, shut down the mill, and set all the kids free. Canker walks in and asks why Monkton would care after he sold him for a pound. As Canker approaches, Jack pours the alcohol on the hay nearby and grabs the shoes. He intends to start a fire to avoid going back to Canker’s mill. Once the fire has started, Dawkins and Charley run out of the bar away from Canker.

After they escape, Charley pushes Jack down and complains that she has nowhere else to go. He admits he didn’t know it was going to work so he was just bluffing. Jack asks Charley to come to London with him, but she isn’t eager since she has heard it is full of bad eggs. He wants to go see Piptree who was like a mother to him. He doesn’t believe anything Canker said about being sold for a pound. They lay down and go to sleep. In the morning, Canker begins searching for Dawkins again. Charley rushes over to Dawkins as they quickly run and hide from the dogs. They throw their food away to get the dogs off their trail. Farmer Grundles (John Thomson) and Canker argue after losing them. However, Mr. Canker says Jack is going to his old orphanage so they can get them there. He recommends buying another farm girl, but Grundles wants Charley because there is more to the girl than Canker knows. Charley and Jack put a log on the road to stop a carriage coming their way. When the carriage stops so they can move the log, Jack and Charley jump in the back and hitch a ride.

Canker runs into the carriage and asks the men if they saw the two dirty children on the road, but they haven’t. He checks the back although he doesn’t find them. As the carriage reaches London, we hear about a 10-year-old boy being hung for stealing a spoon. They smell of the city before Dawkins admits he doesn’t know where the orphanage is in London. He is confident they’ll find it since it is somewhere in London. The Commissioner of Police Sir Charles Rowan (David Threlfall) complains about London’s streets being the most dangerous in the empire. He tells his officers he wants them to catch the children criminals. Fagin tells Polly and Tang that they’re going to hit them harder. Rowan says crime is a disease and they are the cure. Polly and Tang are sent back into the streets to find another boy or girl for Fagin. PC Duff (Rhys Thomas) is told his pants and trousers are on wrong before he is sent out with PC Blathers (Javone Prince).

As Jack and Charley continue, they run into a little boy who asks for a penny. Jack offers to show him a card trick instead. After Jack completes the magic trick, the little boy is so impressed he decides to give Jack his only penny. Charley believes they can use Jack’s tricks to make money. He immediately begins using his magic to take money from people on the street. As this continues, Polly and Tang find out what is going on and suspect Jack would be a good pick for Fagin. When they see the police coming, Polly tells Tang to stay and keep an eye on Jack. She is going to do something else. PC Duff and PC Blathers approach Jack to ask what is going on. When they hear it is magic, Blathers says there is no such thing as magic, but Duff quickly refutes that. Blathers warns him that the punishment for scamming people is death by hanging.

Charley creates a distraction by screaming woodpecker as they make a run for it. Polly goes to some guy and tells him she has found just what they’re looking for. Canker goes to Rowan to tell him about Jack trying to burn him alive in a barn. Canker wants them back so he can thrash the life out of them although Rowan says that is for the law to decide. When Canker offers him a 100-pound donation, Rowan asks if he has a recent portrait. Canker begins drawing one for him while Duff and Blathers try to capture Charley and Jack. He keeps messing up, asking for another piece of paper, and repeating this process. Jack and Charley are cornered by Bill Sikes (Sam Wilson) in front of them and the cops behind them. Sikes tells the other officers it is his jurisdiction and he’ll take care of them. The other cops eventually believe him and let him handle the arrests. Sikes takes Jack’s hat and leads them up the stairs with Bullseye close behind.

Once Canker finishes his drawing, Blathers and Duff enter to tell them about arresting a juvenile with a top hat. Canker believes it is Jack. Soon, Duff and Blathers realize they were duped by the other police officer who called himself Officer Pike. Rowan listens to the information about Pike and his bull terrier and immediately says the chase is over. He tells Canker that he won’t be seeing Jack anymore because only God can help those children now. As for Charley and Jack, they are led to Fagin’s place where Fagin introduces himself and discusses his generosity. Fagin takes Jack’s money before saying Polly is his little soldier and Tang is like a scorpion. Bill confirms he isn’t a real policeman and the bloke he got the outfit from won’t be needing it anymore. Fagin explains Bill has left but he comes back when he is hungry. Bill grabs a finder’s fee and leaves with his dog. Charley wants to leave because Fagin stole their money, but he claims it is protection money.

Jack claims he has a home and all his friends are still waiting for him at All Saints. Fagin knows it although he claims the orphanage burnt down and is nothing but ashes now. Polly confirms it as Dawkins begins worrying about Piptree and his friends. Unfortunately, Fagin says there were no survivors. Jack gets upset, calls Fagin a liar, and runs out of the building. Charly and Polly go after him. Jack runs to the orphanage where he finds it burned and Morgan (Lenny Rush) says it is very sad. Morgan wants money for information. However, he agrees to tell Jack something since he is upset. He explains he is a crossing sweeper and the orphanage is no more due to a gas explosion. He claims there were no survivors. When Canker arrives, he swiftly grabs Jack from behind. Polly grabs Morgan’s broom and uses it to attack Canker before telling Jack to run. Dawkins and Charley return to Fagin’s place since they have nowhere else to go.

Fagin says he’ll have to make do with what they have here. Polly is asked to give them a tour. She shows them the door that is a deathtrap and how to reach the roof. Once the tour ends and Polly leaves, Charley decides to sleep on the rooftop. Dawkins looks around and eventually finds a place to sleep.

 

Dodger Review

It is always fun to revisit Charles Dickens’s best characters with the Artful Dodger being one of the most intriguing. The Dodger gives viewers an opportunity to revisit a modernized version of the character. The first episode was a mixed bag that seemed to get better near the end. It may transform into a series worthy of the original, but it has a lot to prove.

It is clear that many aren’t going to like this because the characters were changed so dramatically in an attempt to modernize and diversify it. At this point, this is no longer original or necessary, but it likely isn’t going to stop any time soon no matter how much people complain or how inaccurate of a representation it may be. Many won’t give it a chance for this very reason.

Regardless, the first episode had enough merit to stick around for a few more episodes. I think it’ll improve when things start slowing down and we get a chance to connect with the characters. I wasn’t a fan of the humorous scenes and just found them a bit annoying especially when Mr. Canker had to draw the picture multiple times. This should be a gritty, dark series so I hope they really push on that and make it moodier.

After all, the subject matter is pretty grim. If it can capitalize on that, Dodger will shine in that category. The opening episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Dodger will be available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support the Reel Mockery project by following this link.