The Stitch Up – The episode opens with Norbert Fagin (David Thewlis) and Dr. Jack “Dodger” Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), covered in blood, walking down a dirt road. Dodger admits to enjoying his life before Fagin came back into it. Fagin chastises him for insulting the man who raised him. Dodger calls him a “blight”. Fagin assures him that things will get better for them. They find Dodger’s clothes strewn on the side of the road when a carriage approaches. Dodger flees while Fagin stays behind to flag down the carriage. The coachman brings the carriage to a halt. Captain Lucien Gaines (Damon Herriman) offers them a ride. Dodger and Fagin reluctantly climb into the carriage.

Governor Edmund Fox (Damien Garvey) tells Rosemary “Rotty” Falkirk (Brigid Zengeni) that he needs to get home before his family wakes up. Rotty tells him that she will think of him all day. He asks if she is joking. She assures him that she means it. He claims no woman has ever said that to him before kissing her cheek.

Dodger tells Lucien and Peggy Gaines (Jessica De Gouw) that he and Fagin buried a cadaver. Lucien asks if he was gambling last night. Dodger claims to have been saving lives, not gambling. Lucien says Darius Cracksworth (Tim Minchin) claims he owes him a great sum of money.  Lucien questions their burying a cadaver claim. Dodger alleges the typhoid-contaminated cadaver exploded when burnt it. When the carriage pulls away, Dodger warns that Lucien is on to them. Fagin suggests pinning the crime on Darius. Dodger refutes the idea because it would mean death by hanging for Darius.

Cat and Bagpipes – Darius barges into the brothel demanding to know who gave him “the itch”. Rotty claims her girls recently tested clean. He helps himself to the week’s sugar. She suggests he got the itch from Peggy. He slashes her throat before leaving. Hetty Baggett (Vivienne Awosoga) pulls Rotty in a cart down the street.

Lucien and Edmund discuss stolen money intended to pay soldiers. Lady Jane Fox (Susie Porter) warns of a riot. Lucien assures her that it is being addressed. She reminds him that the money went missing a week ago. After learning about the attack on a wh**e in a brothel, Lucien informs Edmund and Jane. Edmund asks which one. Lucien says she is unlikely to survive her injuries. Edmund suggests he show concern for her before ordering him to investigate the stolen money. Upon leaving, he tells Lady Belle Fox (Maia Mitchell) that he is going to the hospital to address Professor Alistair McGregor’s (Kim Gyngell) retirement threat. She insists on joining him.

A coin toss determines Dr. Rainsford Sneed (Nicholas Burton) will perform Rotty’s carotid ligation procedure. Sneed urges Belle to stay away from surgery because she may find it disturbing before leaving. She tells Dodger that Edmund paid for Sneed’s education. Dodger assures her that he could perform the surgery but is unsure about Sneed. Edmund watches Rotty suffer on the operating table. While explaining the procedure to the audience, Sneed momentarily stops to tell Rotty to shut up. Edmund nearly cries when Sneed announces that the surgery is a success.

Belle says Sneed is making a move for head surgeon but Dodger should hold the position. She tells him that the position comes with a salary, which would allow him to stop thieving. She offers to help him secure the position.

Lucien asks Sneed if he is aware of Dodger’s massive debt. Sneed assures him that it would not be unusual. Lucien asks when was the last typhoid outbreak. Sneed says six years ago. Later, Dodger finds Lucien searching his room. Lucien says there was no typhoid case. Dodger says it was a false alarm. Lucien accuses him of stealing Peggy’s ruby. The search does not render evidence to connect Dodger to the theft. Fagin informs Dodger that the reward is 20 gold shigs. Dodger stresses the need to return the money. Fagin asks if he will have a new master. Dodger assures him that he will hang alongside him when Hetty Baggett (Vivienne Awosoga) alerts him of a problem with Rotty.

Assessing Rotty’s condition, Dodger determines she has a carotid aneurysm. Sneed boasts of his invitation to celebrate his successful surgery with the Governor. He stresses the need to keep Rotty alive until after the second dessert is served. Elsewhere, Lady Fanny Fox (Lucy Rose Leonard) excitedly tells Belle about Sneed’s invitation. Belle asks if is interested in marrying Sneed. Fanny assures her that he is ready to be wed.

Dodger asks for Belle’s professional opinion on a carotid aneurysm. She says Astley Cooper performed the procedure twice but one of the patients died. He questions if carbolic acid and ether would make a difference. He asks her to meet him at 11pm before leaving to find a cadaver. Later, Fagin demands Tim Billiberllary (Tom Budge) arrange a meeting with Frances “Red” Scrubbs (Miranda Tapsell). When Tim refuses, Fagin threatens to report him to Lucien for corpse desecration and stealing the proceeds. Tim claims Red cannot be summoned.

Fanny tells Belle that her marriage to Sneed will make her patron of the hospital. Belle questions if Sneed is a good match for Fanny but suggests she finds out for herself. Later, Belle reads Cooper’s instructions out loud. Standing over the cadaver, Dodger takes in the information before beginning. A short time later, they are celebrating a successful outcome. Upon returning to his room, he tosses Fagin out of his bed. Tim barges in announcing that Red will meet Fagin at first light in the bush. He warns that Red will slice his throat if he arrives armed. Fagin boasts of his hands being the only weapon he needs.

Tim leads Fagin through the bush when Red and her crew suddenly appear. Fagin warns that he and Dodger are facing the gallows if they do not recover the stolen shigs. He gives her the option of hanging with them or splitting the reward and pinning the theft on someone else. Red is interested in what he has to say.

Dodger asks Rotty for confirmation to perform a treatment on her carotid aneurysm. She claims Darius cut her throat after he got crabs. Fagin vows to ruin him. She orders him to “sh*t him up”. Later, Rotty is in surgery. Belle starts to read Cooper’s notes but Dodger has them memorized. When he struggles to ligate the carotid artery, Belle rushes over to assist. She says this is the first time anyone has successfully ligated a carotid aneurysm. She suggests publishing it in The Lancet but he refuses. She urges him to fight for the head surgeon position because Sneed will ruin any opportunity of future progress. He asks if it is about her. She says it can be a partnership.

Fagin tries to convince Dodger to diagnose Peggy with syphilis, not crabs. Later, Fagin explains syphilis to Peggy. She asks him to leave until he informs her that Darius has been diagnosed. Peggy claims he had sex with one of her maids. He says the cure is to spend the night in a completely dark carriage. He stresses the importance of being discrete because Darius is married to Marianne Cracksworth (Andrea Demetriades). Peggy pays him a bag of coins.

Jane is surprised to see Dodger’s name on the guest list. Belle assures her that it would not be right of them to dismiss the best surgeon in the colony. Later, Fanny and Jane greet Sneed and Alistair. When Sneed compliments Fanny’s loveliness, she finds herself speechless. She admits to liking the idea of Sneed more than him. Questioning Dodger’s presence, Sneed warns Belle that he is not nearly the surgeon she thinks he is. Elsewhere, Red surrenders the stolen gold coins to Fagin. Back at the governor’s house, Jane grills Dodger about his past. Dodger believes that it is possible to cut the death rate in half. Alistair says it is up to God. Dodger suggests there are ways to prevent so many patients from dying during surgery. Alistair assures him that Galen’s precepts have not been utilized for 2,000 years for nothing. Edmund intervenes by boasting of being a witness to Sneed saving Rotty. Sneed tells him that Rotty still kicks. Belle informs them of Dodger’s successful carotid aneurysm procedure that saved Rotty.

Peggy enters the blackened carriage with Darius. Distraught, she warns that they can never return. She is relieved to be free of Lucien. Lifting up a bag, she asks if that is all he brought. He denies the bag belongs to him. He admits to being under the impression that it was an overnight trip. They order Fagin to stop the carriage but he continues down the road.

Sneed questions how Astley Cooper’s notes came into Dodger’s possession. Belle boasts of Edmund’s extension library. He points out that Dodger is illiterate. Belle assures them that Dodger can read. Lucien explains his suspicion regarding the stolen money intended for the soldiers when two officers force Fagin into the room. Fagin explains what happened to the stolen money before escorting them outside. He opens the carriage door to expose Darius and Peggy together. Lucien grabs the bag of coins. Peggy says, “The money is not ours”. Lucien says, “Ours”. Alleging Darius abducted her, she demands Lucien apprehend him now. Lucien orders his men to transport them to lockup. Dodger accuses Belle of using him because Sneed will ban her from surgery. She says her education will be for naught because she will never be a surgeon. He admits his reading skill is poor. She assures him that they would have made a great team.

Red barges into a pub demanding Fagin turn over her half of the reward. He agrees to pay when she takes off with the money. The episode ends.

 

The Artful Dodger Review

After contracting crabs, Darius blames Rotty’s brothel. She suggests he got it from Peggy. He cuts her throat. Sneed wins the coin toss to repair her carotid artery. The procedure goes well but she develops a carotid aneurysm. Sneed is more concerned about making a good impression on Edmund than Rotty’s condition. Dodger and Belle pair up to perform Astley Cooper’s carotid ligation on a cadaver. When the opportunity arises, they perform the same procedure on Rotty to save her life.

Fagin convinces Red to surrender the stolen money intended for soldier pay. He pins the theft on Darius and Peggy by convincing them that they have syphilis. Peggy is ready to leave her old life behind to be with Darius but he has no intention of doing the same.

Belle urges Dodger to fight for head surgeon when Alistair retires. During a dinner at Edmund’s house, Belle blurts out Dodger saved Rotty’s life by ligating her carotid artery. Sneed tells them about Dodger’s illiteracy. Lucien prepares to explain his suspicion about the stolen money intended for soldier pay when Fagin arrives in a carriage. He opens the door to expose Peggy and Darius alone. Peggy alleges Darius abducted her and demands Lucien arrest him. Lucien orders his men to apprehend them.

Dodger believes Belle’s intention is to put him in the head surgeon position to secure her place in surgery. The episode deserves a 4.

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