The Artful Dodger is not done cheating death just yet. The Australian period drama, released in the U.S. as The Artful Dodger and locally titled Le Renard : Prince des voleurs, returns for a second season streaming February 10 on Disney+ and Hulu. All episodes will drop at once, positioning the show as an ideal weekend binge for fans of dark historical adventures and Dickens-inspired crime stories.
The Artful Dodger Season 2: Release date, platform, and binge model
Disney is giving the series a high-visibility rollout: Season 2 will be available in full starting February 10 on both Disney+ and Hulu in the United States, following its Australian production roots. Instead of a weekly release, the platform is opting for a complete season drop, mirroring strategies used for other buzzy dramas designed to drive conversation quickly on social and streaming charts.
This approach also leans into how viewers discovered Season 1 in late 2023—largely through word of mouth, recommendation algorithms, and weekend marathons. For U.S. audiences, that means you can dive straight through Jack Dawkins’ latest misadventures without waiting seven days between cliffhangers.
From Oliver Twist side character to antihero in a penal colony
Inspired by the world of Oliver Twist but not a straightforward adaptation, The Artful Dodger reimagines Jack Dawkins—better known to Dickens readers as the Artful Dodger—as an adult living in the harsh environment of an 1850s Australian penal colony. Instead of prowling the streets of London as a pickpocket, he has reinvented himself as a surgeon in Port Victory, a remote colonial town on the edge of the British Empire.
Season 1 stood out by blending medical drama, crime thriller, and historical fiction with a darkly playful tone. That mix earned the show solid critical reception and a devoted streaming audience, leading Disney and production partner Sony Pictures Television to officially renew the series in November 2024.
Where Season 1 left Jack Dawkins — and how Season 2 raises the stakes
When we last saw Jack, his carefully constructed new life was collapsing. His criminal history had resurfaced, his medical career was under threat, and the law was finally closing in. Season 2 picks up directly after those events, with Jack in more danger than ever and his survival no longer a metaphor but a literal question.
This time, the noose is not symbolic: Jack faces the very real prospect of hanging. The new season frames his story as a race against time, where every decision could mean death, a desperate escape, or a return to the criminal underworld he has tried—and failed—to leave behind.
A relentless new adversary: Inspector Henry Boxer
To intensify the cat-and-mouse energy of the show, Season 2 introduces a new lawman: Inspector Henry Boxer, portrayed by Luke Bracey. Unlike some of the more easily outwitted figures Jack has encountered before, Boxer is meticulous, methodical, and unwilling to be charmed or manipulated.
Boxer represents more than just a detective chasing a fugitive. He embodies the machinery of the British colonial justice system—rigid, unforgiving, and determined to make an example of men like Jack. His arrival in Port Victory disrupts the fragile balance of power and puts pressure on everyone in Jack’s orbit, from criminals to the local elite.
Fagin’s most dangerous scheme yet
Of course, Jack’s past is never just about the law; it is also about the people who shaped him on the streets of London. Fagin, his former mentor and manipulator, is back at the center of the action in Season 2.
Rather than retreating in the face of Boxer’s investigation, Fagin escalates. He draws Jack into what is described as the most ambitious and hazardous criminal operation since Jack arrived in Port Victory. The scheme forces Jack to balance several impossible priorities at once: staying alive, protecting those he cares about, and honoring (or betraying) the loyalties that formed in his youth.
The show leans into this tension: Can someone who built his identity on deception and survival ever truly break from his criminal patterns, especially when the structures around him are designed to keep him trapped?
Lady Belle Fox: ambition, medicine, and power in the 19th century
One of the standout elements of The Artful Dodger is its focus on Lady Belle Fox, a character who pushes against the limits placed on women in the 1800s. In Season 2, her arc becomes even more central. Lady Belle continues her fight to be taken seriously as a physician in a world where medicine is dominated by men and class expectations are suffocating.
Her journey is not framed as a modern anachronism dropped into the past; instead, the series situates her struggle firmly within the social realities of the 19th century—navigating familial pressure, reputation, and rigid gender hierarchies. Her professional aspirations are inextricably tied to Jack’s fate: his choices affect her standing, and her ambitions in turn pull her deeper into the conflicts that surround him.
Inspector Boxer’s arrival complicates things even further, creating a tense triangle of power, suspicion, and emotional entanglement between Jack, Belle, and Boxer. For viewers interested in stories about women pushing against old systems while still grounded in historical context, Belle’s storyline remains one of the show’s main draws.
Australian production scale expands in Season 2
Shot in and around Sydney, The Artful Dodger uses its Australian locations to evoke the rough edges of a colonial port town—dusty streets, improvised medical theaters, and looming gallows. Season 2 reportedly broadens that visual palette, with more elaborate sets and costume work to deepen the immersion in 1850s Australia.
The series continues to be produced by Curio Pictures for Disney+, in collaboration with Sony Pictures Television. Behind the camera, there is a clear effort at continuity: the tone, worldbuilding, and visual style that defined Season 1 are maintained while the scope and stakes expand.
Why The Artful Dodger Season 2 matters for U.S. streaming audiences
For American viewers, Season 2 arrives at a time when streaming platforms are increasingly looking abroad for fresh stories that feel familiar but not derivative. The Artful Dodger offers just that mix: a recognizable Dickensian starting point with a setting and genre blend that feels distinct from most U.S.-based period dramas.
If you enjoy series like Peaky Blinders, The Knick, or character-driven antihero stories set in morally gray worlds, this Australian production is positioned as a compelling option on Disney+ and Hulu. The all-at-once release model also allows the show to compete directly with Netflix-style binges, making it a strong candidate for recommendation feeds and Google Discover-style content surfaces where viewers look for their next historical thriller.
Key details at a glance
- Title: The Artful Dodger (French title: Le Renard : Prince des voleurs)
- Season 2 premiere date: February 10
- Where to watch in the U.S.: Disney+ and Hulu
- Release format: All Season 2 episodes available the same day (no weekly rollout)
- Main cast: Core cast from Season 1 returns, joined by new characters including Inspector Henry Boxer, played by Luke Bracey
- Setting: 1850s Australian penal colony, primarily in the fictional port town of Port Victory
FAQ
When does The Artful Dodger Season 2 come out on Disney+ and Hulu?
Season 2 of The Artful Dodger will be available starting February 10. All episodes drop on the same day, so you can stream the entire season immediately without waiting for weekly installments.
Will The Artful Dodger Season 2 release weekly or all at once?
The new season follows a binge-friendly model: every episode of Season 2 arrives on February 10. There is no staggered, week-by-week release schedule for this installment.
Is the main cast from Season 1 returning for Season 2?
Yes, the principal cast members from Season 1 return to reprise their roles in Season 2. They are joined by new additions to the ensemble, including Luke Bracey as Inspector Henry Boxer, a key antagonist for Jack Dawkins.
Do I need to watch Season 1 before starting Season 2?
While Season 2 offers new conflicts and characters, it directly continues Jack Dawkins’ story from the end of Season 1. To fully understand the relationships, past choices, and rising stakes—especially involving Jack, Fagin, and Lady Belle Fox—it is strongly recommended to watch Season 1 first.
