Dearest reader, do you enjoy period dramas crime, romance and adventure? If the answer is yes then this is a tale for you indeed. And if you liked Oliver Twist then you are certainly in for a treat.
Thomas Brodie Sangster stars as Jack Dawkins, an orphan who was raised to be a thief by his uncle but turned away from that life when he chose to be a surgeon. Surgeons of the 1850’s did not have very advanced medicines but Jack is insistent on changing that and he is not the only one. Lady Belle, played by Maia Mitchell insists on being trained by Jack as the first female surgeon. Being the closest thing to royalty as she is the governor's daughter, Jack has no choice but to agree with her.
The plot of this tale begins 15 years after the end of Oliver Twist and without spoiling it I will tell you that every single episode is worth the watch. Through the show, we get to see some fantastic side plots and character growth. Jack was previously a thief as we know but now that he is working as a surgeon in a hospital owned by the governor, he must be on his best behaviour. This is particularly challenging when his Uncle Fagin wants him to return to his pickpocketing ways and Captain Gaines will find any excuse to have Jack hanged.
This series makes for a fantastic sequel to Oliver Twist and the actors are very convincing. The show will have you rooting for some whilst being sceptical of others you may even loath some others. This is not your typical period drama.
You will not be drowned in the sorrows of other characters or carried away in an utterly tragic romance. While both of these aspects linger in the show, the overarching themes are action and adventure. When the show begins there are certain parts of the plot building which are confusing because that first episode does throw you into a pile of information which is hard to absorb but it doesn’t take very long for the spiral of information to unravel.
There are only 8 episodes of this show on Disney + and each lasts for roughly 50 minutes of pure entertainment. The series was easily binge able, and very enjoyable so if you are looking for a short and enticing show to binge watch then this is the one for you.
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