It took exactly a year for The Artful Dodger to receive its first renewal — so what are the chances Hulu would pick the show back up for season 3?
During the season 2 finale, which aired on Tuesday, February 10, Belle (Maia Mitchell) learned a shocking revelation about the governor (Damien Garvey) not being her biological father. Her mother, Jane (Susie Porter), shared the truth when she thought she was on her death bed but Belle’s love interest Jack (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) ultimately saved her life.
As a result, Jane finally gave Belle permission to be with Jack. Belle ran to find him but it appeared that Jack got on a boat and left. The final moments of the season confirmed that Jack couldn’t leave Belle — and the fan-favorite couple shared a kiss.
Elsewhere in the finale, Fagin (David Thewlis) had a plan to die so his troubles would disappear. Jack helped executive the plan but Fagin actually survived and woke up … buried underground.
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“There’s a lot [more story] to tell,” Mitchell, 32, exclusively told Us Weekly about the future of the show. “It’s such a massive show with so many characters and so many plots happening all at once.”
The actress noted that there is “a lot of opportunity” for “way more character development” in the future, adding, “With Belle and Jack, it is seeing what domestic life could look like. I don’t know how they pull that off. I don’t see them ever being settled but seeing what that looks like and seeing them actualize their relationship.”
Mitchell didn’t stop there when it came to possible story lines.
“But also with the family. Belle learned this revelation about Lady Jane and we see the family in a much more kind of authentic closeness together,” she teased. “But I would love to see what that does for the family — and for Lady Jane. I’d love to see what Lady Jane is up to in season 3 as well.”
She continued: “Fagin is up to no good. And Belle’s sister, Fanny, her story line this season is the most delightful surprise. I really wasn’t across any of those scenes so watching the show back I was like, ‘Oh my God, that’s what they were up to every day that I was at home.’ Seeing where that goes with Fanny, she’s so empowered and so delightful. I would love to do that. I would love to do a third season and I know everyone feels that way.”
Acting as a sequel to Charles Dickens‘ novel Oliver Twist, The Artful Dodger is set in the 1850s and follows Jack Dawkins, who is a former Royal Navy surgeon trying to establish himself as a respected young doctor. In addition to his antics outside of work, Jack quickly develops a romance with the governor’s daughter Belle.
“It was a long painstaking wait to hear [about a season 2], so we are very happy to be back,” Mitchell noted to Us. “In terms of jumping back into character, the break was good. It’s always nerve-wracking going back. But it’s so easy with our sets and in our costumes, you just really do melt right into the world. But the break was good because I would have needed that circuit break to find a different tone in her, to do some different prep. Especially with the dialect coaches, I was vocally dropping her a little lower and there was a slightly different physicality. Hopefully we get a season 3, and hopefully the break isn’t as long.”
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Mitchell was thrilled at the chance to film a project in her native Australia.
“At the end of 2021, I had written a list of things I was manifesting. It was a job that was shot in Australia, a period drama and it was a woman who was playing a feminist and claiming her power. That is literally The Artful Dodger for me. So it is a dream job,” she gushed. “And to be able to work at home is fantastic. It’s less of a flight to visit family and our crew is so amazing. I’ve now shot a couple projects in Australia in the last few years, since I’ve moved home — and also overseas — and I can say for sure that it’s the best and most elevated work that I’ve been able to do.”
She concluded: “It’s because of the crew and everyone behind the camera and the cast. We have such immense talent here and I’m so excited that the world is becoming privy to it because we’ve known it. We’ve always made such fantastic shows but they have this Aussie tone with a gritty drama. Now we’re expanding that and we’ve got these massive period dramas with crazy budgets. It’s really fun to be a part of that kind of new moment in Aussie film and TV. So I couldn’t be more stoked and I would just work in Australia with Aussie crew for the rest of my career if I could. It’s the best.”
The Artful Dodger is currently streaming on Hulu.
