Escape of the Artful Dodger was an Australian children’s television series first screened on the Nine Network in 2001. Escape of the Artful Dodger is the story of Jack Dawkins, who was introduced in the classic Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. The Artful Dodger is a fast-talking, nimble-fingered young pick-pocket in London, whose voyage to Australia presents an opportunity to escape from his old life of being a crook, to become a hero.
After helping Oliver return to his grandfather, Mr. Brownlow, Dodger is arrested and sentenced to be transported to the Australian colonies for seven years. Oliver too is sent to the colonies, to learn the family trading business. And so, together, they set sail on one of the Brownlow ships
The Dodger and Wild Will make a desperate break for freedom while Oliver and Hannah have problems of their own, upon arrival.
The Theatre finds itself experiencing hard times, while The Dodger remains determined to rescue Wild Will.
Hannah longs to find out what has happened to her brother, while the boys are pre-occupied by a gang of street-kids responsible for a minor crime-wave.
The Dodger meets his match when a teenager on his way to university in England decides to employ his amatuer detective skills to do what Sergeant Bates has failed to do… track down the Dodger.
Becky and Dr. Hartmann make a surprising discovery linking their theatre with the Artful Dodger, while Oliver and Hannah's guilt over their actions leads them into Fagin's power.
Desperate to find her missing brother, Hannah has only one clue—the ship aboard which he was supposed to arrive. Oliver and Hannah know that information has been removed from Bates' office, but gathering the proof is a problem in itself.
Desperate to get to Michael, Oliver and Hannah canvas the possibility of gaining access to Colonel Springer's farm, under the guise of Chimney Sweeps, while the Dodger remains anxious to redeem himself.
Trying to impress Becky, Wild Will is keen to help the kids in their search for the truth about Michael Schuller. This involves taking risks in Sydney Town, and causes more trouble than it's worth
Bates, suspecting that Fagin's long friendship with the Dodger is preventing him from handing the Dodger over, puts pressure on Kelly and Scratch to work for him, behind Fagin's back.
When their hideout is exposed, the children are faced with major dilemmas on all fronts. And now, Scratch lies sick and helpless in their Theatre hideout. Do you help your enemy, with the knowledge that you might be contributing to your downfall?
Bates is furious to discover the cell is empty and the Dodger has apparently escaped. How could he know that the Dodger is still trapped in the storeroom? However, could the Dodger have pushed his luck one step too far…
Dodger and Kelly, now reluctant allies, flee to the only refuge left —Will's bush camp. But where the rest have been taken and why, remains a mystery.
