Dodger

First let me say it's a good show. My kid loves it and it's interesting enough from an adult perspective that my wife and I can both watch it as well. It's well acted with reasonable amounts of humour and drama side by side.

One thing I found very interesting was that just like real life Victorian London this show had a number of black and brown people in it. This wouldn't be remarkable but for the people who seem enraged by the inclusion of nonwhite actors in the cast because their inclusion constitutes "wokeism". Period pieces are never really realistic because if they were no one would watch them. Our mores are too different and the disease, filth, cruelty, and degradation they took for granted would be unbearably repulsive for us. The shows are aimed at showing a relatable view of the past rather than showing the past as it actually was. So it seems very strange for anyone to ignore the genuinely unrealistic aspects of this and every show set in the Victorian era to fixate on the fact that London was accurately portrayed as having ethnic minority residents.

No show is perfect of course and I found that some of the plots demanded that minor characters display a level of stupidity that was truly astounding. Overall though I'd say it was entertaining and definitely worth giving a chance.

The Awful Dodger. If the elites at the BBC are wondering why so many people are cancelling their TV licence, it's because of rubbish like this. The world of Charles Dickens as imagined by some woke millennials who've never been outside London. Avoid.

I think people are far too critical these days of programmes when did just watching a bit of tv become a place to give very unfair comments? I Absolutely loved this I do hope they have a series 2.

It's a childrens programme, made for CBBC. It is being aired on BBC1 for family viewing. It's over acted as most childrens drama is, to make it more enjoyable for children. Just as pantomimes are. So the harsh comments on here are not justifiable. You can't compare it to Oliver or any other Dickens stories/drama's. It is loosely based upon the Artful Dodger. Nothing more, nothing less. With regards to the 'diversity' comments - does it really matter? It's a story. Do people think only 'white' people existed in London in the 1830's? It's a childrens drama. Diversity should not matter in the slightest. After all, children do not know any different.

The set and costumes are excellent.

Yes the acting is OTT. But you do have to remember it's a Childrens programme. For the age of 6 upwards. If it was acted as per any normal Dickens type drama children would lose interest as it would be too serious for them.

This is the show that Netflix's Irregulars could've been if pitched to CBBC. It's fun, family centred entertainment, using characters familiar to all. This is the kind of TV the BBC has done so well for years. I'm surprised it's only on CBBCand not getting an early Sunday evening slot on BBC One, where shows like this used to live.

Reviewers complaining it's "woke" or "historically inaccurate" because of a colour blind cast (don't let them near The Great or Bridgerton!) are missing the point, it's not supposed to be, and I'm surprised they haven't complained that Christopher Eccleston isn't Jewish. I can agree that there wouldn't be a black mill owner in early Victorian Lancashire, but if they don't believe that there were black, Asian and mixed race people in Britain at that time, especially in the East End of London, I'm not sure what history they're referring to.