moonwillow

'Escape of the Artful Dodger' was exceptional in terms of Australian television for children - well written, with likable characters and interesting story lines. Not many people know, but it is a huge hit in Germany and has not been off air there since 2002. I'm sure that one reason would be the acting, which was consistently good - Henri Szeps, who played the doctor, is considered to be one of Australia's finest actors. Some of the child actors might have been a bit shaky in the first few episodes, but by episode four they had well and truly settled in, and were doing themselves proud; so much so that the series was nominated for 'Best Children's TV Drama' in the 2002 Australian Film Institute Awards. All-in-all it was wholesome, first-rate entertainment. I watched the whole series with my children, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.