The gruel that launched a thousand orphans — Dickens' darkest tale gets the prestige TV treatment.
Season 1 • Episode 4
LatestWhen 9-year-old orphan Oliver Twist dares to ask his cruel taskmaster, Mr. Bumble, for a second serving of gruel, he's hired out as an apprentice. Escaping that dismal fate, young Oliver falls in with the street urchin known as the Artful Dodger and his criminal mentor, Fagin. When kindly Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver in, Fagin's evil henchman Bill Sikes plots to kidnap the boy.
Acting
Julie Walters devours scenery as Mrs. Mann; Marc Warren's Monks oozes aristocratic rot.
Production
Mud-caked authenticity — you can practically smell the Thames.
David Ross
Mr. Bumble
Julie Walters
Mrs. Mann
Marc Warren
Monks
Lindsay Duncan
Elizabeth Leeford
Michael Kitchen
Mr. Brownlow
Robert Lindsay
Fagin
Andy Serkis
Bill Sikes
Emily Woof
Nancy
Sophia Myles
Agnes Fleming
Tim Dutton
Edwin Leeford
Annette Crosbie
Mrs Bedwin
Keira Knightley
Rose Fleming
Alun Armstrong
Mr. Fleming
Roger Lloyd Pack
Mr. Sowerberry
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Sam Smith beat out hundreds of child actors; this was his only major role before leaving acting entirely.
GB
