In the introduction to tonight's new edition of "Masterpiece Classic" at 8 p.m., host Laura Linney promises a tale of a boy in jeopardy, hampered by cruel, selfish, incompetent adults.

Has PBS recruited Harry Potter? Not quite.

The film is "Oliver Twist," the first in a series of Charles Dickens adaptations that will be followed by "Little Dorrit," "The Old Curiosity Shop" and an encore presentation of "David Copperfield," starring none other than Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe.

Despite the bespectacled star's presence, youngsters aren't likely to crowd around the TV set for that repeat, unless, of course, producers have edited in a round of Quidditch high above the London streets. That's a shame, because Dickens remains extraordinarily accessible to contemporary audiences, and I'm not just talking about the grand tradition of feasting on "A Christmas Carol" during the holiday season.

The new adaptation of "Twist," which concludes next week, reveals a class system that will be familiar to anyone following the backstabbing antics from the students on "Gossip Girl." The number of kidnappings, shootings, beatings and foot races in the course of four hours would make Jack Bauer crave a nap. Some of the tough-guy dialogue ("Your neck was made for a noose over a roasted pig") could have come out of Tony Soprano's mouth.

Dickens has never gone out of style. As USA Today pointed out last week, not one of his 20 novels has gone out of print since his death in 1870. But an argument could be made that our current economic crisis makes Dickens more relevant today than he's been since the Great Depression.

"His main themes revolved around the power of money and the ability to abuse the most needy in society," said actor Timothy Spall, who plays a particularly warped Fagin in "Twist" and has previously appeared in productions of "Our Mutual Friend" and "Nicolas Nickleby." "The other thing is, he gives the best shots to the least likely people. Some of his most intelligible characters are the least educated and some of his most noble characters are the most downtrodden."

Acclaimed writer Andrew Davies points out that his new adaptation of "Dorrit" features a distinguished man who runs an investment bank and gouges anyone who gets in his way.

"Now, I know nothing like this happens these days," joked Davies, who previously penned "Bridget Jones' Diary" and a 2005 version of Dickens' "Bleak House."

Those who count on Dickens to make a living are keenly aware of the current state of the world when approaching his work. Gary Gisselman, who will be directing "Carol" for the Guthrie this winter for the ninth straight time, said he'll often make adjustments based on the climate. He expects that the upcoming production will put more emphasis on the beggars on the streets, as well as the optimistic spirit of the Cratchit family, who celebrate the simplest of pleasures.

"I don't mind doing the show year after year, because times change and different things resonate," he said.

No matter how hard Davies and Gisselman toil to make Dickens more accessible to a younger generation, they're still facing an uphill battle. Perhaps the powers that be in America could take a cue from their counterparts in England. When "Twist" ran there last year, the BBC aired it in half-hour installments immediately after the blockbuster soap opera "The EastEnders," which would be a lot like programming it stateside in the slot after "American Idol."

"It got a massive audience, which was great," Spall said. "If you're going to play tricks on people, that's a good way of doing it."