Originally titled Acab: La serie, Public Disorder is a new Italian thriller drama series released globally on Netflix, with a runtime of almost 6 hours, spread over six episodes. The work is an adaptation of Carlo Bonini’s novel, titled “Acab: All Cops Are Bastards,” which had also been made into a film back in 2012. The plot is centered around a specific squad of the Mobile Police Unit in Rome, which gets embroiled in controversy after a night of horrific clashes between the law and protestors, all while the police personnel also have to deal with their own personal struggles. While Public Disorder makes for a decent watch overall, its exact message, or stance with regards to police brutality, arguably remains a bit unclear.

Public Disorder begins on a night of immense tension, as one squad of the Mobile Police Unit in Rome awaits orders regarding a protest site in the...