Public Disorder (2025) – Season 1 Episode 2 Recap & Review

Episode 2

Episode 2 of Public Disorder begins with DA Gianmarco Levi showing up with Special Operation officers to investigate the Susa Valley incident. Salvatore is the first member to be investigated and he doesn’t cooperate. 

Levi wants all the gear including the batons used at Susa Valley. He makes it clear that he is not targeting the unit but wants to know who injured Pietro and the comatose protestor. Every other unit’s bodycams prove that they stopped after arresting the protestors on the dirt road, way before the riverbank. However, Mazinga’s unit is the only one without a bodycam which the sergeant claims he lost during the protest.

Mazinga also finds the officers all over his locker as they search for his vest. He claims it got burnt at the protest. After the officers leave, he ensures his unit has their story straight.

Nobili arrives to see the ongoing investigation while the news reports the same. He gets ready for his first mission with Mazinga’s squad. As expected, Mazinga and Salvatore undermine his leadership. Nobili warns them that Via del Corso is a tourist area and tons of cameras will be on them. He leaves one last message for his family before storing his phone in the van.

The West Ham fans are loud and the cops are to be their bodyguards for 30 minutes before accompanying them to the stadium. The inspector wants the squad right at the back and doesn’t entertain any requests. He is also pretty sexist towards Marta.

Mazinga insists on a baton charge instantly but Nobili refuses. Soon, the drunk West Ham fans turn their celebration into a violent display of debauchery as they destroy property, burn things, attack the inspector and destroy his car.

After rescuing the inspector, unit 3 is told to stand down till they get backup but soon they are outnumbered and cornered by the fans. The unit goes against Nobili’s order and attacks. Marta is injured and Mazinga blames Nobili. Backup arrives and it turns into a full-fledged baton charge.

Back at the precinct, Mazinga and Nobili clash. Nobili is upset they went against him while Mazinga claims they will not work with someone weak like him. But the investigation has Pignarelli thinking twice as he is scared to lose his job. He claims he has a family to take care of and Nobili wonders what went down at the valley. Salvatore interrupts and drags Pignarelli away to visit Pietro.

Emma wants Nobili to pick her up but with his phone off, she gives up and goes to a club her friends force her to. Meanwhile, Marta is unable to get in touch with Agata as she waits at the hospital.

The news now berates the Roma riot units for failing to contain the West Ham fans. Of course, Mazinga takes the chance to blame Nobili. Pietro reveals he won’t get his pension till the investigation is over. But Mazinga keeps him in the dark about the riverbank attack. Pietro claims they are the cops for the people and the unit cheers. While tucking him in, he hates that he is being treated like an invalid and Mazinga looks sad.

As for the family drama, Agata is with her father. Marta leaves in the middle of the check-up to get her. Salvatore helps her as he goes to pick up Agata. Marta is riled up as Agata claims she wanted to see her father while Salvatore asks her to sign Mazinga’s complaint against Nobili. Later, we see that Salvatore is in a long-distance relationship with someone called Lena.

A while later, the squad is told to practise how to take down one violent rioter among a group of protestors. Pignarelli keeps messing up while Flores is too scared to stop the rioter who is being played by Salvatore. Salvatore uses the chance to warn Pignarelli to keep quiet about the riverbank attack.

Emma skips school and claims she is sick. Meanwhile, Nobili’s report is overlooked in favour of Mazinga’s complaint which is signed by the rest of the squad. Manna, the police chief claims the parliament wants someone held responsible. Nobili heads home and finds his wife crying at the end of Episode 2.


The Episode Review

While the previous episode focuses on the importance of discipline among riot cops, Public Disorder Episode 2 highlights the need for riot cops in the first place. Episode 1 shows how the injury of 1 cop leads to brutal retaliation with the unit hurting 10 protestors. However, immediately, the Netflix show takes viewers to the other side as we see the drunk West Ham fans destroying property, hurting people unprovoked and causing violence. 

In such a scenario, Mazinga’s initial strategy of heading in with a baton charge seems to be the obvious solution. On top of that, while in the previous episode, the higher-ups want to blame someone for attacking the protestors, this time they want a scapegoat for not attacking sooner. Both episodes draw constant parallels which points out the complexity of the issue.

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Read our Season 1 review of Public Disorder here!

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