The Straw That Stirs The Drink

As promised, albeit a day late because of that damn home run derby, are my thoughts on "The Bronx is Burning," the eight-part series on ESPN looking at the summer of 77 in our favorite boil on the world's buttocks--NYC!!!

I would have filed this Monday night or Tuesday morning but since ESPN would not interrupt the stupendously dull home run derby to start BIB (Bronx is Burning) on time, I was forced to tape it and watch it last night.

Anyway, the Yankee stuff is great. Turturro captures Billy Martin although did he really need those oversized ears? The voice, the boozing, the walk, the anger that coursed through that man's veins is alive again through Turturro. Watching his performance and looking back now on 30 years of my own experience allows me to view Martin a little differently then I did as a teen. He was an angry, bitter, selfish drunk. Also a great manager but ultimately his demons did him in.

Daniel Sunjata captures the spirit of Reggie but the physical resemblance isn't really there. He could be a little beefier. But the attitude and ego is there. Also good is the guy playing Munson.

Problem is that while the Yankee stuff is great, the Son of Sam story and the mayoral race and the decline of the city seems forced, or at least it did in episode one. It worked in the book but trying to incorporate all this into a television mini-series is much harder. Now maybe it will mesh better in later episodes but I doubt it. Too bad. There was enough on the Yankees to just use that for the whole series instead of dragging in everything else although it is a kick to look at old video of Abe Beame. Also can't wait for the black out.

I'm not a critic (obviously) so these are just first impressions from watching one episode. It was entertaining and took me back and that's all I needed.