Season 1
The Bronx Is Burning is an American sports drama television mini-series adapted from Jonathan Mahler's best-selling book "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning".
The book focuses on baseball's triumph over the turmoil and hysteria of 1977 New York City, and how the New York Yankees came to embody all of the hopes and fears of an unforgettable summer with Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson's warfare under George Steinbrenner's leadership.
The series aired in the USA on ESPN from July 9, 2007 to August 28, 2007. There are eight hour-long episodes in the series.
The Bronx Is Burning originally aired in South Africa on DStv's actionX (now known as M-Net Action) channel from 6 November to 25 December, 2007, on Tuesdays at 20h00. It later aired on M-Net. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Synopsis
The central theme of the adaptation is the 1977 New York Yankees against the backdrop of New York City.
Yankee superstar Reggie Jackson and manager Billy Martin are locked in a perpetual state of warfare. Jackson was a perfect foil for the scrappy Martin, the hero of New York's fed-up working-class and a powerful reminder of the team's — and the city's — less complicated past.
While owner George Steinbrenner was providing General Patton-style leadership, he was intent on keeping his promise to the people of New York of delivering a World Series title.
The show also features subplots concerning the NYPD's pursuit of the Son of Sam serial killer that summer and the devastating blackout and resultant widespread looting in July, all while the city suffered through financial bankruptcy and massive municipal layoffs.
The title refers to an off-the-cuff comment by broadcaster Howard Cosell during the ABC telecast of Game Two of the 1977 World Series.
As night descended, ABC, broadcasting the game, cut to a helicopter camera for an overhead view of Yankee Stadium and the surrounding neighbourhood, where, bizarrely, a large fire raged out of control.
Howard Cosell intoned, "There it is, ladies and gentlemen, the Bronx is burning."
Seasons
There are eight episodes in one season
Season 1
Channel: actionX | Premiere: 6 Nov 2007 | Finale: 25 Dec 2007 | Tuesdays, 20h00
Channel: M-Net | Premiere: 7 Dec 2007 | Finale: 25 Jan 2008 | Fridays, 16h00