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Sometimes, networks try to do too much with a television program. They try to make a social statement or provide a historical montage. What they need to remember is that the ultimate goal is entertainment.
No network is a bigger violator of trying to do too much than ESPN. In both its original series and television movies, the overconfident bunch from Bristol often thinks it knows what's best. And is often wrong.
They kicked the ultra-watchable "Playmakers" off of the air because the NFL didn't like it. That was wrong. They picked Brian Dennehy to play Bob Knight. That was wrong. And now they have taken an interesting subject with great viewer interest and watered it down with a bunch of side stories that we don't really need.
"The Bronx is Burning," - which debuts at 9 p.m. today - has a cast that should have worked. John Turtorro is Billy Martin. He looks like him. He talks like him. He acts like...
