Here’s a miniseries for any Red Sox fans, since it focuses on the New York Yankees in turmoil.

At least for a while.

Adopted from Jonathan Mahler’s best-seller, “The Bronx is Burning” is set in 1977. The Yankees had been swept by the Cincinnati Reds in the previous season’s World Series. So intrusive owner George Steinbrenner (played by a flamboyant Oliver Platt), with his win-at-all-costs attitude, forces free agent acquisition Reggie Jackson (Daniel Sunjata, “Rescue Me”) down the throat of fiery manager Billy Martin (John Turturro). It’s not a match made in heaven.

The eight-part miniseries (the rest of which airs at 10 p.m. Tuesdays starting July 17) is set in a decaying New York City at a time of chaos. The city is being terrorized by serial killer Son of Sam. Ed Koch, Mario Cuomo and Bella Abzug are also seeking to force out incumbent mayor Abe Beame. A scorching summer heat wave has led to a citywide blackout.

The Yankees are likewise imploding. The self-assured Jackson alienates his teammates after anointing himself the team’s star, which is news to captain and league MVP Thurman Munson (Eric Jensen), who becomes his most bitter rival. Steinbrenner makes numerous threats to fire the alcoholic Martin, the lifetime Yankee, from the only job he ever wanted. The players line up behind Martin against Steinbrenner and his star Jackson.

Eventually, the team does come together, to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, and in doing so, they lift up the discouraged city as well.

Platt, Turturro and Sunjata do such a good job playing the three embattled leads that the viewer soon feels like he or she is watching a documentary. It’s fun to watch such past Yankees players as Yogi Berra, Lou Piniella, Graig Nettles and Mickey Rivers brought to life. Also hidden in the cast are current Yankees pariah Jason Giambi, past Yankees beat writers Phil Pepe, Maury Allen and Steve Jacobson, and Jeffrey Maier, who made his name by deflecting a ball in play during Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS between the Yankees and Orioles.

“The Bronx is Burning” superbly captures a moment in time, and shows that baseball, even 30 years ago, wasn’t the simple, bucolic game fans rosily remember.