Few were surprised when “The 9/11 Commission Report” (W.W. Norton, 2004) became a best-seller. But unlike other government-issued tomes, “Report” was engaging, well-written and unfolded like an espionage thriller. Now it has inspired a miniseries, “The Path to 9/11” (7 p.m. Sunday, ABC, concludes Monday).

The six-hour “Path” traces events from the time of the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993, and efforts by authorities in New York City and Washington to connect the dots and follow the bad guys. Along the way, they discover what will become known as al-Qaida and slowly draw the conclusion that its leadership has declared war on the United States.

Like the book, “Path” presents many frustrating tales of might-have-beens, of visionaries stifled by bureaucracy and of various and feuding agencies looking at the same problem and seeing very different things.

“Path” presents this complicated story in a compelling cinematic fashion. The use of hand-held cameras brings an exciting, documentary feel to the film. That’s a problem to some, who have complained that “Path” takes dramatic license with the truth.

So be advised. “Path” is not history. In many ways it’s an old-fashioned miniseries. It may be based on real events, but it has a “Winds of War” feel to it, with recognizable public figures portrayed by familiar stars. The cast of more than 200 speaking parts includes Harvey Keitel as FBI agent John O’Neill, an early advocate for doing everything possible to stop Osama bin Laden. O’Neill follows terrorists with the single-minded intensity Keitel brought to his role as The Wolf in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.”

Donnie Wahlberg stars as an undercover CIA agent who, in the film, at least, has several near misses with bin Laden. Stephen Root (“King of the Hill”) plays antiterrorism adviser Richard Clarke. The real Clarke (not Root) has emerged as one of the critics of “Path,” stating in news reports that many of the scenes involving Wahlberg’s character are complete fabrications.

Like any miniseries worth its salt, “Path” is defined not just by the major players but also by the “who was that?” appearances. Look for Patricia Heaton (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) as the brash and impatient ambassador to Yemen. In an odd casting touch, Penny Johnson Jerald (the scheming first lady from “24”) plays Condoleeza Rice, who in the film dismisses Clarke’s concerns with al-Qaida.

In a week crowded with commemorative programming, this is the one you can’t miss.

Today’s highlights

¢ Tennis action from the U.S. Open (7 p.m., CBS).

¢ Texas hosts Ohio State on “Saturday Night Football” (7 p.m., ABC).

¢ Terror survivors share their stories on “Trapped in the Towers: The Elevators of 9/11” (7 p.m., A&E).

Sunday’s highlights

¢ Scheduled on “60 Minutes” (6 p.m., CBS): children who lost a parent on 9/11.

¢ Robert DeNiro hosts the 2002 documentary “9/11” (7 p.m., CBS), created by filmmakers Gedeon and Jules Naudet who happened to be following a fire company on 9/11.

¢ The New York Giants host the Indianapolis Colts (7:15 p.m., NBC).