Lost - The Complete Third Season (DVD, 2007, 7-Disc Set, The Unexplored Experience)

I purchased the Lost Season 3 DVD set to continue my collection. Lost in my opinion is one of the best television shows to come along in years. Its combination of drama, tragedy, humor, a hint of sci-fi and the supernatural, romance, friendship and sacrifice for others as well as a frustrating load of mysteries makes for one wild ride for any fan. You need a scorecard to keep up with the action, the interpersonal relationships, and how all the mysteries come together. The acting of course is superb. From Matthew Fox and Josh Holloway to Terry O'Quinn and Evangeline Lilly and all the other regular, semi-regular and guest stars, the onscreen talent is matchless. Some have said that Season 3 got bogged down some in mid-season with some mediocre scripts and a tendency to let the storyline drag and not give out enough new revelations or answer enough questions. But I think the plot moved along fine. By the end of the season the action got going just right with explosive revelations about the castaway's future and hints of more mysteries to come. Of course if you haven't seen Seasons 1 and 2, Season 3 will make little sense to you so you need to watch those first. I have explained Lost to friends by comparing it to the 1960's British series "The Prisoner" starring Patrick MacGoohan. Both are rather bizarre series with many unanswered questions. Beware. Lost is a thinking person's thrill ride not meant for those who just wish to sit and soak tv in. Your brain will need to work hard to take in and appreciate all the mysteries and unanswered questions. But if you can do that Lost is quite a ride. I heartily recommend it.

To be asked to write a review about this particular product is a daunting task, and yet I feel compelled to do so. This is not simply a 'product', it is the continuation of an on-going obsession for many more than just myself and my boyfriend, who I have only recently introduced to this guilty pleasure of mine. I owned the previous seasons on DVD, and as you can well imagine that once introduced to the original pilot, he was hooked as well, and was the one who clambered to purchase this product, 'LOST - The Complete Third Season.'

What can one say about the gang we've come to know and love? Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Locke, Saiid, Claire, Hurley, Jin, Sun and poor Charlie. I say 'poor Charlie' because it is in this season that we learn the tragic fate of our beloved reformed drug addict, one-hit wonder rock star from our 'new' friend Desmond. This season takes us deeper into the island and the individuals that have come before. Whether we like them or not, they are all a part of the mystique. They've made it difficult for our originals to remember Jack's mantra 'Live together, or die alone.'

In this season we're thrown deeper into the demons that face each of our friends, and those of their enemies as well. We come to understand their actions, and reactions more as we learn what haunts their past, and how they've all come to be on this island. And while we know 'how' they've all come to be on the island, we still don't know the biggest mystery...'why.' We are still in the proverbial dark as to what it all means, but we are gradually learning that each person holds a unique key that unlocks certain secrets about their connection to the island and each other. We are learning that each person is special in their own right and serves a unique purpose that has a chain reaction to the curious events on the island.

The sheer brilliance of the LOST writers is that of diabolical proportion. They've achieved the difficult task of leaving us, an audience of captivated viewers, drawn deeper into this mysterious realm of the unknown. Alas, it is the unknown that continues to hold our attention and compels us to satisfy our innate curiosity to watch time and time again. Yet to the writers credit, for us as viewers, to watch, only leaves us with more questions than answers. What is that black smoke? Exactly who is Jacob, and what is 'his' story? How did he come to be on the island, or IS he the island? Who is in the casket in the future? Did Charlie really resign himself to death, and drown, or did he turn around and realize that he could easily scramble out of that hole in the looking glass? Again, question upon question...and our task as viewers is to wait as patiently as we possibly can, like starving mice, for the writers to dish out the crumbs morsel by excruciating morsel. One step forward, two steps back. As we learn the answer to one question, it opens up the door to many more. Brilliance.

I would caution those who haven't yet experienced LOST to think twice, as it can lead to frustration and many a sleepless night, tossing and turning trying to get inside the minds of the writers. Yet, it will undoubtedly be the most gratifying obsession one will likely find on television or DVD. So while we eagerly wait in captivated frustration, in this household, this 'product' rates an unequivocal two thumbs way up!

"Lost" ended its second season with a bang... literally. The hatch violently imploded, and Kate, Sawyer and Jack were captured by the Others.

And so the third season is all about the repercussions of those events. It lags badly in the first half, but shocking predictions and new arrivals on the island add fresh twists -- and some stunning answers -- to the twisty, surreal storyline. But there's still plenty left for the remaining three seasons.

Kate and Sawyer are put to work, then locked up in gorilla cages, while Jack is similarly imprisoned inside an Other compound -- and finds that he is there to be a doctor to the sinister Ben, who is suffering from a spinal tumor. Jack finds himself suspended between two Others -- Ben and the mysterious Juliet -- and unsure what to do, or who to trust.

The tensions between the Others and castaways become worse as Kate and Sawyer escape, and she mounts a rescue to find Jack. But even when they get him (and the disgraced Juliet) back, things don't improve -- Juliet is secretly spying for Ben, Desmond has terrible visions of Charlie's demise, and the newly solo Locke forces Ben to reveal the island's greatest secret -- Jacob, a mysterious power that commands the Others like a god.

Suddenly a woman parachutes onto the island, and tells the castaways that a ship is only a few miles out to sea. As the Others fragment and turn against each other, the survivors decide to take them out once and for all, while Charlie and Desmond set off to infiltrate an underwater hatch. But there will be shocking losses on both sides, as Jack is faced with the most important decision he may ever make....

"Lost" still has plenty of unsolved, unanswered mysteries, and the first half of the season is frustratingly slow and oblique. No answers, at all. But it picks up and answers questions in the second half, including who ruined Sawyer's life, who commands the Others, and the relationship between Dharma Corporation and the Others and why they protect the island so fiercely.

The writing for the first half is pretty lax (major questions are answered with non-answers like "We watch"), but later on it tightens up considerably, with dozens of seemingly unrelated plot threads coming together in the battle with the Others. Locke's dad, Desmond's checkered past, Rousseau's daughter and Sun's pregnancy are only a few of them.

But despite all the personal drama (enough about the love triangle!), the stories are still full of gritty action (including Sayid killing a man with just his feet), and increasingly twisted flashbacks that let us see the pre-crash lives of the islanders. These had gotten kinda stale, but Desmond's timeslip makes it seem fresher, as does the revelation of how Ben became King of the Magic Island. It answers a lot of questions too.

And there's the occasional loss. Two beloved characters bite the big one in this season, and the handling of their deaths is enough to bring tears to your eyes. But there's some humor as well -- usually provided by Hurley, who revives an old van, triumphs at Ping-pong, and even gets to be the rescuing cavalry. Not to mention the wry, solid dialogue (" If it was Rousseau's, a massive rock would be flying at my head right now").

The first half of "Lost's" third season is decidedly tepid -- not terrible, but flabby. But when it tightens up again, this tense series blossoms out. Now on to Season Four...

I bought this 7-disc DVD box set, "LOST: The Complete Third Series," a few weeks ago to catch up on my favorite TV program in preparation for the start of its 4th season. This seven-disc compilation is attractively packaged, and features all 22 episodes of this ABC hit's riveting 3rd season complete with audio commentaries by the show's cast and crew, deleted scenes and bloopers. It's been the perfect way to watch my favorite program on my own terms--on my schedule and commercial free! The picture was crystal-clear and the sound quality was astounding! I recommend this box set as a must-have to both the ultimate LOST fan, as well as anyone who wants to catch up on this pop-culture phenomenon!

I did not watch Lost while it was airing so I decided to see it via DVD by the season. I think that the series probably should have ended at Season 3. This is where the Series is at its best and maybe should have ended with a dramatic rescue at sea. Also, why do they always run into bad guys? Wouldn't anyone want to help plane crash survivors? I'm glad I didn't watch Lost on TV, the waiting each week for the next episode and having to deal with numerous commercials would have turned me away from the series.