Mr. Friendly: “Because ever since the sky turned purple…”

The third and most intriguing season of Lost will definitely go down in fan boy history as the tale of two seasons (the first mediocre six episodes originally aired in the fall of 2006 and the final awe-inspiring sixteen episodes began their run in February of 2007). But for any fans who jumped ship mid-Oceanic 815 flight, now is the perfect time to catch up with one of the best shows on television.

More so (all mind-bending Dharma experiments aside), now that the entire third season of Lost is packaged in a beautiful seven-disc DVD collection (loaded with a plush jungle of extras to satisfy even the most diehard enthusiasts), you can judge for yourself whether the third season of Lost was good, bad or like “the Others” …just misunderstood.

Make no mistake about it, this season was all about “the Others” and their relationship to the mysterious island, The Dharma Initiative, and (last but not least) our beloved sun-soaked castaways. So, attention passengers, please be prepared to strap yourselves in for some mind-blowing episodes that shake the very space-time continuum of the Lost mythology. And, thankfully, this DVD has arrived just in time for you to relive all the excitement before the season four premiere of Lost (which debuts January 31, 2008 on ABC).

Terry O’Quinn won an Emmy for his role as John Locke this season, portraying the once-paralyzed (both mentally and physically) account executive of a box company, but it was truly Ben (Michael Emerson) and Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) who stole the show in season three - along with the eerie, Other-world, presence of that spooky cat in the shack, Jacob.

But, like the perceived timeline of Lost itself, that’s neither here nor there. The show rejuvenated itself creatively in season three despite a few cosmic speed bumps (Nikki and Paulo, anyone?) along the proverbial way. Some characters were eliminated (whether it was the result of contract negotiations gone bad, adverse reaction from the show’s fan base, or just happening upon an angry Smoke Monster out in the woods), but once Lost 3.0 truly got rolling along toward its dazzling destination, it was truly a thrill ride all the way to its jaw-dropping, season finale, conclusion.

Whatever the case, the third season of Lost had many magnificent moments and here are a few of the best episodes:

1. “Not In Portland” - The "comeback" episode that was solely responsible for recapturing the magic of Lost (a strangely satisfying, action-packed space opera blending the best worlds of Star Wars, Stephen King, and Raiders of The Lost Ark) that showcased the "devious" Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell, you were robbed of an Emmy nomination, darling) and featured a flashback of her chilling “corporate recruitment” into the shadowy underworld of the Others.