Alias - Complete Season 3 [DVD]

This third outing is fast paced & exciting and whilst it may not have the impact of the cliffhangers of season one and two; its still going to make your jaw drop multiple times per episode as you learn slowly but surely whos doing what and why. Fans of the romantic/drama elements of the previous seasons will be in their element here, as Sydney/Vaughn/Lauren's sordid love triangle takes center stage; and not all is well in the backchannels of the CIA as some old enemies begin to appear.

Possible Spoiler Warning.
When Sydney Bristow ended season 2; she had woken up in a Hong Kong street with no recollection of where she was; what happened to her - and the scariest part is that 2 years had ellapsed since her showdown with Allison at her apartment where no one could have possibly lived. When Sydney found her way back into the familiar arms of love Michael Vaughn, she was shocked to find a wedding ring on his finger.....Since shes been gone; a lot had changed in the world of the CIA, and the world of her friends and family. With Bristow presumed dead; everyone tried to move on with their lives; and some people moved on better than others. A few new characters join some familiar faces in this bendy, twisty saga which puts more emphasis on drama than the previous seasons.

An addition to the cast is Melissa George as supposed NSA officer Lauren Reid. Thing is, shes married to Michael Vaughn - the man Sydney fell in love with. But can Lauren really be trusted? Whats she up to on her lengthy breaks away and why is she so vicious towards Sydney?

For many UK fans - desperation drives them to the lengthy wait for DVD. UK networks cant decide if they want to show Alias or not - with the only shining light being Bravo who have consistently shown Alias in the same timeslot for season 3 and 4. But for some; the long wait can be extended to watch high quality; uninterputed episodes of Sydney and co. ALIAS, rather unsurprisingly, is one of the most downloaded shows on television. But id strongly reccomend either watching it on tv or checking out these amazingly presented, feature packed DVD box sets.

It's easy to say in retrospect; whilst watching the explosively exciting Season 4, that Season 3 was the shows weak point. But last night i caught an episode of season 3 once again - and it was utterly fantastic. Don't underestimate the power of Alias - this is a season that, love or hate, you can't miss.

Syd quickly begins to get back on her feet, going back to work for the CIA under her former partner Dixon. But her search for the two years missing from her memory takes her to some pretty strange places. Most shocking of all is the fact that she killed someone in cold blood. It's beginning to look more and more like some group called The Covenant is involved. What could this all mean? And can she successfully work with Vaughn and his pretty new wife Lauren?

I have watched this show faithfully since day 1, becoming a die hard fan about episode three. I faithfully tuned in for this season and spent as much time as always speculating on what each line of dialog and plot twist meant. But it wasn't as entertaining as the first two seasons. The twists felt forced, and the emphasis on Rimbaldi near the end overwhelmed me. That's one storyline I'd love for them to completely leave behind.

This six disc set is up to the previous set's high standards even if the show isn't. All 22 episodes are shown in wide screen and full surround sound. There's a fan commentary, which is fun if not informative, and two commentaries with cast and crew. Disc six contains an animated episode from Syd's missing two years (forgettable), and the usually behind the scenes stuff. This is actually very interesting and I watched it all intently. Also included are a handful of deleted scenes and the outtake real for the season.

While the show stumbled in season 3, it has regained its footing in season 4. Fans will be glad they have this to complete their set. Those catching up will need to see it as well to understand the current episodes.