Just a heads-up: Lost: The Complete First Season may be hazardous to your GPA.

No, seriously. With seven discs of mind-bending mythology (replete with enough extras to fill a small cryptic hatch), it’s hard to stop watching after just one episode. Or two. Or 12.

Lost follows a group of plane crash survivors marooned on a (presumably) uncharted tropical island. Mystery, intrigue and polar bears abound as the castaways learn more about their new digs – and one another.

And in The Complete First Season you can watch it all unfold behind the scenes. “The Genesis of Lost,” one of several quality featurettes, provides a thorough analysis of the series’ creation. Alas, executive producers J.J. Abrams, Damen Lindelof and Bryan Burk remain decidedly vague about the series’ overall design.

In “Welcome to Oahu: The Making of the Pilot,” another extra, Abrams and Lindelof comment on the series’ first shoot. They admit to using basic techniques, such as shaking the camera to simulate motion, to stay under budget.

Though the $50 pricetag might be a bit steep, it’s easy to get Lost in such a well-stocked compilation – especially before midterms.

– Dan Macsai