movie critics appreciated the first season of "Avatar" because it attracted the attention of "an audience beyond the children's market with crisp animation and layered storytelling." Lesley Aeschliman from Helium.com, said that she "enjoy[s] the storytelling of this series" and said that "the ending of each episode leaves you wanting to see more." Another reporter from Helium.com, Nicki Marks said: As for the video and picture quality, Gord Lacey from TVShowsOnDVD.com said that "the colors are bright, and the picture is nearly flawless." He said later in the review that "the audio is very nice, with lots of directional effects and nice musical cues." Barnes & Noble reviewer Christina Urban praised the season's masterful combination of "elements from Chinese kung fu, Tibetan philosophy, Japanese martial arts forms, and even Hindu spiritual beliefs". According to Aaron Bynum from AnimationInsider.net, "the series posted double digit year-to-year gains in May". He also said that the show has been number one in the boys 9–14-year old demographic, and has attracted many age and gender groups in its pool of 1.1 million viewers who watch each new episode.