10 Worst CGI Moments In Star Trek

4. Star Trek Voyager - Basics

Star Trek Voyager Basics
CBS

Suffering many of the same issues that the other Voyager entries on this list faced, the Hanonian Land Eel was meant to be a terrifying creature of dread. It had the honour of being the first entirely CGI creature created for Star Trek Voyager and while it was ambitious, it is a victim of that ambition.

The first shot of the Eel, shown in this image, has it wrapped up and waiting. It looks like a matte painting. Until it moves. Another example of the CGI clashing horribly with the real actors in the scene, it is an example of hope being dampened by reality, which probably sounds extremely cruel!

Something positive to be said about this though was that it was the initial attempts like this that pushed the CGI artists further, allowing for a greater display of imagery in later seasons.

This would be the precursor to other non-humanoid creatures like the Macrovirus and Species 8472 and without this rubbery old Eel, Star Trek may not have had the bravery to push forward into the CGI achievements it would later display.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"