Early CGI TV Animation That Aged Like a Wig Made of Chow Mein
Look, I get it—early CGI animation was groundbreaking at the time. It was the Wild West of computer graphics, where studios were just throwing pixels at the screen and hoping for the best. Some of it paved the way for modern animation. Some of it looked like an unfinished PlayStation 1 cutscene and should be studied only as a warning.
And now, we’re dragging those crusty, low-poly abominations back into the spotlight to appreciate their historical importance while also roasting them like a floppy, half-rendered Thanksgiving turkey.
Because let’s be honest: most early CGI TV animation aged worse than milk left in the sun.
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10. ReBoot (1994) – AKA “When Your Whole Show Runs at 12 FPS”
The Legacy: ReBoot was the first fully CGI TV show, which means it deserves respect. It introduced kids to cyberpunk concepts, had surprisingly deep lore, and even managed to make computers look cool.
The Roast: This show moves like it was animated by a broken fax machine.
• The characters? Look like plastic action figures that were left in a hot car.
• The facial expressions? Locked at a solid two emotions: “blank stare” and “mild concern.”
• The backgrounds? All the charm of an empty Windows 95 screensaver.
Despite the jank, ReBoot somehow still holds up as a fun, weird, cyber-dystopian fever dream.
Self-Deprecation: I once tried to explain ReBoot to someone younger than me. They thought I was making it up.
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9. Beast Wars: Transformers (1996) – AKA “Transformers, but Everybody Looks Like a Shiny Ham”
The Legacy: This show saved Transformers. No, really—it revived the franchise when it was on life support. The writing? Surprisingly solid. The characters? Well-developed. The action? Pretty epic for the time.
The Roast: The animation? DEAR LORD, THE ANIMATION.
• The textures? Every character looks like a greasy rotisserie chicken.
• The lip-sync? Like a bad kung-fu dub.
• The transformation sequences? Somehow both amazing and horrifying.
Beast Wars is a prime example of a show that had no business being as good as it was, considering it looked like a half-rendered PS1 game.
Self-Deprecation: I once rewatched an episode thinking it would hold up. I was wrong.
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8. Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2002) – AKA “Unrendered Nightmare Fuel With a Giant Brain”
The Legacy: This show had some of the wildest science fiction ideas ever shoved into a kids’ cartoon. It was creative, weirdly funny, and somehow managed to make an entire generation obsessed with yelling “Brain Blast!”
The Roast: Unfortunately, it also looked like a plastic toy commercial come to life.
• Jimmy’s hair? A cursed, solid mass that refuses to move.
• The lighting? Everyone looks like they’re made of Play-Doh under a fluorescent office light.
• The walk cycles? Like the characters were animated by a sleep-deprived intern pressing random buttons.
But hey, at least the writing was funny.
Self-Deprecation: I once tried to make my hair do the Jimmy Neutron swoop. It did not work.
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7. Donkey Kong Country (1997) – AKA “The Banana-Flavored Horror Show”
The Legacy: This show was based on one of the best video games of all time. It had musical numbers, it had Donkey Kong’s weirdly deep voice, and it… existed.
The Roast: I cannot stress enough how bad this looked.
• The characters move like they have severe arthritis.
• Every expression is either “confused” or “possessed by demons.”
• The lip-sync? Did they even try?
And for some reason, they made it a musical. Donkey Kong randomly bursts into song about completely unrelated things, and it never stops being unsettling.
Self-Deprecation: I rewatched an episode recently. I did not make it past the first song.
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6. Max Steel (2000) – AKA “Action Figures Should NOT Be This Ugly”
The Legacy: This was supposed to be a high-tech, action-packed adventure. It was meant to be the next big thing for kids who loved gadgets and spy stuff.
The Roast: Instead, it looked like every character was a rejected Sim from The Sims 1.
• The skin textures? Like wax mannequins melting in real time.
• The hair? Why is it so stiff? Who gelled it with cement?
• The action? So slow and awkward it looks like someone forgot to render the final frames.
At least it had some cool concepts. But dear God, looking at it now is painful.
Self-Deprecation: I once thought this show was “cutting-edge.” I now realize I was deeply mistaken.
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5. Zoboomafoo (1999) – AKA “The Lemur That Turned Into a CGI Nightmare”
The Legacy: The Kratt brothers? Awesome. Their real-life lemur, Zoboomafoo? Adorable. The moment he turned CGI? Instant nightmare fuel.
The Roast:
• Why did he move like a cursed marionette?
• Why did his eyes have NO SOUL?
• Why did his mouth move like his jaw was about to detach?
We all loved this show, but let’s be honest—CGI Zoboomafoo should’ve never happened.
Self-Deprecation: I once had a dream where CGI Zoboomafoo chased me. I woke up sweating.
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4. VeggieTales (1993) – AKA “Floating Vegetables and Deep Existential Dread”
The Legacy: This show was the first CGI animated Christian series, and honestly? The writing was hilarious. The songs? Catchy as hell (ironically).
The Roast: But let’s be real—early VeggieTales looked like an N64 cutscene from a game that never got released.
• The lighting? Why does it feel like they’re trapped in a void?
• The textures? Like they’re made of greasy plastic.
• The movement? Who needs arms when you can just awkwardly bounce?
It improved over time, but the first few seasons? Pure cursed content.
Self-Deprecation: I still know every word to “The Hairbrush Song.” No regrets.
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3-1: The True Hall of Shame
3. Butt-Ugly Martians (2001) – AKA “The Title Says It All”
Everything about this show looked unfinished. It was like they animated it in Microsoft Excel.
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2. Miraculous Ladybug’s First Pilot (2012) – AKA “What Even Is This?”
If you’ve ever seen the fully CGI test pilot, you know it looked like a Roblox cutscene.
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1. Rolie Polie Olie (1998) – AKA “Why Do These Characters Look Like Inflated Pool Toys?”
This show was cute for kids, but if you watch it now? It’s like a fever dream where everything is made of rubber.
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Final Thoughts: CGI Used to Be a Horror Show
Some early CGI TV shows paved the way for greatness. Others? Aged like expired yogurt.
Now, fight me in the comments. What early CGI shows did I forget? Which one deserves the most roasting? And if you love animation rants and bad decisions, check out my YouTube channel for more chaos.
