The CGI is unconvincing for the same reason the fire in "Flotter" is unconvincing; low budget. The acting isn't the greatest because Tuvok is directing. The vast alien diversity is the series' attempt to appeal to races all across the galaxy. The inclusion of T'Leah is an indicator that the Federation is still trying to keep good relations with Romulus (who they made peace with in Star Trek: Nemesis). Dr. Zimmerman was either played by the real thing, Voyager's former EMH, or another hologram. And Voyager's Doctor is pleased to see a positive portrayal of a hologram in a holo-series, in Fixer. The feminist themes seem obvious and uncesseary to humans, but given how sexist many other species in the Federation are, the makers of this holo-series had all the reason to feel the need to include them. And there is definitely some social commentary with the likable Cardassian character suffering prejudice from the bigoted Bajoran. The main villains, to avoid offending anyone, are a fictitious species. The reason the Maquis haven't been mentioned in this series about "Renegades?" Too soon. Even though it's been a decade or more since the war, there are still enough people alive who remember it to make the Maquis a hot-button topic that's best avoided in an adventure series.
Some of the actors for this holo-series helped write their own characters. Icheb wrote himself as a badass cyborg because he was sick of his boring nice-boy image, and wanted to do something different. Writing himself as a guy who was lured and forced to become a weapon is also inspired by his real-life relationship with his parents (poor guy). Admiral Chekov's great-granddaughter plays herself in the holo-seires, with her great-granddad and her improvising some of their heart-to-hearts. Admiral Paris wrote his own Heroic Sacrifice, because he felt guilty about his troubled relationship with his son, and fantasized about some kind of heroic redemption for something. Ronara is an example of the Disability Superpower cliche, meant to provide a positive character for Betazoids born with limited mental abilities; unfortunately, some Betazoids find it offensive that Ronara needs a fantasy super-power to "make up" for her disability. Ronara's character was created by Tom Paris, in memory of both Stadi, the sassy Betazoid helmswoman, and Lon Suder, the Betazoid renegade who lacked telepathy.
Is Tuvok really a member of Section 31? Well, given how many times he said his security code on Voyager aloud enough for the audience to memorize it, is it a far stretch that Tuvok would also include his career with Section 31 in a holonovel he was writing? No, not really. This was the straw that broke the camel's back for Starfleet, and they ordered Tuvok and his entire production to remove all references to Starfleet, and real-life species and organizations, other than humans, making the entire series set in a fantasy universe. Starfleet also wasn't crazy about the idea of being portrayed as having to seek help from outlaws, regardless of whether such a thing really happened or not. Naturally Tuvok and Tom were deliberately making a commentary in that sense, based on the Starfleet/Maquis integration on Voyager.
