"ALF" (1986) TV series 1986-1990

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Creators:

Paul Fusco
Tom Patchett

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | unknown

Release Date:

22 wrzesieñ 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A furry alien wiseguy comes to live with a terran family after crashing into their garage.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Cat | Family Relationships | Cult TV | Blind Woman

Awards:

3 wins & 12 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 8	6:00 PM	WGNAMER	Something's Wrong With Me	#2.8
Sun. Nov. 8	6:30 PM	WGNAMER	I'm Your Puppet	#2.23

Cast

Paul Fusco	...	ALF / ... (103 episodes, 1986-1990)
Max Wright	...	Willie Tanner (101 episodes, 1986-1990)
Anne Schedeen	...	Kate Tanner (101 episodes, 1986-1990)
Andrea Elson	...	Lynn Tanner (101 episodes, 1986-1990)
Benji Gregory	...	Brian Tanner (101 episodes, 1986-1990)

Runtime:

Argentina:30 min | Germany:25 min (100 episodes) | USA:30 min (102 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | USA:TV-G | Canada:G | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG

Company:

Alien Productions

Trivia:

The final episode ("Consider Me Gone") was, indeed, intended as a cliffhanger. At the time it was filmed, NBC was still up in the air over whether the show would be cancelled. The cliffhanger format was intended to help persuade NBC to give the show one more chance, if only to resolve the "To Be Continued" ending. Six years later, the TV movie Project: ALF (1996) (TV) finally brought closure - although the lack of the original human cast, and poor writing, cause many fans to reject Project: ALF as part of the show's canon.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the opening credits of Season 1/2, the studio lights are visible on the left hand-side in the shot of Brian.

Quotes:

[Willie and Kate are debating on whether or not they should tell Kate's mother about ALF]
Willie: I suppose we just sit her down and ask her if she's ever seen E.T.?
ALF: Why do you keep comparing me to E.T.? You know, Willie, someday, when people ask me what you're like, I'll ask them "Did you ever see 'The Nutty Professor'?"

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Tripping the Rift: Creaturepalooza (#2.11)" (2004)

Great comedy that will be missed

While the character has been turned into nothing more than some goofy icon of yesteryear, the show itself was quite unique in the fact that it combined the silliness of the Muppets and the usual kitsch of prime time sitcoms. Funny, eclectic and unusual, this show was a welcome relief from the usual sitcoms that dealt with family and what not. I'm glad this show is still being immortalized thanks to commercials, simply because it was one of those shows I had to fight with parents in order to see. Often times, good fun should take over for raunchiness and this is what made this show so spectacular. While the 80s was a bad fashion decade, sitcoms were a step above the rest after such an incredible decade as the 1970s. ALF just happened to be one of those shows.