Alf
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Alf
 | |
|---|---|
| Episodes: | 102 |
| Year: | 1986 |
| Country: | United States |
| Seasons: | 4 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 26, (2) 25, (3) 25, (4) 23 |
| Category: | Comedy |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | ALIEN PRODUCTIONS INC. |
| Creator: | PAUL FUSCO |
| Run Time (mins): | 30 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | |
Summary
The series ALF centres on the Tanner family, a conventional suburban household in California composed of the father, Willie Tanner, a social worker; his wife, Kate; their teenage daughter, Lynn; and their younger son, Brian. Their routine existence is disrupted when an extraterrestrial being crash‑lands his spacecraft in their garage. Although the alien identifies himself as Gordon Shumway, the family refers to him by the acronym ALF (“Alien Life Form”).
ALF is depicted as a small, fur‑covered extraterrestrial, approximately one metre in height, characterised by orange hair, a prominent snout, a voracious appetite—particularly for cats—and a propensity for causing accidental damage. Despite the obvious risks, the Tanners elect to conceal his presence rather than surrender him to governmental authorities, thereby integrating him into their household. This decision generates ongoing complications, especially during visits from neighbours, most notably the intrusive Ochmonek family, during which ALF must remain hidden.
When not in seclusion, ALF spends considerable time watching television, through which he acquires an understanding of human customs and social norms. Many early episodes focus on his attempts to interpret and adapt to terrestrial culture. No serious effort is made by ALF to repair his spacecraft, as his home planet, Melmac, was destroyed in a nuclear conflict while he was in space. This background informs his pronounced anti‑nuclear views, which on several occasions inadvertently place Willie in difficult situations.
Cast
Wille Tanner MAX WRIGHT, Kate Tanner ANNE SCHEDEEN, Lynn Tanner ANDREA ELSON, Brain Tanner BENJI GREGORY, Alf HIMSELF! PAUL FUSCO (voice) , Tervor Ochmonek JOHN LA MOTTA, Raquel Ochmonek LIZ SHERIDON, Jake Ochmonek JOSH BLACK (2,3), Neal Tanner J.M.J. BULLOCH (4).
Image Sources: [1]