ALF
About ALF
Gordon Shumway was an alien from the planet Melmac. When his planet exploded, "Gordo" escaped and crash-landed in the garage of the Tanner family, who dubbed him Alf (Alien Life Form). This was the basis for the prime-time sitcom Alf, a surprise hit on NBC in the mid-80's. After one season, the network brought the furry orange star to Saturday morning in an all-new animated series.
The cartoon took place several years earlier—before Melmac’s destruction—and featured Gordon, his friends, and his family in everyday situations (everyday for Melmac, that is). Gordo's family consisted of dad Bob, mother Flo, brother Curtis, and little sister Augie. Friends Sloop and Skip made frequent appearances, as did Gordo's girlfriend Rhonda. Paul Fusco, who voiced the alien for the sitcom, also lent his throaty tenor to the cartoon.
The animated Alf won legions of new fans by spoofing what most people considered normality—shopping, school, driving, etc. The writers were free to create outrageous scenarios and let the characters react as if everything were perfectly normal; it was another planet, after all. Within this framework, many episodes ended up being a parody of any number of pop-culture icons.
In 1988 Alf was expanded to a full hour, adding a segment entitled Alf Tales. These portions of the show featured Alf and his friends in familiar fairy tales or classic movies—everything from Sleeping Beauty to Batman—all peppered with the Shumway family wit.
A year later, the show was shortened to thirty minutes, and only Alf Tales remained.
Episode guide
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Phantom Pilot
An unlikely ally helps Gordon defend Melmac when the evil Larson Petty returns to invade the planet.
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Hair Today, Bald Tomorrow
After Harry uses Gordon's hair to build his nest, Gordon finds himself heading to Madame Pokipsi's shack for a baldness cure, only to insult her and leave while cursed with a "Baldness Touc…
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Two For The Brig
Gordon and Sergeant Staff end up going to prison after mistaking their ship for a vacation cruise liner.
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Gordon Ships Out
Gordon, Rick, and Skip decide to pool their savings for a sailing yacht, but end up marooned on an island thanks to a Pit Termite that Skip names Woody.
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Birdman Of Melmac
The Shumways' pet bird Harry is dubbed a rare Melmacian species, and Harry lets fame go to his head as a result.
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Pismo And The Orbit Gyro
The Orbit Gyro needs its regular maintenance, but it results in its main operator, a robot named Pismo, having a few screws loose.
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20,000 Years In Driving School
After getting "Gooped" on the highway, Gordon Shumway has his driver's license revoked and must attend driving school to regain it.
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Pride Of The Shumways
Gordon is the star player for the Orbit Guard Bouillabaisse-ball team, but a blow to the head renders him amnesiac, putting him out of the game and his little brother Curtis in.
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Captain Bobaroo
A bump on the head has Bob Shumway thinking he is a "Captain Kangaroo"-esque TV show host.
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Neep at The Races
Featuring Gordon Shumway/Alf, Sloop, Curtis, Flo, Augie, Rhoda, Larson, Bob, Skip, Stella
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Salad Wars
Featuring Gordon Shumway/Alf, Sloop, Curtis, Flo, Augie, Rhoda, Larson, Bob, Skip, Stella
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Tough Shrimp Don't Dance
Gordon Shumway must rescue an alien shrimp race called the Muklukians from Larson Petty ? with some unlikely help from one of their own.
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Home Away from Home
Featuring Gordon Shumway/Alf, Sloop, Curtis, Flo, Augie, Rhoda, Larson, Bob, Skip, Stella
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Flodust Memories
Flo Shumway becomes the Mom of the Millennium, but is her popularity becoming more important than her family?
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Family Feud
After losing to the Shumways on a noted game show, the Fustermans declare war on their former friends, and Gordon and Rick end up caught in the crossfire.
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Clams Never Sang For My Father
The traditional Mayonnaise Lodge rite of passage has Bob Shumway and Frank Fusterman pitted against each other in the clam-wrestling contest ? but their sons want no part of it.
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A Mid-Goomer Night's Dream
The holiday of Goomer is upon Melmac, and Larson Petty is intent on getting his gift of foam ? but while trying to kidnap the real Goomer, he ends up capturing Bob Shumway in a Goomer suit.…
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The Bone Losers
Featuring Gordon Shumway/Alf, Sloop, Curtis, Flo, Augie, Rhoda, Larson, Bob, Skip, Stella
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Thank Gordon For Little Girls
Gordon invents an all-purpose object named the "Shumwidget", but Augie and her scout troupe end up with the bragging rights.
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Hooray For Mellywood
A movie crew has come to East Velcro to film the life of Gordon Shumway ? but will Gordon himself end up a huge star, or on the cutting room floor?
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The Spy from East Velcro
Featuring Gordon Shumway/Alf, Sloop, Curtis, Flo, Augie, Rhoda, Larson, Bob, Skip, Stella
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He Ain't Seafood, He's My Brother
Renegade Muklukians kidnap Curtis Shumway and return him to their planet as part of a scheme to claim the throne of Mukluk. Fescue returns to Melmac to ask Gordon for help in dethroning the…
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Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places
Gordon tries to fix Rick up with a girl named Elaine ? but a misunderstanding leads her to fall in love with Gordon.
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The Slugs Of Wrath
The Shumway Family move to an abandoned farm to try their hands at raising giant slugs for a living during a severe mayonnaise shortage.
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Housesitting For Pokipsi
After Gordon's insults about Madame Pokipsi get out of hand, he and his friends, Rick and Skip, are stuck housesitting for the Madame while she is out of town.
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Skipper's Got A Brand New Dad
Larson Petty discovers that his family has left behind a huge fortune, but it can only be turned over to the rightful heir ? Larson Petty's son. The only problem is, he has no children. Mea…
