ALF: The Animated Series (also known as ALF on Melmac) is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series and a spin-off based on the live-action sitcom ALF that aired for 26 episodes on NBC from September 26, 1987, to January 7, 1989. ALF Tales was a spin-off from the series that also ran on NBC on Saturdays from September 1988 to December 1989.
Video ALF: The Animated Series
Synopsis
This show is a prequel to the live action sitcom ALF, depicting ALF's life back on his home planet of Melmac, much resembling a 1950s/1960s small town. Since the name "ALF" was an acronym short for Alien Life Form and only given to Gordon Shumway later on Earth, "ALF" is never used in the animated series except for its title. ALF would always be referred to as "Gordon", his true name, or "Gordo" by his friends Rick and Skip. In nearly every episode a live action ALF would appear at the introduction and conclusion of the episode; reading fan mail and saying that this show is a response to a huge demand of people wanting to know what his life was like on Melmac.
Much of the humor arises from the characters taking part in surrealistic activities while treating them as ordinary and unremarkable. For example, in order to prove their manhood and win their distinguished antlers, the sons of members of the Mayonnaise Lodge (formed of men who work in the mayonnaise mines) must wrestle a clam and make it sing. Other episodes had issues somewhat similar to Earth issues, such as when Gordon's parents take part in a free vacation, while failing to realize it is a time share scam: the scam artist literally steals the Shumway residence and transplants it to the time share plots, then uses brainwashing machines to convince Flo and Bob to buy a house they already own.
Another one which was a play on the original TV series was a TV show which ALF and his family loved about "the Earthling who crash landed on Melmac" where a human was shown saying "On my homeworld we keep cats as housepets" and a Melmacian telling him "Well, here we eat them!" Gordon/ALF from this series is one of the cartoon characters featured in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.
Maps ALF: The Animated Series
Characters
- Augie Shumway - Gordon's little sister, voiced by Tabitha St. Germain (as Paulina Gillis)
- Bob Shumway - Gordon's father, voiced by Thick Wilson
- Cantfayl - the commander, voiced by Len Carlson
- Curtis Shumway - Gordon's little brother, voiced by Michael Fantini
- Eggbert Petty, voiced by Dan Hennessey
- Flo Shumway - Gordon's mother, voiced by Peggy Mahon
- Gordon Shumway/ALF - The star of the show, voiced by Paul Fusco
- Harry - Shumway family's pet bird
- Larson Petty - the villain, voiced by Thick Wilson
- Madame Pokipsi - the fortune smeller, voiced by Deborah Theaker
- Rhonda - Gordon's girlfriend, voiced by Tabitha St. Germain (as Paulina Gillis)
- Sargent Staff, voiced by Len Carlson
- Skip - Gordon's friend, voiced by Rob Cowan
- Sloop - Gordon's other friend, voiced by Dan Hennessey
- Rick Fusterman - Gordon's other friend, voiced by Paul Fusco
- Stella - the waitress, voiced by Ellen-Ray Hennessy
- Spudder - Curtis' friend
- Neep - The Shumway family's pet dog; officially called a "vespa"
Episodes
Season 1 (1987-88)
Season 2 (1988-89)
DVD release
On May 30, 2006, Lions Gate Home Entertainment released both the first nine episodes of ALF: The Animated Series as ALF Animated Adventures - 20,000 Years in Driving School and Other Stories; and the first seven episodes of ALF Tales entitled ALF and The Beanstalk and Other Classic Fairy Tales on DVD in Region 1.
Currently, the Complete Series of both shows are available for viewing on Hulu Plus.
See also
- List of animated spinoffs from prime time shows
References
External links
- ALF: The Animated Series on IMDb
- ALF: The Animated Series at TV.com
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