Description

In ALF, ALF is an alien from the planet Melmac who has arrived on planet Earth, and lands in the Tanner family’s garage. On Melmac, ALF was a member of the planet’s Orbit Guard. His original name is Gordon Shumway and he was given the nickname “ALF”, by Willie Tanner in the pilot episode. ALF was born on October 28, 1756. He is troublesome, sarcastic, and cynical. ALF is generally regarded as one of the only Melmacians to survive his home planet’s cataclysm. ALF stayed at the Tanner’s house, in order to stay hidden from the government, and very rarely interacted with anyone outside of the family. In an episode from the first season, “Help Me, Rhonda”, Willie is able to contact ALF’s friend from Melmac, Skip, and Skip offers to fly by Earth to pick up ALF. ALF initially decides to go with Skip, but later changes his mind and decides he would rather stay with the Tanners instead.

Due to the series becoming popular with children, ALF didn’t drink any alcohol after the first season, because NBC thought it made him a bad role model for children. ALF is also known to try to eat cats, including the Tanner family cat, Lucky, this later stopped after an episode in which ALF tried to microwave Lucky caused a child to try and microwave their own cat. Also, the episode “Try to Remember”, depicted ALF using an electric mixer in a bathtub, and getting amnesia, which caused a child to attempt this and nearly electrocute himself. The episode was then edited for all future airings, with ALF slipping in the shower instead causing the amnesia. The episode also began with a PSA featuring ALF explaining the dangers of such actions.