ALF: The Animated Series
Prequel animated series about ALF's life on Melmac.
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ALF: The Animated Series, also called ALF on Melmac, is an American cartoon that ran on NBC for 13 episodes between September 26, 1987, and December 5, 1987. It is a prequel and animated offshoot of the live-action NBC sitcom ALF (1986–1990). The show follows ALF—here using his original name, Gordon Shumway—on his home planet Melmac, before its destruction and his eventual arrival on Earth.
Paul Fusco, the creator and puppeteer of the live-action ALF, was the only actor to reprise his role; no human characters from the prime-time series appear, as the story takes place on Melmac. Each episode is framed by the live-action ALF puppet in the Tanner family’s garage, introducing or commenting on the story as if he were writing his memoir Melmac Memories, reading fan mail, or describing his Melmac life.
The series is a sitcom, with humor coming from ordinary activities in an alien setting. Lead character designer Fil Barlow created the show’s visual style. Gordon/ALF later appeared as a cartoon character in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.
Plot
The plot centers on teenage Gordon Shumway, who lives in suburban East Velcro on Melmac with his parents Bob and Flo, brother Curtis, sister Augie, and their dog-like pet Neep. His friends Rick and Skip, and girlfriend Rhonda, are also members of the Melmacian Orbit Guard. Supporting characters include fortune teller Madame Pokipsi and villains Larson Petty and his sidekick Eggbert. The Shumway family also has a bird-like pet named Harry.
The voice cast includes Paul Fusco as Gordon/ALF and Rick Fusterman, Thick Wilson as Bob Shumway and Larson Petty, Peggy Mahon as Flo Shumway, Michael Fantini as Curtis Shumway, Paulina Gillis as Augie Shumway and Rhonda, Rob Cowan as Skip, and others such as Len Carlson, Marla Lukofsky, and Dan Hennessey.
Home media
On May 30, 2006, Lionsgate Home Entertainment released the first nine episodes as ALF Animated Adventures – 20,000 Years in Driving School and Other Stories and the first seven episodes of ALF Tales as ALF and The Beanstalk and Other Classic Fairy Tales on DVD in Region 1. Some episodes appear in the special features of the live-action series’ collectors edition. The complete series was remastered and released on October 17, 2023, by Shout!
Lore & Background
The series is a prequel to ALF, depicting ALF's life on his home planet of Melmac before it exploded and he came to Earth. Since the name ALF was given to him after his arrival on Earth, he is instead known by his original name, Gordon Shumway. The puppet ALF appears at the beginning and end of each episode, talking to viewers in the Tanner family's garage, either setting up the episode as if he were writing his memoir 'Melmac Memories' and commenting on it afterwards, reading fan mail, or describing what his life was like on Melmac. The visual look of the series was created by lead character designer Fil Barlow.
Gordon Shumway is a teenager living in suburban East Velcro on Melmac with his parents Bob and Flo, his brother Curtis, his younger sister Augie, and their dog Neep. He has two friends, Rick and Skip, and a girlfriend, Rhonda, who, along with him, are members of the Melmacian Orbit Guard. The show also features supporting characters such as the fortune teller Madame Pokipsi and the villainous Larson Petty and his sidekick Eggbert. The format is that of a situation comedy, with humor deriving from characters partaking in ordinary activities in an alien environment.
The Prequel Premise and Narrative Frame
The animated series reimagined ALF's origin by transporting the character back to his home planet of Melmac before its catastrophic destruction. Rather than the familiar Tanner household, the show placed the alien in a suburban neighborhood called East Velcro, where he lived under his original name, Gordon Shumway, alongside his parents Bob and Flo, siblings Curtis and Augie, and their pet creatures.
The narrative was structured as a situation comedy, drawing humor from ordinary teenage activities transplanted into an alien environment. A clever framing device bookended every episode: the live-action puppet ALF appeared in the Tanner family garage, narrating his memoir Melmac Memories to set up the story, reading fan mail, or reflecting on his Melmacian life before the animated segment concluded. This structure gave the show a personal, confessional tone while maintaining a tight episodic comedy format that distinguished it from the prime-time original.
Characters and the Melmacian World
The animated series built an entire supporting cast around Gordon Shumway. His father Bob worked at a mayonnaise factory and pursued amateur inventing, while his mother Flo anchored the household. Younger siblings Curtis and Augie rounded out the family, accompanied by two exotic pets: Neep, a dog-like creature called a vespa, and Harry, a bird-like Westfellman Smulk. Gordon's social circle included friends Rick Fusterman and Skipper Skip, along with his girlfriend Rhonda, who harbored a secret talent for piloting.
Together, the trio served in the Melmacian Orbit Guard under the command of Sergeant Staff, a superior officer with whom Gordon frequently clashed. The world also featured a Cats Up Diner run by Eddie with waitress Stella, a fortune teller named Madame Pokipsi, and a recurring antagonist in Larson Petty, an alien general plotting invasion alongside his aide Eggbert, also known as Sloop. Additional villains included Louie the Pruner, a salad dressing magnate, and his son Sonny.
Production, Broadcast, and Concurrent Programming
ALF: The Animated Series ran on NBC for two seasons, spanning from September 26, 1987, to January 7, 1989, with a total of 26 episodes. As a spinoff of the prime-time live-action ALF, which aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990, it retained only one cast member from the original: Paul Fusco, the creator and puppeteer, who voiced Gordon/ALF as well as the character Rick Fusterman. No human characters from the Tanner household crossed over, a natural consequence of the prequel's Melmac setting.
The animation was outsourced to TMS Entertainment, while lead character designer Fil Barlow shaped the show's visual identity. During the 1988–89 season, the series shared a Saturday time slot with its own spinoff, ALF Tales, which had premiered in September 1988 and ran through December 1989. Together, the two programs formed the ALF & ALF Tales Hour, giving the franchise a full hour of animated content on the network.
Legacy and Home Media Availability
The animated series left a modest but lasting footprint in ALF franchise history. Gordon/ALF later appeared as one of the cartoon characters in Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue, extending the character's animated presence beyond the original run. On the home video front, the series first saw a limited DVD release on May 30, 2006, when Lionsgate Home Entertainment put out the first nine episodes under the title ALF Animated Adventures – 20,000 Years in Driving School and Other Stories for Region 1.
A handful of episodes also appeared in the special features of the collectors' edition of the live-action sitcom. The franchise received a major archival boost on October 17, 2023, when Shout! Factory released ALF: The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition), a remastered DVD box set that bundled the full animated series alongside ALF Tales, Project: ALF, and the original 1986–90 sitcom, making the entire animated catalog accessible to modern audiences in a single package.
Reader's Guide
ALF: The Animated Series holds significance as a prequel and animated spinoff of the popular live-action sitcom ALF, expanding the franchise's universe by exploring the home planet of its iconic alien character. Paul Fusco, the creator and puppeteer of ALF in the live-action series, was the only cast member to reprise his role, voicing Gordon Shumway/ALF.
The series ran concurrently with its own spin-off, ALF Tales, during the 1988–89 season as the ALF & ALF Tales Hour. Its legacy includes being part of the broader ALF media franchise, with episodes later included in home media releases such as the 2023 DVD box set ALF: The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) by Shout! Factory. The series also contributed to the character's appearance in the special Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ALF's role in the animated series?
In this series, ALF goes by his original Melmacian name, Gordon Shumway, and lives as an ordinary resident of his home planet. Rather than being the chaotic houseguest from the live-action show, he navigates everyday life and relationships with other Melmacians before the planet's fate is sealed.
How does the story of ALF: The Animated Series end?
The series wraps up with the destruction of Melmac, the catastrophic event that forces ALF to leave his home world behind. This conclusion directly sets the stage for his arrival on Earth as seen in the original 1986–1990 sitcom.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: ALF: The Animated Series (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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