ALF: The Animated Series
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ALF: The Animated Series (also known as Alf on Melmac) was a spinoff animated cartoon based on the live-action series ALF. It premiered on September 26, 1987 and ran for 26 episodes. The show was a prequel, depicting Alf's life back on his home planet of Melmac. 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 to it is a time share scam. Although 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 in the first place. 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.
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[edit] Characters
- Augie Shumway—Gordon's little sister, voiced by 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
- Larson Petty—the villain, voiced by Thick Wilson
- Madame Poughkeepsie—the fortune teller
- Rhonda—Gordon's girlfriend, voiced by Paulina Gillis
- Sargent Staff, voiced by Len Carlson
- Skip—Gordon's friend, voiced by Rob Cowan
- Rick Fusterman—Gordon's other friend, voiced by Paul Fusco
- Stella—the waitress, voiced by Ellen-Ray Hennessy
- Spudder—Curtis' friend
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Season 1 (1987-1988)
- Phantom Pilot
- Hair Today, Bald Tomorrow
- Two for the Brig
- Gordon Ships Out
- Birdman of Melmac
- Pismo and the Orbit Gyro
- 20,000 Years in Driving School
- Pride of the Shumways
- Captain Bobaroo
- Neep at the Races
- Salad Wars
- Tough Shrimp Don't Dance
- Home Away from Home
[edit] Season 2 (1988-1989)
- Flodust Memories
- Family Feud
- Clams Never Sang for My Father
- A Mid-Goomer Night's Dream
- The Bone Losers
- Thank Gordon for Little Girls
- Hooray for Mellywood
- The Spy from East Velcro
- He Ain't Seafood, He's My Brother
- Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places
- The Slugs of Wrath
- Housesitting for Pokipsi
- Skipper's Got a Brand New Dad
[edit] DVD release
Lions Gate Home Entertainment released the first nine episodes of the series on DVD in Region 1 on May 30, 2006 as ALF Animated Adventures - 20,000 Years in Driving School and Other Stories.
