# ALF (1986)

> A wisecracking furry alien crash-lands into the garage of the Tanner family and becomes an unruly houseguest.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/4434

## Facts

- Seasons: 4
- Episodes: 101
- Episode runtime: 23 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, family, science fiction
- Created by: Paul Fusco, Tom Patchett
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Max Wright, Anne Schedeen, Andrea Elson, Benji Gregory, Mihaly 'Michu' Meszaros, Marcia Wallace, Dorothy Lyman, Joseph Maher
- TMDB rating: 7.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090390/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: breezy, cheeky, comforting, wholesome, sardonic

## What critics say

Audiences broadly regard ALF as a warm, fun family sitcom powered by its wisecracking alien title character.

## Synopsis

ALF (1986-1990) is a US family sitcom created by Paul Fusco and Tom Patchett for NBC, running four seasons and 101 half-hour episodes. Suburban father Willie Tanner (Max Wright) and his wife Kate (Anne Schedeen) are thrown into chaos when a furry, wisecracking alien named Alf, played by Michu Meszaros, crash-lands into their garage and moves into their home. The engine of each episode is simple: Alf's cynical appetite for junk food, schemes and mischief collides with the everyday worries of the Tanner household, while daughter Lynn (Andrea Elson) and son Brian (Benji Gregory) navigate school, friends and growing up. Each installment is self-contained, so it works as an easy comedy to dip into any time. The tone is breezy, cheeky and warmly domestic, with sardonic one-liners undercutting wholesome family moments. Fans of The Munsters, Mork and Mindy and Mr. Ed will find a similar blend of suburban sitcom comfort and an outsider disrupting ordinary life.

## Shows like ALF

- [Family Ties (1982)](https://ember.film/tv/466)
- [Mork & Mindy (1978)](https://ember.film/tv/2425)
- [Full House (1987)](https://ember.film/tv/4098)
- [Small Wonder (1985)](https://ember.film/tv/2756)
- [My Parents Are Aliens (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/13619)
- [The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)](https://ember.film/tv/1785)
- [3rd Rock from the Sun (1996)](https://ember.film/tv/141)
- [Charles in Charge (1984)](https://ember.film/tv/535)
- [The Cosby Show (1984)](https://ember.film/tv/1657)
- [Nanny and the Professor (1970)](https://ember.film/tv/9063)

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