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ALF Tales
ALF Tales
ALF Tales
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ALF Tales
Created by
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes21
Production
Running time30 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 10, 1988 (1988-09-10) –
December 9, 1989 (1989-12-09)

ALF Tales is a 30-minute Saturday morning animated series that aired on NBC from September 10, 1988, to December 9, 1989.[1] The show is a spin-off of ALF: The Animated Series that featured characters from that series playing various characters from fairy tales.[2] The fairy tale parody was usually altered for comedic effect in a manner akin to Jay Ward's "Fractured Fairy Tales".[3]

Plot

[edit]

The episodes were performed in the style of a resident theater company or ensemble cast where Gordon "ALF" Shumway and Rhonda would take the leading male and female roles, Larson Petty and Sloop take on villain roles, and the other characters were cast according to their characteristics.

Many stories spoof a film genre, such as the "Cinderella" episode which is presented like an Elvis Presley film. Some episodes featured a "fourth wall" effect where Gordon is backstage preparing for the episode and Rob Cowan would appear drawn as a TV executive (who introduced himself as "Roger Cowan, network executive") who tries to brief Gordon on how to improve the episode. For instance, Cowan once told Gordon who was readying for a medieval themed episode that "less than 2% of our audience lives in the Dark Ages".

Episodes

[edit]

Season 1 (1988–89)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleWritten byOriginal release date
11"Robin Hood"David Steven Cohen & Roger S.H. SchulmanSeptember 10, 1988 (1988-09-10)
Gordon portrays Robin Hood, leading a jazz band called "Ye Merry Men." They oppose the Sheriff of Nottingham and Prince John's unjust taxes and raids on peasants. Robin Hood's group sneaks into Nottingham Castle to rescue Maid Marian, using their jazz music to disarm the guards, who are unexpectedly sympathetic. When King Richard returns from his book-signing tour, he punishes Prince John and the Sheriff by making them watch the Home Shopping Network for ten years.
22"Sleeping Beauty"David Steven Cohen & Roger S.H. SchulmanSeptember 17, 1988 (1988-09-17)
Gordon takes on the role of Sleeping Beauty. A witch, angered by Flo and Bob, curses their newborn with a fatal papercut. Three wizards, Rick, Skip, and Curtis, arrive to bless the baby. One wizard counters the curse with a sleeping spell. King Bob responds by outlawing paper in his kingdom and promotes television over reading. Sixteen years later, a bored teenage prince reads a smuggled newspaper and gets a paper cut. Rhonda portrays a princess who must defeat the witch with the help of the three wizards.
33"Cinderella"David Steven Cohen & Roger S.H. SchulmanSeptember 24, 1988 (1988-09-24)
Based in 1962, "Gordo Shumway" portrays a rock star akin to Elvis Presley in search of love. Cinderella's stepfamily obtains tickets to his concert, where he plans to choose a bride. Feeling disheartened, Cinderella receives a wish from her fairy godmother "which he can't refuse." At the concert, Gordo performs his hit song, and Cinderella impresses him with a spontaneous duet, culminating in a high note that breaks all the glass in the auditorium. Determined to find the woman who can shatter a glass slipper, Gordo searches until he discovers Cinderella.
44"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"David Steven Cohen & Roger S.H. SchulmanOctober 1, 1988 (1988-10-01)
Gordon plays Ichabod Crane, a photographer applicant at the Daily Hemisphere in Sleepy Hollow. He meets Katrina, the publisher's daughter, and is assigned to photograph the Headless Horseman. During a date with Katrina, he is chased by the horseman, who warns him away. Ichabod, spurred by the full moon, pursues multiple headless horsemen, discovering they are impostors. Eventually, he flees with Katrina, only to be pursued by a genuinely frightening headless horseman.
55"Jack and the Beanstalk"David Steven Cohen & Roger S.H. SchulmanOctober 8, 1988 (1988-10-08)
Gordon plays Jack Bates (Norman Bates's son) who, in an effort to save their struggling motel, trades the family cow for three magic beans. Overnight, the beans grow into a massive beanstalk. Climbing it, Jack finds a giant named J. Mason with a hen that lays golden eggs. Jack steals the hen to renovate the motel. When a beautiful guest named Pippi Lee Sing arrives, Jack is captured by two men and taken to the giant. Fortunately, Pippi, actually a secret agent, rescues him. They escape with the hen, cutting down the beanstalk and defeating the giant. Jack and Pippi marry and leave with the hen by train. The story parodies Alfred Hitchcock's works, with nods to Psycho, Vertigo and Rear Window.
66"The Aladdin Brothers and Their Lamp"David Steven Cohen & Roger S.H. SchulmanOctober 15, 1988 (1988-10-15)
Inspired by the One Thousand and One Nights, Gordon and Skip play Ziggy and Roy Aladdin, a struggling duo who discover a magic lamp. The genie inside transports them to Sheboygan, where they face trouble for catching sight of the princess. After overcoming challenges and exposing a plot against the king, they win favor and marry the princess and Skip's girlfriend.
77"Rapunzel"David Steven Cohen & Roger S.H. SchulmanOctober 29, 1988 (1988-10-29)
The Wicked Witch controls all media in the country, offering limited content on Witch TV and censoring rap music. Rhonda portrays Rapunzel, whose family loses on the Witch's rigged television quiz show, leading to her imprisonment. Prince Gordon and his rap friends rescue Rapunzel from the forest and return to advocate for media reform. They persuade the king to limit media ownership and establish a commission to prevent monopolies.
88"Rumplestilskin"Eddie GorodetskyNovember 12, 1988 (1988-11-12)
Presented like a Dashiell Hammett novel, Gordon plays Sam Shovel Private Eye. A poor girl makes a deal with a dwarf magician to spin straw into gold to impress the king. However, unless she discovers the dwarf's name in 24 hours he will claim her first born child. She hires Sam Shovel to find his name, Rumplestilskin, and he does so in the nick of time. Caricature of Humphrey Bogart as Sam Shovel. NOTE: Last episode with a mailbag segment.
99"The Princess and the Pea"Michael RoweNovember 19, 1988 (1988-11-19)
Prince Gordy would rather be a stand-up comic on the David Letterock Show than a prince but the Queen chooses a short, overweight, precocious princess for him to marry. Meanwhile, Gordy misses his chance to perform before Letterock, but he impresses Avery Fisher-Hall, the waitress in the comedy café who is really a princess. Gordy tells the Queen that he wants to marry Avery so she demands that Avery must pass the mattress test to prove she is a princess before she can marry the prince - and she does. Caricature of David Letterman.
1010"John Henry"Ellis WeinerDecember 3, 1988 (1988-12-03)
Gordon play John Henry, a master chef with his TV show, Eatie Gourmet who focusses on hand preparation of his meals. His competitor, the evil Art Cuisine, invents the K-Art mechanical food processor as part of his plot to take over the world. A competition to see who can serve the most six-course meals is held, with John Henry's old-fashioned methods being extremely slow and losing to K-Art's rapid ways. Henry fades into obscurity and Cuisine becomes prominent with everyone in America now owning the K-Art Chopper. However, during a dinner at the White House, the President is disgusted with the processed food of the K-Art Chopper and demands tomato roses, which only John Henry knew how to make. Art Cuisine activates all K-Art Choppers to transform into killer robots to cow all of America and depose the President. When all seems lost, Henry returns and destroys the robots using hand tools. As a reward for saving his life, the President appoints John Henry the White House Chef. Parody of the H. G. Wells book, The War of the Worlds and features a Caricature of Bob Dylan as a folk singer.
1111"The Three Little Pigs"Mitchell KriegmanDecember 10, 1988 (1988-12-10)
Rick, Skip, and Alf play the respective trio (Ernie, Chip, and Robbie) in a twist on the classic story. The beginning and ending scenes parody The Twilight Zone. Also, the straw is switched to soup cans.
1212"Alice in Wonderland"Alicia Marie SchudtDecember 17, 1988 (1988-12-17)
Gordon doesn't want to do the story, but everyone else does. As he begins to ready, he falls asleep and a humanoid rabbit named Blanche du Lapine steals his birthday present for Rhonda. Gordon follows her down an elevator shaft and through a cat door to a Wonderland featuring obnoxious flowers, a Pee-wee Herman version of Humpty Dumpty, a Wooster-Chester cat, a saxophone-playing caterpillar (possibly played by Skip), the Tweedle Sisters (Dee is changed to Blonde), Rick and Larson as The Mad Catter and The March Hare, and a very awful Queen. In the end, Blanche reveals herself to be Rhonda and the whole thing was an un-birthday surprise for Gordon, and the whole thing was a dream.
1313"Peter Pan"Bradley Kesden & Skip ShepardJanuary 7, 1989 (1989-01-07)
Peter Pan (Gordon) and Tinkerbell (Neep) take Wendy (Rhonda) and her siblings off to Never-Never land. Meanwhile, Captain Hook is a stand-up pirate comedian who see Peter Pan as a rival. Wendy fancies Peter, but becomes frustrated when she is treated like a maid by Peter and the Lost Boys, and tells them all to "grow up". To find Peter's secret location, Hook captures Tinkerbell who resents Wendy's arrival. Hook then kidnaps, Wendy and the others, but Tinkerbell escapes and warns Peter who comes to their rescue. Peter decides to "grow up" and after returning to England with Wendy and the others, he opens a burger joint with Hook. Features a caricature of Michael "Crocodile" Dundee as the crocodile.

Season 2 (1989)

[edit]
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleWritten byOriginal release date
141"Hansel & Gretel"Story by Steve Roberts, teleplay by Bradley Kesden & Skip ShepardSeptember 16, 1989 (1989-09-16)
Gordon plays a plump Bavarian boy with a large appetite, Hansel and Rhonda plays his sister Gretel. They get lost in the forest and end up at Camp Eat-a-Kid. The resident witch Fattens up Hansel while Gretel is thrown in a cell with Simon and Theodore – Alvin has disappeared. They get free but are recaptured so they put Hansel through a rigorous fitness program to lose weight. This time they escape and the witch is arrested. Parody of Alvin and the Chipmunks and caricatures of Mr. T as Mr. Tree and The Monkees as The New Donkees.
152"The Wizard of Oz"Story by Steve Roberts, teleplay by Bradley Kesden & Skip ShepardSeptember 23, 1989 (1989-09-23)
Set in East Velcro back in the era of Black and White TV, Gordon is selling encyclopedias door-to-door when a tornado lifts up the family farmhouse and he lands in the colourful 60s along the Mellow Brick Road. He lands on a witch and her magical ruby high-top sneakers attaches themselves to his feet. He heads along the road to find the Wizard of Oz to remove them, meanwhile the Wicked Witch casts faulty spells in an effort to retrieve them. He encounters a trio, Tin, Straw and Fur who join him and the travel to the Cubic Zirconia City where they are caught by the Witch. Gordon challenges her to a game of basketball and when she gets covered in milk during the game she melts away and he returns home, to live with the Good Witch and star in his own sitcom. Parody of counterculture of the 1960s, caricature of Bill Cosby as the Wizard of Oz.
163"The Elves and the Shoemaker"Richard J. SchellbachSeptember 30, 1989 (1989-09-30)
In the village of Birkenstock, Melmac's lower east side, two elves from "Elves-R-Us" are sent to help the struggling shoe store of Donald Tramp played by Larson and his wife Imelda played by Sloop. The elves make shoes which Tramp sells for a high price, and each night they do the same until the store becomes very successful. He expands his business to become the richest man in the land, however the elves feel exploited and go on strike. Special agent of the Impartial Mediators Federation (IMF), Gordon, is assigned to resolve the situation and he approaches Tramp but has no success. Meanwhile the new automated production line malfunctions and faulty shoes threaten to overwhelm the factory. Gordo/Gordon finds a solution where Tramp is arrested and Imelda takes over the production and she leaves Tramp for Shumway. Parody of Mission Impossible and caricature of Donald Trump and Imelda Marcos.
174"The Emperor's New Clothes"Story by Phil Harnage, teleply by Ellis WeinerOctober 14, 1989 (1989-10-14)
The emperor demands some new clothes for an upcoming the Label Day parade. The prime minister, Lord Bloomingdale, played by Snout, grouses that he must spent most of his time presenting clothes and hardly any energy left over for governmental issues. Gordon plays a wannabe clothes designer, Beneton Espirit who, joins Coco Klein's fashion house where he meets the beautiful model Christy Dinkly played by Rhonda. However his casual sportswear look is soundly rejected by the emperor. He tries again as a masked fashion designer named Guess Who but when he appears to have no pants, Guess says his pants are made of invisible Schmatex. The Emperor demands that his new outfit be made of Schmatex and when he walks through the streets the ruse is revealed along with his nakedness. However, Beneton has a change of heart and presents the emperor with one of his actual line, a simple shirt and pair of chinos. Having learned his lesson on vanity, the emperor donates his excessive wardrobe to the poor. Parody of the fashion industry and haute couture.
185"Goldilocks & the Three Bears"Phil Harnage & Judy RothmanOctober 28, 1989 (1989-10-28)
Mayor Bear and his family have to go away on business, so they contract Rhonda's house-sitting service to look after their Malizoo beach house while they're away, including their special possessions, their canine Studs and very special vibrating beds. However, Rhonda gets a better offer and asks Goldilocks, played by Gordon, to do the job. Gordon and his friends decide to turn the place into an amusement park to earn some extra money, but they are busted by the corrupt police who confiscate the house's contents. Desperate, Goldilocks uses his profits to buy the furniture back from the police, but when the Bears return, they detect that someone has been using their furniture and beds. Eventually everything is resolved, although the Bears contemplate starting a folk band called the Moma and the Poppa. Parody of Southern California youth culture and their social dialect.
196"Little Red Riding Hood"Bradley Kesden & Skip ShepardNovember 11, 1989 (1989-11-11)
Gordon plays a Courier called Red who has to deliver a package to scientist Grandma to complete her shrinking and enlarging device, however the Wolf gets there first and shrinks then swallows grandma. Red arrives, and the Wolf shrinks and swallows him too. However, Grandma and Red end up in the McStomach start a food fight which gives the Wolf a stomach ache and he burps them up. They get free and complete the assembly of Grandma's device, shrinking the Wolf and returning themselves to normal size. Parody of Honey I Shrunk the Kids.
207"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"Judy RothmanDecember 2, 1989 (1989-12-02)
The story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is presented as an episode of Unsolved Mysteries by Gordon as Robert Stuck. Snow White, a keen skier, disappears after winning a ski competition and beating the Wicked Queen. The Queen used to ask ski instructor Mario de la Wall "who is the fairest skier", and after he answered "Snow White" she disappeared. She was last seen in the company of a thug for hire, played by Bob, tasked by the Queen to cut off her fingers and toes. However, the thug takes pity on her and tells her to head to the forest. Stuck says the thug was seen at a joke shop where he acquired funny fingers, giving those to the Queen as a ploy. Snow White heads to "The middle of Nowhere" where she finds a condo rented by seven dwarf ski bums. Besides skiing, her passion is cleaning and is soon appreciated by the dwarves for making their quartes pleasant. The Queen resumes her vendetta when she realizes she was tricked. While the dwarves are away at work, Snow White bites a poisonous apple left by the Queen and goes into a deep sleep. The dwarfs enter her in the "Date Connection Show". All the male skiers try to kiss her awake, but their lips are chapped. Robert Stuck is ineligible as he is not a skier, so he masters the green circle slope and kisses her, thus being the one to awaken her and marry her. Parody of dating game shows and caricature of Robert Stack in Unsolved Mysteries.
218"King Midas"Phil Harnage and Bradley Kesden & Skip ShepardDecember 9, 1989 (1989-12-09)
Oklahoma Jones (Gordon) goes in search of King Midas but he is captured by the evil Professor Bouquet who steals his map. It appears that Midas made a fortune franchising camel mufflers and a grateful client granted him the power to turn everything he touched into gold. Jones travels to Midas Land and finds King Midas and decides to help remove the spell by finding a magic coffee mug. Parody of Indiana Jones and Midas automotive service centers.

Voice cast

[edit]

Home media

[edit]

The first seven episodes were released on DVD on May 30, 2006, in Region 1 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment in a single-disc release entitled ALF and The Beanstalk and Other Classic Fairy Tales.

The complete series was remastered and subsequently released on October 17, 2023, by Shout! Factory in the DVD box set ALF: The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition). The box set release also included the original 1986–90 sitcom, ALF: The Animated Series and Project: ALF.[6][7]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

ALF Tales

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
is an American animated television series that aired on NBC from September 10, 1988, to December 9, 1989, in which the furry extraterrestrial Gordon Shumway, known as ALF, and his fellow survivors from the planet Melmac parody classic fairy tales and folk stories through comedic retellings. The program, produced as a spin-off from the earlier ALF: The Animated Series, spans two seasons comprising 21 episodes, each centering on a distinct narrative adaptation infused with Melmacian absurdity, anachronisms, and satirical elements, such as reimagining Rapunzel with rap music or Jack and the Beanstalk in a Hitchcockian thriller style. Voice acting features Paul Fusco reprising his role as ALF, alongside other cast members from the franchise, with the series emphasizing visual gags and verbal wit targeted at a family audience during its Saturday morning slot. Despite its creative premise drawing comparisons to shows like Rocky and Bullwinkle, ALF Tales received moderate reception, evidenced by a 6.2 IMDb rating, and concluded after a brief run without notable awards or widespread syndication beyond initial broadcasts and later streaming availability.

Overview and Premise

Concept and Format

is a 30-minute produced as a spin-off from the live-action ALF, airing on NBC's Saturday morning lineup from September 10, 1988, to December 9, 1989. The program features the alien protagonist ALF and his Melmacian companions reimagining classic fairy tales and folk stories through comedic retellings, typically infusing the narratives with absurd, surreal modifications for humorous effect. Episodes often blend these parodies with spoofs of broader film genres, such as or musicals, resulting in standalone stories that diverge from traditional plots while maintaining recognizable core elements. In contrast to ALF: The Animated Series, which depicted ongoing adventures centered on ALF's pre-Earth life on Melmac and interstellar escapades with recurring characters, ALF Tales adopts a strict structure devoid of serialized continuity. This format prioritizes self-contained episodes where the cast assumes roles in adapted tales like "" or "," emphasizing over lore expansion or planetary exploration narratives. The approach mirrors the style of segmented spoofs, delivering quick-witted alterations akin to established comedic traditions without advancing the franchise's overarching mythology.

Setting and Storytelling Style

The narratives of ALF Tales unfold primarily on the planet Melmac before its cataclysmic destruction, featuring Gordon Shumway—known as ALF—and his anthropomorphic Melmacian companions in reimagined fairy tale and folk tale scenarios that incorporate distinctive cultural elements from their homeworld, such as unconventional dietary habits and societal norms. These settings transform traditional archetypes into Melmac-centric environments, where characters like ALF's friends and family members assume roles such as princes, witches, or villagers, emphasizing the alien's irreverent perspective on human-like folklore. Storytelling in the series employs a format of self-contained episodes, each approximately 23 to 25 minutes in length within a half-hour broadcast slot, allowing for standalone retellings without continuity from the original live-action ALF series or its Earth-based elements like the Tanner family. Tailored for Saturday morning audiences, the structure prioritizes accessibility and humor suitable for family viewing, eschewing serialized plots in favor of episodic spoofs. The style blends foundations with 1980s pop culture allusions, surreal twists, and comedy to deliver family-oriented irreverence; for instance, the "" episode recasts the protagonist's romance as a rock star tale parodying films, complete with concert scenes and musical numbers. Other entries incorporate parodies, such as suspense or noir, alongside random celebrity caricatures, fostering a comedic tone that juxtaposes Melmacian absurdity against familiar narratives for layered appeal to children and adults. This approach underscores causal elements of humor derived from cultural clashes, ensuring the tales remain lighthearted yet distinct from conventional adaptations.

Production

Development and Production Companies

ALF Tales was developed as a spin-off from ALF: The Animated Series, extending the ALF franchise into parodies to capitalize on the live-action sitcom's peak popularity during its 1986–1990 run. The series positioned ALF and supporting characters from the prior animated show in roles within classic stories, such as fractured versions of "" or "," facilitating broader appeal to child audiences through familiar narratives adapted with the franchise's humor. This approach diverged from direct continuity with the live-action series, enabling independent storytelling suitable for low-cost production. Primary production responsibilities fell to DIC Animation City, Saban Entertainment, and Alien Productions, the latter having originated the ALF property alongside Lorimar for the sitcom. Lorimar-Telepictures handled distribution, aligning with its role in syndicating ALF-related content. Development aligned with the Saturday morning cartoon market's demand in the late 1980s, following ALF: The Animated Series' September 1987 premiere and timed for ALF Tales' debut on September 10, 1988, as part of NBC's expanded ALF animation block. This rapid sequencing—amid the live-action show's third season (1987–1988)—prioritized merchandise potential and network saturation over deep narrative integration.

Animation and Technical Aspects

ALF Tales utilized traditional cel animation produced by DIC Enterprises, involving hand-drawn and hand-painted cels for each frame to achieve vibrant colors and exaggerated character designs that preserved the quirky, fuzzy aesthetic of the original ALF puppet while enabling smoother, more dynamic movements. This approach relied entirely on 2D hand animation without computer-generated imagery, emphasizing parody elements such as anachronistic props and settings in fairy tale retellings through detailed, static backgrounds and reusable animation cycles for cost efficiency. The series comprised 26 half-hour episodes divided into two seasons of 13 each, formatted with multiple short stories per installment to suit syndication demands and minimize per-episode production expenses typical of morning cartoons. Budget limitations, common in network animated fare, led to restrained fluidity and detail, yielding that was serviceable and warm in its nostalgic style but lacked the polish and innovation of pricier peers like Disney's DuckTales, which employed more elaborate layouts and overseas refinement. DIC's outsourcing to studios in further optimized costs but occasionally resulted in inconsistencies in line consistency and shading uniformity across episodes.

Cast and Characters

Voice Cast

Paul Fusco reprised his role as the voice of Gordon Shumway, known as ALF, ensuring vocal continuity with the original live-action series and contributing to the character's sarcastic, wisecracking persona central to the storytelling frame. The ensemble primarily consisted of Canadian voice actors portraying ALF's Melmacian family and supporting figures, with roles recorded separately from animation production to facilitate timing adjustments for comedic delivery.
ActorRole(s)
ALF (Gordon Shumway)
(credited as Paulina Gillis)Augie Shumway, Rhonda
Peggy MahonFlo Shumway
Thick WilsonBob Shumway
Marla LukofskyJane Appalling, Tillie, various
Eggbert Petty, Sloop, various
Michael FantiniCurtis Shumway

Key Characters and Roles

Gordon Shumway, commonly known as ALF, functions as the central protagonist across ALF Tales' fairy tale parodies, typically embodying the clever underdog whose sarcastic wit and opportunistic schemes upend conventional narrative expectations. In these adaptations, ALF drives the disruptive dynamic by injecting irreverent commentary that subverts archetypal heroics, aligning with his established Melmacian persona of resourceful mischief. The supporting ensemble comprises recurring Melmacian figures reimagined to fit roles, including Rhonda, ALF's girlfriend, who frequently appears as the leading lady counterpart to romantic or damsel archetypes; Skip, a close friend contributing to ensemble hijinks; and family members such as parents Flo and Bob, alongside sister Augie, cast variably as authority figures, antagonists like witches, or comedic sidekicks. Larson Petty recurs as a villainous foil, amplifying conflicts through exaggerated treachery, while figures like Madame Pokipsi often embody meddlesome or magical adversaries. These characters collectively propel the series' parody mechanism by prioritizing group-based antics—rooted in traits like impulsive loyalty and prankish camaraderie resonant with 1980s youth audiences—over profound individual arcs, thereby contrasting sanitized fairy tale didacticism with chaotic, self-serving resolutions that highlight causal absurdities in the originals.

Broadcast History

Airing Schedule and Seasons

ALF Tales premiered on NBC on September 10, 1988, within the network's Saturday morning block dedicated to animated programming for youth audiences, including other DIC-produced series such as The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The show occupied a competitive slot amid a lineup of family-oriented cartoons, airing weekly during the fall and spring television seasons typical for such blocks. The series spanned two seasons, totaling 21 episodes, with each half-hour installment featuring paired retellings of fairy tales narrated by ALF and his companions from the planet Melmac. Season 1 comprised 13 episodes, beginning with the "Robin Hood" premiere on September 10, 1988, and extending into the spring of 1989, aligning with the standard broadcast cycle for Saturday morning fare. Season 2 followed with 8 episodes in the fall of 1989, maintaining the anthology format but on a reduced scale reflective of shifting network priorities. The final episode aired on December 9, 1989, marking the end of the series' original run after approximately 15 months on air. This conclusion occurred as the broader ALF franchise faced waning momentum, though the live-action counterpart continued into early 1990; no official renewal for a third season was announced by .

Episodes Overview

ALF Tales employs an anthology format across its 21 episodes, divided into two seasons, wherein ALF and his Melmacian friends—Gordon Shumway, Rhonda, Skip, and others—retell classic fairy tales and through animated parodies. Each self-contained story adapts well-known narratives by inserting alien humor, character swaps, and exaggerated comedic elements, such as ALF assuming pivotal roles like the or to drive mishaps rooted in Melmacian . This structure emphasizes short, standalone tales broadcast weekly on , prioritizing entertainment via subversion of expectations over serialized plotting. The adaptations typically draw from European fairy tale traditions, including "," where outlaws scheme with interstellar gadgets; "," reimagined with rock 'n' roll motifs akin to an vehicle; and "," featuring deal-making gone awry through ALF's impulsive bargaining. Patterns emerge in combining tale elements—such as blending sibling rivalries with magical interventions in ""—or amplifying moral ambiguities for satirical effect, often culminating in resolutions that favor clever evasion over traditional virtue. These twists preserve core plot beats while privileging visual gags and voice-driven from the cast. Season 1, comprising 13 episodes, adheres closely to canonical fairy tales like "" and "The Pied Piper," focusing on whimsical reinterpretations within familiar medieval or village settings. Season 2, with 8 episodes, maintains the fairy tale base but incorporates broader mythological spoofs, exemplified by "King Midas" exploring through golden transformations complicated by Melmacian , alongside genre-infused variants that parody film styles without departing from the anthology's narrative constraints. This evolution reflects minor experimentation in source selection, verified through broadcast synopses, while upholding the series' consistent 22-minute runtime per episode.

Reception and Legacy

Ratings and Commercial Performance

ALF Tales debuted on NBC's Saturday morning schedule on September 10, 1988, as part of The ALF/ALF Tales Hour, paired with the second season of ALF: The Animated Series. The series produced 21 episodes across two seasons, with the second season limited to 8 episodes before cancellation in December 1989. This abbreviated run contrasted with the live-action ALF's stronger performance, which held a #12 Nielsen ranking in the 1988–1989 season with an average household rating of 17.7. Specific Nielsen viewership figures for ALF Tales remain undocumented in publicly available records, but the decision to shorten the second season and end production suggests ratings fell below network thresholds for renewal amid intensifying competition in the animated programming block. Syndicated hits like , which launched in 1987 and gained massive traction by 1988, drew larger child audiences away from network fare. The broader saturation of 1980s Saturday morning cartoons, featuring over 100 new series annually, further pressured niche spin-offs reliant on franchise goodwill. Commercially, ALF Tales leveraged the established ALF merchandise ecosystem, which included Coleco's plush dolls and action figures released as early as to capitalize on the sitcom's popularity. However, the generated limited standalone revenue, as its modest audience did not sustain extended tie-ins or international syndication beyond initial broadcasts. The franchise's overall sales peaked with the live-action show, but spin-off extensions like Tales failed to replicate that profitability, contributing to the absence of further animated iterations.

Critical Reviews and Audience Response

Critical reception to ALF Tales was generally lukewarm, with reviewers noting its efforts to parody classic fairy tales through ALF's irreverent lens but critiquing the execution for lacking originality and sharpness. A 1989 Los Angeles Times review described the series as an attempt to emulate Jay Ward's Fractured Fairy Tales style, observing that "Alf's wisecracks are not very funny, and the animation is ordinary," ultimately deeming it unsuccessful in capturing the requisite wit. Audience response, as aggregated on , averaged 6.2 out of 10 based on 358 user ratings, reflecting a modest appreciation driven by nostalgic appeal to fans of the original ALF sitcom rather than standout innovation in or storytelling. User reviews on the platform praised elements like the clever voice work and humorous twists on tales such as and , with one likening it to "the best cartoon series since Rocky and Bullwinkle" for its parody tradition. Criticisms from viewers highlighted formulaic adaptations that prioritized franchise gimmicks over depth, with some segments finding the humor juvenile or inconsistent, echoing detractors' views on over-reliance on ALF's persona at the expense of substantive . Fan defenses countered this by emphasizing the show's light-hearted , positioning it as enjoyable morning fare for younger audiences familiar with the character's sarcastic charm. Retrospective commentary has similarly balanced these perspectives, calling it "silly, nostalgic, and fun" while acknowledging its wacky but unremarkable nature.

Cultural Impact and Availability

ALF Tales has maintained a niche presence within 1980s animation nostalgia, primarily as an extension of the ALF franchise's parody style rather than a standalone cultural force. Its surreal reinterpretations of fairy tales, featuring Melmacian characters in roles like Rapunzel or Jack and the Beanstalk, drew comparisons to Fractured Fairy Tales from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, emphasizing comedic alterations over faithful retellings. This approach contributed modestly to trends in satirical children's programming, with episodes lampooning contemporary elements such as media consolidation and 1980s pop culture, though it lacked the broader influence of contemporaries like The Simpsons. The series' legacy ties into the ALF brand's merchandising ecosystem, including toys and apparel from the era, but its cultural footprint diminished alongside the franchise's post-1990 decline, overshadowed by the live-action original. References persist in online media analyses, such as entries cataloging its tropes for alien-infused fairy tale spoofs, underscoring archival rather than active influence. No empirical data indicates significant modern viewership revivals beyond nostalgic online discussions, with the series evoking minor spikes in searches tied to broader ALF retrospectives. As of 2025, ALF Tales remains accessible via and select streaming platforms, without official reboots or new productions announced. All 26 episodes are bundled in Shout! Factory's ALF: The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) DVD set, released in 2023 and including the animated spin-offs alongside the live-action series and 1996 TV movie. Shout! Factory secured exclusive U.S. distribution rights in 2022, facilitating these collections with bonus features like posters and enamel pins. Streaming options include , , and Shout! Factory TV's channel, with ad-supported access available; unofficial uploads appear on , enhancing archival availability for enthusiasts. Earlier standalone VHS and DVD releases, such as Lionsgate's 2006 Alf: Tales 1 - Alf & the Beanstalk & Other Classic, have been superseded by comprehensive sets, ensuring preservation amid the franchise's enduring, if limited, fanbase.

References

  1. https://www.thetvdb.com/series/alf-tales
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094413/
  3. https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Alf-Tales/0T0077NXM97K9MD4K7C8ZNXWNB
  4. https://tubitv.com/series/300010026/alf-tales
  5. https://www.saturdaymorningsforever.com/2025/01/alf-tales.html
  6. https://movieweb.com/alf-the-animated-series-and-alf-tales-to-make-streaming-debut-next-month/
  7. https://marcfusion.com/2023/10/13/alf-tales-the-complete-series-1988-89/
  8. http://www.80stoons.com/alf-tales.html
  9. https://alf.fandom.com/wiki/ALF_Tales
  10. https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/alf-tales
  11. https://warnerbros.fandom.com/wiki/ALF_Tales
  12. https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/2016/10/further-viewing-alf-tales.html
  13. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/ALFTales
  14. https://www.avid.wiki/Alien_Productions
  15. https://www.ebay.com/itm/376592349315?itmmeta=01K6JSW5V7R2TBD2YX2Z3D3C3V&hash=item57aea73883:g:UDYAAeSwH1do3pzr&itmprp=enc%253AAQAKAAAAwMHg7L1Zz0LA5DYYmRTS30k%252FpSmV66%252BT5lEMpTlGwHfE9lROMfylfzi0Z0EEb3LRK1xwxF2P6bkadLmWm7biZBihc1p3xsyaT%252B0TMLjxt8c7IISDpeu2RZOugtZdEvp%252B5RdSWdHPYqXES9FYW%252F6O%252B6PQ6Ghn99aW--ylgS2V5t5towMZqbZUWiIHcL%252BAZrFAuN3Iml6lCRJevezCSkDI%252BN%252BRPU1mU97DlPKlgnnW8uL2Ks%252FKv44b0nVOmgE2Rh6TAA%253D%253D%257Ctkp%253ABk9SR9zd8Nm0Zg
  16. https://charlesscottgallery.com/products/alf-the-animated-series-production-animation-cel-and-drawing-dic-melmac-9d?srsltid=AfmBOorS75V6qUNHiNF8VEFPQGVFWTAT7sFcLLbdUflyFEx6qAAqbBtb
  17. https://scrapbookinfinity.wordpress.com/2022/11/22/ink-pain-presents-the-alf-a-and-the-omega/
  18. https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xhwvz/eli5_in_80s90s_cartoons_how_come_the_animation/
  19. https://theretronetwork.com/10-best-cartoons-of-the-80s/
  20. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/ALF-Tales/
  21. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094413/fullcredits/
  22. https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/alf-tales/cast/1000379169/
  23. https://epguides.com/AlfTales/
  24. https://www.toramp.com/shows/900/
  25. https://www.thetvdb.com/series/alf-tales/allseasons/official
  26. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/10421-alf-tales?language=en-US
  27. https://garnsguides.com/shows/alf-tales.html
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3073072/
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094413/episodes/
  30. https://sciencefiction.com/2020/01/04/super-saturday-alf-1987/
  31. https://culture.fandom.com/wiki/ALF_%28TV_series%29
  32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5g59PpLfcY
  33. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCCJmzLc5Ws
  34. https://alfarchives.com/alf-merchandise/
  35. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-22-ca-562-story.html
  36. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094413/reviews/
  37. https://www.reddit.com/r/ObscureMedia/comments/bud674/alf_tales_rapunzel_1988_a_genuinely_funny/
  38. https://www.amazon.com/ALF-Complete-Deluxe-Paul-Fusco/dp/B0CBS1TTXH
  39. https://shoutfactory.com/collections/alf
  40. https://deadline.com/2022/02/alf-distribution-rights-are-acquired-by-shout-factory-which-plans-new-wave-of-pop-culture-content-tied-to-1980s-sitcom-1234959444/
  41. https://www.amazon.com/Alf-Tales-Beanstalk-Other-Classic/dp/B08KPXM6KZ
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