ALF. The Funniest Moments of the Iconic Sci-Fi Sitcom

Do you also have TV shows that you can watch over and over, no matter how many times you’ve seen them? I have a few favorites like that. One of them is an 80s sitcom called ALF.

ALF is a comedy series inspired by and somewhat parodying the iconic film E.T. directed by Spielberg. Its main character is Alf (his full name is Gordon Shumway). He’s an alien from the planet Melmac who crashes his spaceship onto the garage roof of the Tanner family and ends up living with them because he can’t repair his ship. Alf quickly becomes a member of the Tanner family, forming a real bond with them. His presence turns their lives upside down, often bringing lots of laughter to the viewers of the show.

Season 1, Episode 2 – ALF and Mrs. Ochmonek

Everyone except Brian and Alf leaves the house for the evening. The Tanners are looking for someone to take care of Brian while they’re away. However, Kate doesn’t want Alf to look after Brian, so Willie asks their nosy neighbor, Mrs. Ochmonek, for help. Meanwhile, Alf is supposed to stay in the bedroom, but when Mrs. Ochmonek starts watching TV, he can’t resist sneaking out to watch too. In the process, he orders pizza. When the delivery arrives, Mrs. Ochmonek informs them that she didn’t order pizza. The delivery guy says it’s paid for, so Mrs. Ochmonek reluctantly accepts it but calls her husband to tell him about this strange occurrence. However, when her husband arrives, the pizza is gone. Mrs. Ochmonek is convinced that there is a stranger in the house. This is just one of many funny scenes in this episode. You can watch the whole thing above.

Season 1, Episode 3 – ALF, the Rock Star

In the third episode, Alf gets into trouble with the Tanner family. He’s accused of eating their cat, Lucky. The accusation seems plausible because Alf’s favorite delicacy when he lived on his home planet was indeed cats. However, this time Alf is innocent. Lucky is found safe and sound. But it’s another moment in this episode that makes it worth watching. Of course, I’m referring to the scene where Alf dresses up as a rock star and the Tanners catch him singing. In the video below, you’ll see what the Tanners come home to.

Season 1, Episode 20 – ALF and Willie at Therapy

Tired of keeping Alf a secret from others and of the impact he has had on their household, Willie decides to seek therapy. Alf’s unusual behavior simply becomes too much for Willie to handle. He asks his psychologist friend for help. Larry comes to the Tanners for dinner to conduct an experiment on Alf and Willie.

Season 2, Episode 7 – ALF Interrogates Lynn Before the Beauty Contest

Alf learns about the concept of an Earth beauty pageant. Since Lynn, who has been feeling abandoned, suffers from low self-esteem, Alf enters her into the Miss Southland pageant to prove she’s beautiful and uses prizes to entice Lynn to participate. It’s worth tuning in to this episode, if only for the moment when Alf interrogates Lynn before the beauty contest.

Season 2, Episode 8 – ALF Gets Hiccups at Kate’s Wedding

Do you remember Alf’s relationship with Kate’s mom? Both openly admitted they didn’t care for each other. So, you can probably imagine how displeased Kate’s mom was when she found out that Alf got the hiccups the day before her wedding, and they could be heard throughout the entire house. Besides the absurdity of the situation itself, what made it even funnier was what Alf could do to get rid of the hiccups. He had two options — drink cat juice or eat vegetables. Do you remember why Alf was opposed to one of the options?

Season 3, Episode 16; Episode 26 – Kate’s Pregnancy

Do you remember when Kate was pregnant? The news of the Tanners expecting another child elicited mostly positive emotions from Alf. However, everything changed in the 16th episode of the third season when Alf declared that he was allergic to babies. A visiting baby at the Tanner household triggered an allergic reaction in Alf, causing him to sneeze whenever he approached the child. Convinced it was a sign, Alf believed he would have to give up his place in the Tanner household for Kate’s expected baby. Alf declared that Kate would have to give away the newborn as soon as it was born, and he would compensate her by buying her a goldfish.

As Alf forgets about his allergy and Kate’s due date approaches, the alien drives the household crazy. It’s all because he stops sleeping, fearing he’ll miss Kate’s labor. Instead, he conducts tests on the household members, such as waking them up in the middle of the night, to see how quickly they respond to the need to go to the hospital. He becomes so engrossed in watching over Kate that when the actual time for labor comes, he falls asleep for a few days.

Season 4, Episode 6 – ALF as a Therapist

In the fifth episode of the fourth season, Alf goes through a crisis. He feels useless, ignored, and unable to find himself any occupation. Everything changes after the Tanners invite their psychologist friend for dinner. He suggests that during the dinner, the Tanners ask Alf for his opinion on their problems. Alf, who is initially very surprised that the Tanners want to hear his point of view, declares that he has found his calling. After the psychologist’s visit, Alf subjects the Tanners to an avalanche of unwanted psychoanalysis. He even writes an article stating that Carl Jung was wrong in his theories and is stupid. The Tanners then ask their psychologist friend again for help to talk some sense into Alf. Although he succeeds, and Alf gets fed up with him, it turns out they agree on the assessment of Carl Jung.