"ALF" was a nice little series that lasted a little more than four seasons in the late-1980s on NBC and was somewhat lost in the shuffle during a time when shows like "The Cosby Show", "Cheers", and "L.A. Law" dominated the ratings for the network. The series deals with a likeable alien from the planet Mailmac who is stranded on Earth and forced to live with the Tanners, a California family. Throughout, ALF is being protected from the fictional Alien Task Force. The Tanner family is led by Willie (Max Wright), his wife Kate (Anne Schedeen), and their children Lynn (Andrea Elson) and Brian (Benji Gregory). Perhaps the biggest minus of the series is the lack of character development within the Tanner family. Kate, Lynn, and Brian are all flat characters. However, Willie's character is excellent and it is Wright who helped carry the series as long as it went. Critically speaking, "ALF" is a somewhat disappointing series which struggles for story-lines. The fact that the series went on as long as it did is a testament to the writers and directors of this series. Sometimes the series struggled to find a permanent audience. At times the material was very adult-oriented, but at other times the stories seemed to cater more to the youngest of age groups. The way that the series ended was extremely disappointing in 1990. I am not sure how the series could have been wrapped up, but I felt empty and upset with the way the show ultimately ended. A made-for-television movie entitled "Project: ALF" tried to put a ribbon on the original series, but that film was overall unsatisfying as well. Overall an enjoyable series whose life on television was really longer than it should have been. 4 out of 5 stars.
