ALF was an American television sit-com which aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990 spanning four seasons and a total of 101 episodes. The series was created by Paul Fusco and Tom Patchett and centered on the life of the Tanner family as well as a wise-cracking alien from the planet Melmac nicknamed ALF. ALF, whose real name is Gordon Shumway, crash-lands in the garage of the Tanner family's California home and is discovered by family patriarch Willie Tanner. Recognizing the three-foot tall Melmacian as an A.L.F. (alien life form), he begrudingly lets him stay in his home to keep him safe from the outside world. Many of the show's plot points involved ALF getting into trouble, risking exposure, and the Tanners ongoing efforts to keep his existence safe from the outside world.
Gordon Shumway, aka, ALF, is an alien from the planet Melmac. Escaping his home world's imminent destruction, Gordon journeys to Earth where he crash-lands through the garage roof belonging to the Tanner family. He inveigles his way into their home and into their lives, causing the Tanners no end of problems.
Willie Tanner is a computer operator and the patriarch of the Tanner family household. He is the husband of Kate Tanner and the father of Lynn and Brian Tanner. It was Willie who first discovered Gordon Shumway's space ship and first attributed to him the nickname of ALF (alien life form).
Kate Tanner is the wife of Willie Tanner and the mother of Lynn and Brian Tanner. Of all the members of the household, Kate has the least tolerance for ALF's antics and would just as soon see him gone than look at him. ALF likes Kate and feels that the two share a common bond with one another seeing as how they have both seen each other naked.
Lynn Tanner was the daughter of Willie and Kate Tanner and the older sister of Brian Tanner. Lynn enjoyed ALF's company, but even her easy-going nature could occasionally be tested, particularly whenever ALF decided to tie up the telephone lines.
Brian was the youngest of the Tanner children and was a kind-hearted, albeit impressionable young boy. ALF was his best friend and the two would spend their days watching television together. ALF was not always a positive influence on Brian however and Kate always had to keep a close on them to make sure that ALF wasn't proving to be a bad influence on her son.
