Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

ALF was without a doubt my favorite TV show during my pre-teen to early teen years. A short, wise-cracking alien was the perfect character for me to love. Still today I still have every issue of the ALF comic book and other memorabilia stashed safely away. I didn't rush out to get the DVD set, though, because I was afraid I would come to realize they aren't as good now since my age has more than doubled. My sister couldn't resist, however, and bought it for me as soon as she saw it. She, my brother-in-law, and my wife were all wanting to see it as much as I was, and my Korean exchange student had never seen it so we HAD to show her! Because of that I didn't do a lot of research on the package before diving into Melmacian nostalgia.

My impressions as a kid were of ALF being the greatest comedic venture ever broadcast. My impressions now are of ALF being hokey, corny, and so endearing that I've already watched the pilot episode 3 times. Maybe I wouldn't go as nuts over him if I had been this old upon his first airing, but I can't help but like him still.

ALF is a short, furry, long-nosed being from Melmac. The planet exploded (which opens the door to some slightly more serious discussions about the dangers of nuclear warfare in the show), and ALF has crash-landed on the Tanner's garage. They take him in because they can't stand to think of him being experimented on in a government lab somewhere, and the antics begin. His appetites, physical make up, and societal views are different than those of Earthlings. Cats are a common meal on Melmac, the person having the birthday doesn't get the presents, hair in food is not a problem, and things that the Tanners might not want him doing, like drinking beer, have not previously been an issue with him. He's not stupid by any means, in fact, when it comes to communications equipment like a ham radio, he's quite brilliant, but this society is so strange to him that he gets himself into trouble at every turn.

Young Brian idolizes ALF as any young boy with his own alien would. Teen Lynn just wants to help. Geeky father Willie is fascinated by what the irrefutable evidence of alien life means. Skeptical mother Kate doesn't want an alien destroying her house. And grandmother Dorothy (who I'll call Dot because I'm too lazy to spell the whole name every time) wants to ring the alien's neck.

Like any sit-com the specific problems and situations vary from episode to episode and are pretty much wrapped up by the end. With a few exceptions you could watch any of the episodes in any order and it would't make a difference to the overall story. The pilot, of course, is the main exception, but in the case of Kate's mother ALF has to meet her before anything else can happen with her so there is a chronology between 3 or 4 of those episodes. The last exception is the flashback episode. Obviously it has to flash back to things that have already happened. It seems early to have one since there's not a whole lot to flash back to, yet. Other than that episode 2 could be #8, 5 could be 10, and you'd never know the difference.

The comedy is full of wise-cracks, puns, and silliness. Much of it is kid-friendly, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's not for adults. I would put it somewhere between Saturday morning cartoon humor and the cleaner moments of Friends. I don't laugh out loud all the time, but there are plenty of smiles and chuckles. If you've read about other things I like you've seen Weird Al and Futurama listed. My wife prefers Friends and Gilmore Girls. There is probably no other sit-com past or present we agree on as much as we do ALF which should give you some idea of its audience range. And if that doesn't convince you, consider this, it made #8 on TV Guide's list of best sci-fi shows beating out another of my favorites Stargate SG1, as well as Babylon 5, Quantum Leap, Dark Angel, The 6 Million Dollar Man, and others you'd recognize (incidentally it was beaten by such legendary greats as X Files, Star Trek, and Twilight Zone).

Content:
Like I said, it's kid-friendly. You might get a "hell" from time to time (maybe 2 or 3 times in the whole season), but the vast majority of the episodes have no foul language at all. What little sexual content there is stays mostly vague with no revealing clothing, and not so much as a fistfight. The worst thing you get is ALF drinking beer, (and that's only in one episode), or ALF spying on the Ochmoneks and telling them to knock off the sex. This is every bit as appropriate as other family-oriented shows from the 80's such as Cosby Show.

DVD:
Lion's Gate really dropped the ball on this one. Why couldn't Anchor Bay have gotten the release rights? They have one of the best creative teams around. LG has come up with all sorts of excuses about why the DVD lacks, but they should have waited to release it when they could have done it right.

The packaging is horrible. OK, so it's a plastic case, big deal. This is one instance where I would have gladly taken a cardboard folder instead. The case opens like any normal snap case. Inside the DVD's are stacked on top of one another: 2 on the left, 2 on the right. To get the bottom disc out you have to first remove the top disc. If you want to watch the top disc and close the case after getting it, the bottom disc will fall off it's peg and just slide around inside the case. This is quite possibly the worst case design I've ever seen.

The insert is nearly as poor in design. What design? It's just a thin sheet of paper. If you don't lay it in the case just right you'll crumple it all up. It does have a list of what episodes are on what disc and the extras on disc 4 as well as director and writer for each one. It could have had air dates, guest cast lists, and a chapters list which is all but standard for most other DVD releases.

The video is a little cleaner than I expected, not as crisp as a more modern show, but better than I remember it looking on TV. The sound is a nice remastered 2.0 surround. Again, nothing impressive by today's standards, but better than I remember. There are numerous things that I will complain about on this release, but audio/video quality is not among them.

One thing on which LG can be commended is chapter placement. Chapter 1 stops at the end of the theme song. Since I usually watch at lest 2 or 3 episodes at a time I like skipping the theme after hearing it once. There is another division usually in the middle (though sometimes close to the end) and one for the closing credits (unnecessary if you ask me, but that's OK).

With a total of 4 chapters per episode, one always being the opening, and one always being the closing, a chapter selection menu for each episode is not a big deal to leave out (though it would have been a great opportunity for more humorous graphics), but since they did leave it out they could have at least given us a chapter list on the insert. I'll include my own chapter titles with the episode summaries.

Another thing I like is the menu introduction. The standard warning and a logo play before the interface (about 20 seconds long) then a little exclusive ALF comedy as we see him negotiating the release of his DVD. After a few seconds you have the option of skipping it to get to the episode list, and you can return to it from the list if you want to see it again. ALF continues his monologue when the episode list comes up by explaining what the buttons on the menu do. The exclusive ALF interaction is one of the best things about this release.

This collection lists 25 episodes. Technically, though, you get 27! Because one of them is a 2-parter, and the unaired pilot is included as an extra feature. The sequence doesn't match with airdate lists I've seen so I have to assume they are going by production chronology. I've seen a few people express dislike about that, but it doesn't bother me, with one exception, since neither sequence causes inconsistencies in the overall story. The exception is the flashback episode which refers to events in an episode that comes after it. We're supposed to be seeing the past, not the future!

That's all great and good and whatever, but now for the bomb, the absolute worst thing about this set; this may be the one thing that makes many of you not want to buy it. The episodes presented here are the edited syndication versions. I don't know exactly how much of each episode is missing since the runtimes vary a good bit from right at 20 minutes long to about 21 and a half, although Wild Thing just barely breaks 18. By comparison, the unaired, and thus uncut, pilot is right at 24 minutes.

I don't know why they would edit them in the first place, but fans that are going to spend money on the supposedly complete collection deserve to have the original, full-length episodes. The fact that LG didn't want to take the time to digitize the original episodes shows laziness and lack of concern for the fans on their part. Watching the first episode I knew something didn't look right which is why I researched it, and that's when I uncovered this dirty little secret. It seems LG doesn't take well to criticism on this issue, but it's their fault for not giving us the whole of what they were offering.

Extras:
This release is not exactly full of extras, but there are a few. For one, each episode has a short summary. If you click on the ? by the episode, video of ALF talking about it replaces the thumbnail. They are very short and not as humorous as the menu introductions.

The biggest extra is the unaired pilot episode. LG does deserve some points for including that. It fills in some of the time lost at the beginning of the syndicated, aired pilot. I don't know why 2 pilots were shot (some history on that would have been nice). It's very similar to the aired version although there are a few notable differences (like a different actor in the bit part at the end). I actually think some of the jokes in this version are better than the aired one.
Here are some chapter titles for it.
1 Opening Credits
2 Visitor
3 Stuck On Earth
4 End Credits

The outtakes and gag reel is great! I laughed so hard I hurt. It's not as kid friendly as the show, though. There are a couple of perverted moments and a little language, but trust me, you've seen much worse on a clean Friends episode. Some of the shots cut off too quickly, but other than that no complaints.

There's not a great deal to the ALF trivia. It includes bits of info about the beginnings of the show, the people behind it, ALF the character, and other aspects.

And last is some DVD credits.

Episodes:

ALF Pilot: No, this is not the unaired pilot; it's the standard one though it's been noticeably cut at the beginning and makes less sense than the original. ALF crashes into the Tanners' roof, and they have to decide to help him or turn him in. It's basically the premise summary you read already.
1 That Extraordinary Night
2 Hairy Heavy And It Talks
3 Working Men
4 End Credits

On The Road Again: The Tanners want to take a vacation but are not willing to leave ALF home alone that long. They decide to all go camping and end up stuck in the RV because of rain. ALF and Willie get into a fuss resulting in ALF's attempting to walk home. He ends up held at gunpoint by hunters, and only Willie can save him if he can put aside his anger.
1 Vacation Planning Flambe
2 Camping In The Rain
3 Kill The Aardvark
4 End Credits

Pennsylvania 6-5000: ALF is concerned by Earth's nuclear weapons. He calls the President to declare his opposition. It doesn't go well, and Willie is arrested as a threat to national security. ALF wants to find a way to get him out as well as still get his message to the President. I believe Harry Shearer is the voice of the President.
1 On The Phone Again
2 A Threat To National Security
3 A Nuclear Pickle
4 End Credits

Strangers In The Night: Everyone but Brian has to go out for the night, and they don't trust ALF to baby-sit so they ask Raquel Ochmonek. She sits in the living room watching Psycho and eating popcorn, exactly what ALF wants to be doing. As he gets more and more restless, Raquel wonders what in the world is going on in the house. Before the end of the night they will both get a surprise.
1 Psycho Watching Alien Babysitter
2 1 Man's Bedroom Is Another Man's Prison
3 ALF Vs The Burgler
4 End Credits

For Your Eyes Only: ALF makes a friend by calling a radio talk show. The best part is that his friend is blind. He gets Lynn to help him plan a visit to see her. Lynn's parents can't find out.
1 An Anniversary ALF Style
2 Kindred Spirits
3 A Blind Date
4 End Credits

Looking For Lucky: Lucky is missing when the Tanners return from a trip. When ALF coughs up a hairball the obvious conclusion is that he ate the cat. To prove his innocence, ALF risks exposure by going out to find the lost pet.
1 A Lucky Bagel
2 ALF The Cat Killer
3 Trapped Like A Dog
4 End Credits

It's Not Easy Being Green: Brian is nervous about being in a school play. His partner is mean and shatters his confidence. ALF encourages him by giving him a Melmacian good-luck charm. Brian leaves it at home accidentally and is afraid to go onstage. Back at home ALF tries desperately to find a way to get the trinket to the school.
1 Rap Masters
2 Asparaguy Practice
3 Alien Asparagus
4 End Credits

Keepin' The Faith: ALF is upset that the family thinks of him as a parasite when they try to crack down on utility usage. So he gets a job selling mail-order cosmetics. Willie and Kate are nervous about such an ordeal particularly when they find out they have to entertain a bunch of strangers at their house.
1 Dominate The Family Meeting
2 A Parasitic Alien
3 ALF The Terry Faith Girl
4 End Credits

Jump: Willie hits a mid-life crisis feeling like he hasn't accomplished anything which is represented by a skydive he never completed. ALF helps him work up the determination to jump out of that plane and prove he is not always predictable and safe. Joe Namath has a cameo.
1 Trick Candles
2 Chicken Willie
3 I Don't Feel Like Plummeting
4 End Credits

Help Me Rhonda: ALF becomes particularly homesick thinking of his lost love Rhonda. In an effort to help, Willie manages to contact Skip who escaped Melmac's destruction with none other than ALF's flame. Skip plans a fly-by pick-up forcing ALF to choose between him and the Tanners.
1 Birthday Plans
2 Visions Of Melmac
3 Fly By Pick Up
4 End Credits

Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue: ALF has developed a little crush on Lynn and is jealous of her new potential boyfriend. He decides to write her a song and even records his own music video (shown in its entirety with hints of ZZ Top, Stevie Wonder, Rick Springfield, and others).
1 Band Boyfriend
2 Jealousy In Aliens
3 ALF Rocks
4 End Credits

Oh Tannerbaum: It's Christmas at the Tanner household, and ALF has destroyed the tree. Willie goes to get another one but ends up having to settle for a plastic tree. Nobody is particularly happy with it so he and Alf go to the forest to cut their own. When the car gets stuck, though, they risk killing each other more than freezing to death before help shows up.
1 Christmas Firewood
2 Simulated Christmas
3 A Whisker For Your Thoughts
4 End Credits

Baby You Can Drive My Car: The car breaks down when Lynn really needs it so the family talks about her getting her own. Her parents are willing to help but it will still entail her getting a job. ALF is disgusted at the thought of her having to work so hard along with school so when he find out how valuable the gold in his ship is, he hawks it for enough to buy Lynn a Ferrari. Willie doesn't feel right about this deal, but before he can do anything, ALF takes a drive on the freeway.
1 Worthless Gold
2 Oysters For A Car
3 A $90000 Gift
4 End Credits

Mother And Child Reunion: Kate's mother shows up unexpectedly, and the problems begin immediately. Ironically Willie and Dot get along great but not so with mother and daughter. Dot is overbearing, and Kate is sick of it. ALF reveals himself to Dot in an effort to force the two women to work out their problems.
1 Surprise Visit
2 The Mutant Stays In The Garage
3 The Catalyst
4 End Credits

Little Bit Of Soap: In a sequel to ...Reunion, Dot is still staying with the Tanners, and ALF can't wait to be rid of her. There are deep issues keeping her anchored at the house. Frustrated, ALF finds an outlet writing soap opera scripts. The thing is, he's mimicking his home life which reveals some things that deeply hurt the family. This may be the worst thing he's ever done and trying to fix it only makes it worse. The ending is one of if not the most touching of any episode.
1 Goodbye Grandma
2 1 World To Hope For
3 Warmth And Likeability
4 End Credits

Boarder Song: Willie tries to help a lost Mexican boy get back to his family but ends up having to bring him home for the night. The boy stumbles across ALF and they become friends since they connect as strangers in an unfamiliar place. Willie keeps up the search for the boy's father only to discover a dark little secret.
1 Never Too Late For Manure
2 Hole
3 Yo Soy ALF
4 End Credits

I've Got A New Attitude: Continuing the story from ...Reunion and ...Soap, Dot is moving into a new place of her own. She meets Whizzer who sets his eyes on her pretty quickly, but she is not ready to let go of her deceased husband. Everyone, including ALF, is trying to get her to get on with her life, but only ALF's conniving stands a chance of getting through.
1 Closet Chocolate
2 Sparky
3 Fishbowl Gateway To The Dead
4 End Credits

Wild Thing: ALF hits a phase where he goes insane. He warns the Tanners that it's coming and has them build a cage for him. In his insanity he tricks Brian into letting him out and it becomes a mad race to find him in the middle of the night before he does something terrible.
1 Nice Underwear
2 Cagey Alien
3 Cat Hunting
4 End Credits

Going Out Of My Head Over You: ALF is driving Willie so insane that he seeks help from a psychologist friend of the family. Larry comes to meet ALF and help him and Willie resolve their issues.
1 Arrow Through His Head
2 The Most Fun Place On Earth
3 Who's The Crazy One
4 End Credits

Weird Science: ALF tells Brian that the solar system has 2 planets of which humans aren't aware so Brian includes them on his science project. The teacher gets upset about it making Brian mad at ALF. In retaliation ALF confronts the teacher pretending he's Willie which results in the principal confronting Willie at home. Brian just wants his project included in the science fair.
1 A Dire Emergency
2 TV Factory In Lybia
3 Free Thinking And Extra Planets
4 End Credits

Lookin' Through The Windows: The classic tale of watching a neighbor and thinking he murdered his wife. ALF turns to watching the Ochmoneks fight (using Willie's opera glasses) and sees what he thinks is Trevor killing and burying Raquel. He decides to break into their house to find evidence, and it's up to Willie to rescue him. Who will rescue Willie, though?
1 New Forms Of Entertainment
2 Dirty Laundry Next Door
3 The Last Straw Again
4 End Credits

The Gambler: ALF discovers horse racing and incurs enormous debt. With the threat of Nick the Fish coming to break his legs, ALF desperately tries to turn a garage sale into a fortune maker.
1 An Expensive Balloon
2 Selling The Garage
3 The Fish
4 End Credits

Try To Remember: ALF bumps his head and loses his memory. He thinks he's an insurance salesman being held hostage by the Tanners. They try everything they can to remind him of who he really is (resulting in flashbacks of previous episodes, though one of them is from La Cucaracha). The pressure is on when he calls the police to come rescue him.
1 Whirling Hot Tub
2 Amnesiac Lacking Functionality
3 Hit Him With A Bowling Pin
4 Waiting For The Cops
5 We Want Our ALF Back
6 Wife Beaten
7 End Credits

Come Fly With Me: The Ochmoneks talk the Tanners into going on a weekend retreat with them. Trevor, a pilot in the military, flies them there in a borrowed cargo plane. ALF stows away making the vacation anything but relaxing especially when he burns down the hotel room. If that wasn't enough, Trevor passes out on the way home landing ALF in the pilot's chair.
1 Thank You From Ed McMahon
2 Home Alone
3 Stowaway
4 End Credits

La Cucaracha: A Melmacian cockroach runs out of ALF's ship. Willie is fascinated by it, but Kate wants it dead. Problem is spraying it with poison makes it grow huge. It runs the Tanners out of their house leaving it up to Willie and ALF to battle it without using bugspray (and you can't step on a 4 foot roach).
1 Slug Desert
2 Old Blue Eyes Is Back
3 ALF Vs The Roach
4 End Credits

FINAL THOUGHTS:
The show gets high marks; it's good, clean family fun. Not so for the DVD. You have to decide if you love ALF enough to want him even in a substandard presentation or are so disgusted with Lion's Gate for releasing incomplete episodes that you won't touch it. In fact, let's take a poll. Leave your opinion on the feedback form. Would you buy this collection if it were uncut? Will you/did you buy it knowing that it is cut? And what would make you want to/not want to buy season 2? Though I will be unhappy about it if they do the same thing with season 2, I'm sure I will not be able to stay away. If I get a good enough response to my questions I promise to do everything I can to contact Lion's Gate and/or Paul Fusco to tell them what their consumers want. And while we're telling them that, what about putting in a request for some commentaries? ALF is already involved with making the menus so how hard would it be to get him to talk about a couple of key episodes?

The rating for this would have been 5* even with the terrible case design if the episodes had not been cut. I debated dropping the rating to a 3* because of it but feel that's being unfair to Paul Fusco. It gets a 4* and a big warning.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12