I herad a rimor that Alf was suposeto havea few more seasons after seoasn 4 why did NBC suddenley canel the show wasintthere supose to be a 5th saeason?

ALF creator/performer Paul Fusco talks in detail about the cancellation of the show and the proposed fifth season.


(48:00 and 49:19)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8n_bnq0ebgw

ALF should've stayed on another year or two. It was a good show!!

ALF should've stayed on another year or two. It was a good show!!
ehhhh I'm kind of gonna have to disaggree on you there, I admit when I was younger I found it hysterical but it hasn't aged well, I mean seriously no family would have kept a smart aleck alien whose a burden on the family.

ehhhh I'm kind of gonna have to disaggree on you there, I admit when I was younger I found it hysterical but it hasn't aged well, I mean seriously no family would have kept a smart aleck alien whose a burden on the family.It's not meant to be realistic. :crazy:

True. But it still hasn't aged well.

It was probably a relief too for the actors having to go with being on set for long hours due to the setting and lighting of the damn ALF puppet.

It was probably a relief too for the actors having to go with being on set for long hours due to the setting and lighting of the damn ALF puppet.

If they had to keep ALF going, then it might have been best to put ALF in a brand new scenario (not necessarily what was alluded to at the end of the series finale) outside of the Tanners. I just think that the novelty of the a sitcom starring a wisecracking puppet/alien (and the humans just react to him in annoyance) wore off.

True. But it still hasn't aged well.

I disagree. When I bought the first few seasons on DVD I was surprised how refreshingly funny it truly is. Since I was a kid in the '80s I didn't realize how sophisticated and adult ALF's humor is.

ALF probably would have worked best on a continuing basis as a cartoon. It often appeared in cartoon form. I'm pretty sure there was a Saturday morning cartoon version of ALF at one time. As someone on this thread mentioned, it was hard for the actors to walk around all the holes needed for ALF on the set.

It was better as a cartoon.

If they had to keep ALF going, then it might have been best to put ALF in a brand new scenario (not necessarily what was alluded to at the end of the series finale) outside of the Tanners. I just think that the novelty of the a sitcom starring a wisecracking puppet/alien (and the humans just react to him in annoyance) wore off.

Indeed, I really would have liked it if ALF was actually a benefit, and not a hindrance, and that the humans around him were suffering misfortune only as a result of their own undoing.

I thought this was new or something!

After two seasons and outgrowing its premise, I forgot the show was still on.

There is an article about Alf from I think Cracked.com which states that it was one of the most difficult shows to do which included trapped doors in the floor. This is the article. According to Andrea Elson who played the daughter, everyone would have “lost it” of the show went went more year. Supposedly the puppeteer was somewhat of a control freak.

https://www.cracked.com/article_135_6-beloved-tv-shows-that-traumatized-cast-members-life.html

While I don’t know, it seems that Max Wright having to play a supporting role to a puppet had to have some challenges to say the least. I am sure the pay was excellent but still.

Indeed, I really would have liked it if ALF was actually a benefit, and not a hindrance, and that the humans around him were suffering misfortune only as a result of their own undoing.

I was thinking, how much longer could they keep the whole premise of the Tanners have to keep their extraterrestrial friend a secret going? I mean, how many episodes can you do from that house and keep things fresh?

ALF kind of struck me as a parody or a sitcom variant of the movie ET. The unplanned series finale in 1990 seemed to be the getting to the part in the second half of ET where the government agents raid and quarantine Elliot's house.

There is an article about Alf from I think Cracked.com which states that it was one of the most difficult shows to do which included trapped doors in the floor. This is the article. According to Andrea Elson who played the daughter, everyone would have “lost it” of the show went went more year. Supposedly the puppeteer was somewhat of a control freak.

https://www.cracked.com/article_135_6-beloved-tv-shows-that-traumatized-cast-members-life.html

While I don’t know, it seems that Max Wright having to play a supporting role to a puppet had to have some challenges to say the least. I am sure the pay was excellent but still.

Yep, Max Wright in later interviews admitted that after the last episode, he had his items packed and was ready to leave. He didn't stick around for the season finale party which ended up being the last time the cast got together as NBC pulled the plug. He also stated that he would not have came back for a 5th season and a few other actors felt the same way so that also weighed into the cancelation as production was tough for the show and no one liked being in a sitcom playing second fiddle to a puppet. I've seen it where shows did end solely because the actors were done with the roles and were ready to move on. The movie should have aired in Summer 91 or 92 at the latest, by 1996, no one had cared and so much time had passed and not to mention, the Tanners were not seen nor mentioned in the film.

I was thinking, how much longer could they keep the whole premise of the Tanners have to keep their extraterrestrial friend a secret going? I mean, how many episodes can you do from that house and keep things fresh?

ALF kind of struck me as a parody or a sitcom variant of the movie ET. The unplanned series finale in 1990 seemed to be the getting to the part in the second half of ET where the government agents raid and quarantine Elliot's house.

Sci-Fi was really a trending theme in the 1980s with many sitcoms and shows playing off it but it was becoming stale by 1989 and 1990. Small Wonder was played out to many people even though some argued it had another season or two left in it but Jeremy Suprian stated he was growing tired of that show and wanted to move on to other roles (sadly, he wasn't seen in anything major since the cancelation of the series and was last reported working as a steakhouse server and homeless).

I think the show ran out of gas after the 2nd season.

I always thought Alf and Sophia from Golden Girls were on par because they were so brash and unlikable.

I think the show ran out of gas after the 2nd season.

I always thought Alf and Sophia from Golden Girls were on par because they were so brash and unlikable.
I agree with you that the show ran out of gas after the second season. However the censors ruined the show. Alf was supposed to be much more cutting edge but NBC knew kids watched and his behavior and lines were curtailed to much more boring. There was an early episode where Alf put a cat in the microwave and child watched and did the same to their cat. His parents had a fit and contacted NBC. Its sad what Alf could have been.

On another note, what other sitcom left fans hanging. The last episode has Alf almost recused by his alien family and it was to be continued to the next season. Well that season never happened so we never know if he got rescued or captured by the government.