80s sitcom ALF has been having a huge resurgence in the last couple of months, and now that is set to continue with the announcement that Shout! Factory TV will be streaming ALF: The Animated Series and ALF Tales starting in July. This follows the return of the original sitcom ALF to the platform in April, which held a marathon of classic episodes of the series, as well as brand new intersecting clips of ALF presenting the show. Now ALF fans can also relive the nostalgia of alien Gordon Shumway’s animated antics as they make their streaming debut.
ALF: The Animated Series original aired on NBC in 1987, continuing the ALF franchise and later having its own spin-off of ALF Tales, with Paul Fusco returning to voice ALF in both shows. ALF: The Animated Series acted as a prequel to the 1986 sitcom, and saw ALF on his home planet of Melmac before he arrived on Earth. The Tanner family did not feature in the series, which ran for a total of 26 episodes, and instead, ALF’s own family was introduced, including his mother and father, Bob and Flo, as well as his brother Curtis, Sister Augie, and the family dog, Neep. ALF’s girlfriend Rhonda and pals Rick and Skip made up the rest of the main character list.
ALF Tales was something a little different. Coming a year later, ALF Tales saw the familiar characters of ALF: The Animated Series taking on roles in classic fairytales in parody fashion. This led to 21 episodes of meta-filled comedy in which characters often broke the fourth wall to include ALF appearing outside of the context of the story. While the animated anthology series has mostly fallen into obscurity since its original run, fans of ALF will be thrilled to see it return to continue ALF’s renaissance.
New ALF Content Is Coming Soon
Back in February it was revealed that not only had Shout! Factory acquired the streaming rights to the classic ALF content, but also to make brand new projects based on the furry alien with a dubious love of cats.
"I couldn't be more excited that Shout! Factory will be marketing and distributing ALF and working with the series' creators, Paul Fusco and Tom Patchett," said Jeffrey Peisch, Senior Vice President of programming and new business development. "ALF was an instant classic when it debuted on network television over 30 years ago, and the series stands the test of time and appeals to multiple generations."
Fusco and Tom Patchett, who co-created the original character, called Shout! Factory "the home-away-from-Melmac that ALF has been looking for. We're looking forward to bringing you ALF in a totally new way -- with new content, unseen art, and restored footage not seen in 30 years. This is the moment ALF fans have been waiting for."
While fans wait to see what that new ALF content could be, the arrival of the two cartoon series will be enough of a stop-gap to keep them satisfied for a little while longer. Keep watching for new updates on the future of ALF as future projects are revealed.