ALF was an American sitcom that ran from 1986 to 1990. The title character is Gordon Shumway, a sarcastic, friendly extraterrestrial from the planet Melmac nicknamed ALF (an acronym for Alien Life Form), who crash-lands in the garage of the suburban middle-class Tanner family.  ALF is an alien from the planet Melmac who follows an amateur radio signal to Earth and crash-lands into the garage of the Tanners, a suburban middle-class family who live in the San Fernando Valley area of California. The family consists of social worker Willie, his wife Kate, their teenage daughter Lynn, younger son Brian, and their pet cat Lucky whom ALF wishes to consume.