About this season
ALF Tales is an animated American series that ran on the NBC television network on Saturdays from August 1988 to December 1989. The show was a spinoff from the series ALF: The Animated Series. The show had characters from that series play various characters from fairy tales. The fairy tale was usually altered for comedic effect in a manner relational to Fractured Fairy Tales. Each story typically spoofs a film genre, such as the "Cinderella" episode done as an Elvis movie. Some episodes featured a "fourth wall" effect where ALF is backstage preparing for the episode, and Rob Cowan would appear drawn as a TV executive to try to brief ALF on how to improve this episode. For instance Cowan once told ALF who was readying for a medieval themed episode that "less than 2% of our audience lives in the Dark Ages".
Episodes (13)
1. Robin Hood
Aired 10 September 1988 • 25 min
Robin Hood from the TV cartoon series ALF Tales premiered on September 10, 1988 as the pilot for the series in Season 1, Episode 1. Robin Hood is portrayed by ALF. ALF has a jazz band that fights against Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham while good King Richard is away, promoting his book How to be a Really Nice King.
2. Sleeping Beauty
Aired 17 September 1988 • 23 min
Sleeping Beauty from the TV cartoon series ALF Tales premiered on September 17, 1988. The Evil Sorceress puts a curse on ALF, the prince, which ensures that the moment he gets a paper cut he dies. The King makes several decrees to prevent this tragedy from happening including keeping the prince in the castle, banning all paper products and printing greeting cards and utility bills on Canadian Bacon.
3. Cinderella
Aired 24 September 1988 • 22 min
4. Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Aired 1 October 1988 • 23 min
Sleepy Hollow from the TV cartoon series ALF Tales, season 1. The tale takes place in the 20th Century and provides a modern twist on the original The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In the story, Ichabod Crane rides an Express train to interview for a staff photographer position at The Daily Hemisphere.
5. Jack and the Beanstalk
Aired 8 October 1988 • 22 min
Jack and the Beanstalk also released under the title ALF and the Beanstalk premiered on October 8, 1988 in Season 1, Episode 5. When Jack Bates' mother has business troubles, Jack runs to town to sell the family cow. Jack comes in contact with a man that trades him three magic beans for the cow. Upon learning of this trade, Jack's mother throws the beans out the window. The next morning a beanstalk grows and ALF climbs it, exploring where it leads.
6. The Aladdin Brothers and Their Lamp
Aired 15 October 1988 • 21 min
The Aladdin Brothers and Their Lamp premiered in Season 1, Episode 6 on October 15, 1988. The brothers, Ziggy and Roy Aladdin, get lost while on a massive tour that spanned the United States and the world. While in the Middle East, the brothers get lost and come across a man riding a camel. The man saves them and asks them to retrieve a lamp in a cave. Once discovered, they use the lamp to their own benefit
7. Rapunzel
Aired 29 October 1988 • 24 min
Alf tells the classic tale of Rapunzel, except with a few different twists along the way.
8. Rumpelstiltskin
Aired 12 November 1988 • 23 min
9. The Princess and the Pea
Aired 19 November 1988 • 22 min
10. John Henry
Aired 3 December 1988 • 20 min
11. The Three Little Pigs
Aired 10 December 1988 • 21 min
12. Alice in Wonderland
Aired 17 December 1988 • 21 min
13. Peter Pan
Aired 7 January 1989 • 22 min