Alf's Hit Talk Show
| ALF's Hit Talk Show | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Talk show |
| Presented by | ALF |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Burt Dubrow Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | TV Land |
| Original release | July 7 – December 17, 2004 |
| Website | |
ALF's Hit Talk Show was an American cable television talk show that aired on TV Land in 2004 for seven episodes. The host is the puppet character ALF, of 1980s television fame. At the beginning of each show, ALF is introduced by his "sidekick", Ed McMahon. The show ran in a 30-minute block and featured guests such as Drew Carey and Joe Mantegna. Prior to the series' debut, Entertainment Weekly described ALF's Hit Talk Show as "a one-shot, a lead-in" for TV Land's marathon of the original ALF sitcom.[1]
Format
The show's format is traditional: ALF sits behind a desk and talks to celebrity guests who drop by for brief chats. In between, there is light banter and some prerecorded comedy skits, usually featuring McMahon or comic actor Kevin Butler. On ALF's desk is a large bowl of snack food (popcorn, peanut brittle, or the like) which the guests are invited to eat. (ALF himself, being an alien, and a puppet to boot, does not partake.)
Running jokes on the show include ALF's stated penchant for eating cats, and McMahon's bewilderment at how he ended up saying "And now... Heeeere's ALF!" on a late-night cable show hosted by a B-list 1980s celebrity who is not even human.
Reception
The show's pilot gained enough viewers to merit more episodes; however, ALF's Hit Talk Show was not a hit and is regarded among the greatest talk show flops. In 2009, GetBack.com included it with nine other programs on a list of the "Worst Talk Shows in TV History."[2]
List of episodes
1. (pilot) July 7, 2004 (Wednesday) 11:00pm ET/PT
(re-broadcast) November 5, 2004 (Friday) 11:00pm ET/PT
Guest Appearances - Drew Carey, Dennis Franz
Cameo Appearances - Joan Rivers, Henry Winkler
(Pilot Episode)
2. November 12, 2004 (Friday) 11:00pm ET/PT
Guest Appearances - Joe Mantegna, Merv Griffin
Cameo Appearances - Jack Sheldon
(Production #105)
3. November 19, 2004 (Friday) 11:00pm ET/PT
Guest Appearances - Bryan Cranston, Leon Redbone
(Production #102)
4. November 26, 2004 (Friday) 11:00pm ET/PT
Guest Appearances - Tom Arnold, James Nelson and his talking dog (ventriloquist)
(Production #106)
5. December 3, 2004 (Friday) 11:00pm ET/PT
Guest Appearances - Doris Roberts, Kevin Butler (stand-up comedian)
(Production #101)
6. December 10, 2004 (Friday) 11:00pm ET/PT
Guest Appearances - Tom Green, Linda Blair, Jack Sheldon
(Production #104)
7. December 17, 2004 (Friday) 11:00pm ET/PT
Guest Appearances - Eric Roberts, Vincent Pastore
(Production #103)
External links
References
- ↑ Susman, Gary From Carnac to Melmac Entertainment Weekly (June 30, 2004). Retrieved on 11-14-10.
- ↑ Harrington, Amy & Harrington, Nancy Worst Talk Shows in TV History FoxNews.com (November 6, 2009). Retrieved on 11-14-10.