Ryan Reynolds set to revive ’80s sitcom ‘ALF’

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Ryan Reynolds is set to revive ’80s sitcom puppet ALF in a series of new shorts sponsored by a variety of companies, including Mint Mobile, Fubo, Hims, MNTN and Amazon’s Ring.

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Reynolds’ Maximum Effort Channel — which is available to stream on platforms like Fubo, Amazon Freevee, LG Channels, Plex, Sling Freestream, Tubi, VIDAA, VIZIO Watchfree+ and Xumo Play — has acquired the rights to the classic ’80s NBC series featuring the cat-eating alien, and will weave in the new sponsored shorts — which the company is calling “Maximum Moments” — in between old episodes.

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The new material will be produced by Reynolds, ALF creator Paul Fusco, and Shout! Studios.

“At Maximum Effort, we love taking risks and blurring the lines between shows and sponsorship because we believe both can be equally entertaining,” said Reynolds in a statement. “Besides my irrational love of ALF growing up, one of the reasons we licensed this show was precisely because Paul, Shout! Studios and our intrepid brand partners wanted to plot with us to bring ALF back to life. Tune in this Caturday!”

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Reynolds launched the Maximum Effort Channel on Fubo in June and features in a show called Bedtime Stories with Ryan, in which the Deadpool star reads new and classic bedtime stories “in an attempt to soothe your mind and soul (and also his own).”

“We’re so happy to create a program with the express goal of putting people to sleep. This show has actually been a dream of mine for a while,” Reynolds said in a statement last month. “Story time is a nighttime staple in our home and is a daily reminder of the power of storytelling.”

The channel also features classic TV shows and movies, but Reynolds’ ALF segments will be the first step in taking a known character and building new content around them.

ALF aired on NBC from 1986 to 1990 and followed the alien character named Gordon Shumway as he makes a new life living with a family after crash landing into their suburban home.

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Since going off the air after four seasons, ALF has appeared in his own short-lived talk show in 2004 and popped up in an episode of Mr. Robot.

In 2018, Variety reported that a reboot was being eyed that would have followed ALF emerging from Area 51 – where he had been held captive since the original series finale. But the revival never took off after failing to find a suitor.

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Twitter: @markhdaniell

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