In the series finale, ALF is about to be rescued by other survivors of his home planet, but is instead captured by the U.S. military, and the viewer is left to ponder ALF's ultimate fate.[5] This was apparently not supposed to be the finale, as the original airing ended with the words To Be Continued on the screen. The producers supposedly had a verbal agreement with NBC to produce at least one more episode to resolve the cliffhanger. NBC never made good on the deal, and the series was canceled. However, the story was concluded in the TV movie Project ALF.
In 1996, a 90-minute television movie named Project ALF aired on ABC. This movie picked up six years after the events of the TV series, with ALF in government custody, and focuses on a scientist and military police officer who breaks ALF out of government custody. It did not feature any of the Tanner family, but they were briefly referenced.
One occasional guest star from the TV series did return: Beverly Archer, who had previously played neighbor Mrs. Myrna Byrd in two episodes of the ALF series and was the only actress from the show to return in the movie (even though Mrs. Byrd never met ALF), albeit in a different role. Ironically, the TV movie featured actor Ray Walston in a minor role; Walston had played the role of a stranded alien in the classic 1960s TV series My Favorite Martian, on which certain elements of the original ALF series were loosely inspired.
Of course once they manage to sneak ALF off of the base all sorts of wacky hijinks ensue as the three fugitives scoot across the country, all while narrowly avoiding the pursuing Col. Milfoil. The trio eventually reach their destination, the home of Dexter Moyers, an ex-NASA scientist who was forced out of the organization because of his willingness to talk about the existence of alien life. He agrees to help Rick and Melissa hide ALF from the military, but it seems Dexter (played by Miguel Ferrer, who gives a performance that is far better than an ALF movie has any right to expect) has plans of his own for our wisecracking extraterrestrial friend.
