 "Project ALF" was poorly received when it aired in 1996 because of the absence of the Tanners, weak characters, and failure to give a proper conclusion to the series.The film begins where "ALF" had ended, with Gordon Shumway—otherwise known as ALF, short for Alien Life Form—being captured by the US Air Force's Alien Task Force while attempting to depart Earth.ALF is kept under lock and key at Edmonds Air Force Base under the orders of Colonel Milfoil (Martin Sheen), although he manages to charm his airman jailers and convert his cell into a bachelor pad.