| Previous episode: | Next episode: |
| Gimme That Old Time Religion | When I'm 64 |
In ALF's daydream, he is on a TV show with Eric, who just opened a letter requesting that ALF jump through flaming hoops.
Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades is the eighteenth episode of ALF's fourth and final season. It originally aired on Feb. 5, 1990.
Plot Summary[]
ALF finds some old photos of the Tanner family and realizes how quickly they are aging, causing him concern as to where he will live after Kate and Willie pass away.
He has a daydream about what it would be like living with each of the Tanner children when they grow up.
[]
ALF comes in to the family having breakfast and is concerned about death. He shows them pictures of the family before he showed up and wonders what will happen to him when the all grow old, as his species ages much more slowly than humans
Act One[]
The family heads out to a Bar Mitzvah, leaving ALF at the house alone, He then daydreams about how he'd end up with each member of the family.
With Lynn, ALF imagines living in an decrepit apartment with her and Robert. She prepares some chicken broth for them. ALF bemoans to Lynn about Robert not having a real job, then he walks in saying he made $17 today as a mime. He's come up with a new routine, man trapped in a pyramid and demonstrates how it's more difficult. Lynn takes about how Robert will become a genius. The phone rings and Lynn answers. It's a call for Robert from the circus who offers him a job, ALF asks for someone to shoot him. Robert says there's a job for both of them in the act. Lynn jumps at the chance. At the circus, ALF is tied to a wheel and Robert throws knives at him while blindfolded
With Brian, ALF imagines he's married to Roxanne the daughter of a mafia boss. ALF is wearing a collar and being treated like a dog. There is cash everywhere and Brian talks about how it comes from their olive oil business, and that it's sold on freeway off-ramps making it a cash business. Roxanne comes in with her two assistants carrying violin cases. Roxanne hands ALF a black rose, and Brian Jr. comes in, and complains about ALF. Roxanne then tells Brian Sr. to head upstairs to get the sweater she got him while in DC for some committee hearings. Brian Jr. snitches on ALF being on the couch and produces a furball which ALF says came from the cat. Roxanne rings a bell and euphemistically tells her assistants take ALF to the amphitheater and "play for him"
Act Two[]
With Eric, ALF imagines he's the host of a comical kid's TV show where Eric is an boisterous slapstick comic. ALF is a living jack in the box, nicknamed Sparky. Eric opens a mailbag and reads letter from a fan, Billy Redseed of Portland Oregon who wants to see ALF jump through hoops of flames. A talking clock announces it's noon. which means the show is over. Eric announces the next episode will be "Fun with Sharp Objects" The taping is over and ALF complains about all the trouble he is given. Eric tells ALF that he's out of the act and being replaced with Bootsy, a person in a dog costume. Some stagehands remove Sparky's name and replace it with Bootsy, then carry his box away
With Kate and Willie, ALF imagines them as still living at the house. They're both senile. Willie is sitting in a wheelchair next to the window complaining about not being able to see the sun setting over the ocean, which is not possible as they're in a valley, and blames ALF for it. ALF tries to make a scam phone call, to which Willie puts a stop to. Kate comes out of a smoky kitchen perkily announcing a grease fire and that the curtains when up. She sits down to her knitting and says the big one is for tenting their home in the winter. Kate then asks ALF to read them a letter that came form Lynn, and ALF balks because the letter came 3 years ago and that he's already read it to them 500 times. They both complain again and ALF calls the Alien Task Force to turn himself in
Epilogue[]
Back at the house, the family has come home and Lynn tells ALF they'd never do any of the things he imagined. Brian asks if he still had his hair in ALF's daydream, and Kate tells ALF they'll always make provisions for him
Background information[]
Production history[]
- Premiere airdate: February 5, 1990
- Production number: 4013
Title Reference[]
"Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" is a song by Timbuk 3.