Gimme That Old Time Religion

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ALF becomes a minister for Barry.

Gimme That Old Time Religion is the seventeenth episode of ALF's fourth and final season. It originally aired on Jan. 29, 1990.

Plot Summary

When ALF realizes that he must become a minister within six months or be cursed to yodel in perpetuity, he has the Tanner family help administer the required tests. The qualifications also require that ALF officiates over a sacred ceremony. He suggests that he officiate a vow renewal for Kate and Willie. Kate initially refuses, but the incessant yodeling causes her to change her mind.

Teaser

Willie is pondering what to get Kate for their 22nd wedding anniversary. ALF is upset because he missed the Melmacian Rite of Passage, that all must do on there 233rd birthday. He has 6 months to become a minister or his soul will be lost. Kate thinks that ALF's god, Barry won't care but ALF insists this is not so.

Act One

ALF begins a ceremony to become a minister. Brian asks question from a scroll which ALF correctly answers. Lynn asks another and ALF gets it right. Brian asks one that ALF gets wrong, and Lynn asks the final question which he gets correct. ALF has become a minister. ALF opens a confessional at the kitchen pass through and invites Lynn and Brian to confess. Lynn declines and Brian says it won't be secret. Kate comes in from the laundry room and ALF invites her to confessional, but Kate says she'd rather confess her sins to Jimmy Swaggart.

Kate and Willie are in bed and hear ALF walking around outside. He comes in but Willie asks him to give them privacy. ALF then shows them a Melmacian sacred text saying that he needs to conduct a hallowed ceremony or there will be "dire and catastrophic" penance. Kate asks what that means and ALF states yodeling, and says that will go on for the rest of his life.

ALF suggests the officiate a renewal of Kate and Willie's wedding vows. They are not sure, but ALF's yodeling continues.

Act Two

The next day ALF is still yodeling. Kate is still holding out, but everyone else is supportive of ALF's idea. ALF has a very sore throat from yodeling, and ALF says there's 400 more years to go. Kate agrees to go through with it if it means ALF stops yodeling. They start to prepare for the ceremony and ALF realizes something he saw in the text that, Kate and Willie have to be truly moved by the ceremony for it to count.

Raquel shows up, and when asking what's going on, Willie says they're having a memorial service for Brian's pet turtle Gabby. They ask that a memorial contribution be made to the New York City Ballet. Raquel then says if they wanted her to leave to just say so. ALF starts the ceremony, and Willie and Kate confirm their vows. ALF starts to think something didn't go right, and Willie reminds ALF that blindly following rules to the letter is not necessary.

ALF talks about how he won't be able to make a statement of love to which Kate sheds a tear. ALF goes on to give a eulogy for Gabby

Epilogue

The next morning, ALF is out of his robe, and tells Kate and Willie he only needs to serve one weekend a month and 2 during the summer barring a national emergency. ALF asks them how the wedding night was, and they imply it was less than their first. ALF reminds them that it's customary to tip the minister and offers to give him a receipt for twice the amount to cheat on his taxes.

Trivia

• This marks the last appearance of Raquel in the series.

Title Reference

"(Give Me That) Old Time Religion" is a song by Jim Reeves.