Prime Time

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Prime Time is the fifth episode of ALF's second season. It originally aired on October 19, 1987.

Plot Summary

The Tanners become a TV-ratings family and ALF decides to rig the system so that his favorite program, Polka Jamboree, becomes a hit. It works, and Brandon Tartikoff, head of NBC is demoted for having previously turned it down.

Teaser

Ron, a TV ratings box installer is in the house and shows the family how to use the machine. ALF then jokes about it

Act one

ALF asks Willie to explain to him about how TV ratings work. Kate reminds everyone to log in when the watch, and ALF is upset that he's not included, but convinces them to let him be a part of it with the help of Brian and Lynn

Kate and Willie are watching McNeil/Lehrer on TV and ALF comes in with some popcorn. Trevor invites himself in and ALF hides in the kitchen. Trevor notices the box on their TV and tells them he things the ratings are a crock because all the good shows come in last, including his favorite, Polka Jamboree. He came over to ask for help in watering their garden while they're out.

That night, ALF is in the kitchen watching an interview with Brandon Tartikoff and he's being asked to give his opinion on the new ratings system and gives a word salad answer. When asked about the new shows, Polka Jamboree and Here's Lucy Again, Brandon says he was offered Polka Jamboree first and turned it down. Willie comes in and ALF asks about what would happen to a show with bad ratings, and Willie says that it would be cancelled. ALF asks if the ratings would go up if more people watched and is told yes.

ALF then hooks the ratings box up to the computer and finds contact information for other people on the ratings system. He then starts making phone calls.

One week later ALF is watching Polka Kamboree with the family and they talk about how bad it is, and Willie says its cancellation is inevitable. ALF then responds that he knows little. The show's host then announces that they came in number one in the ratings. ALF exlclaims "I did it!"

Act Two

ALF is asked how he managed to do this and he says that he called other people on the ratings system and encouraged them to watch. Kate warns ALF that this was illegal

At NBC's headquarters, Brandon Tartikoff is talking on the phone with a superior and trying to explain what happened. He then gets an angry call from Bill Cosby upset about his show not being number one anymore. A maintenance crew comes in and starts to remove things from his office. His secretary comes in saying that ALF is on the phone and that he's responsible for the ratings. ALF then apologies and that he hopes nobody will be fired over what he's dubbed "polkagate" and that he did it to avoid his show being cancelled. ALF then suggests a new show about an alien crashing into a family's garage, to which Brandon says is too far-fetched. Ron comes back to unhook the box and the family says that their cat kept messing around with the buttons. ALF then asks for 150 million postage stamps so he can start a letter writing campaign to save the show.

Epilogue

Willie reviews the phone bill with ALF to find out which calls were made by him.

Polka Jamboree

Title Reference

"Prime Time" is a song by Don McLean on the album of the same name.