The CORRECT number of ALF episodes

[ALFicionado]

Maybe they "stretched" out the episdoes so they could reach the 100+ mark for syndication purposes, although there are exceptions ( tv shows with fewer episodes that have been syndicated).

That's what I've been thinking all along. I see no other reason why they'd do such a thing.

[samstokes80]

Yes, in syndication they break three hour-long specials into two episodes, so it becomes 102.
I would advocate for 99 being the "true" number from the original airing, since the three below were original aired in the hour-long format (and are better that way, since the "to be continued..." is a bit contrived in them - particularly in "Tonight Tonight" when they freeze frame and have ALF do a voice-over). The other two-parters were originally aired as two-parters so I would consider them to be two legitimately separate episodes. Why "Turkey in the Straw" has a single production number, I do not know, unless they originally intended it as an hour long special and changed their minds (or were forced to change it) at the last minute.

Season 1- 26 episodes ("Try to Remember" was originally aired as an hour-long episode)
Season 2- 26 episodes ("ALF's Christmas Special" was originally aired as an hour-long special)
Season 3- 26 episodes ("Tonight, Tonight" was originally aired as an hour-long special)
Season 4- 24 episodes

[samstokes80]

Btw, I would imagine that the main reason for doing this would be simply to make them fit into a thirty-minute time slot, and not necessarily to stretch the number of episodes out.

Other shows, such as Star Trek (TNG, DS9, Voyager) have split two-hour special episodes into two one-hour episodes on their subsequent airings.

[ALFIsMyIdol]

On my taped ALF episodes (not syndication) all of the two-parters were two episodes except for "ALF's Special Christmas' that one was one 60 minutes long episode.

[Alflover24/7]

99 for sure!