How long in advance were episodes taped?

[luckythecat]

I really hope someone can answer this question.

I know it took 20-25 hours to tape one episode, but how long in advance from the week of taping did the episodes air? Were some parts of different episodes done all out of order? Were some done several (and I don't mean 1 or 2) months before finally airing? Someone said the original "Try to Remember" was done in very early 1986 despite airing in February 1987.

I'm curious because a lot of sitcoms, which are done in front of an audience, tape their episodes about 4-5 weeks before airing.

The episodes of ALF were all basically done all out of order of airdate and I wonder why. I watch them in production order. "Like an Old Time Movie" was basically the 3rd episode of season 3 despite being the third to last episode of the season.

I originally asked when Anne Schedeen gave birth to her daughter and it would give me an idea of when she went on maternity leave. Only one source said it was in January 1989, so that means they finished the season in November/December 1988. The last episode taped for that season was "have you seen your mother standing in the shadow" which aired in April. Only one snafu--they could've had Anne only take 6 weeks off and then come back.

I keep having this feeling that they stopped production (taped "Consider Me Gone") in November/December 1989 because it aired in March of 1990. I love knowing these facts. I wish somebody knew!

[Jessica]

That's a good question. I'm not sure.. hmm...

[Admin]

I have no clue either...

[luckythecat]

I really wish somebody knew! lolz. My guess would be at least 4-5 months? Maybe a lot of them were done in the summer. On the back of my dvd boxes (the uncut region 2 sets) it only says the year of the first half of the season. For instance, season 3 is 1988-1989. It only says "1988" on the back. 1989 is not there. so maybe that entire season was done in 1988.

I guess they taped a lot of episodes in summer and wrapped up production around Christmas. That's what I believe based on production order and airdate. "Oh Pretty Woman" was the first episode taped for season 2 despite being the 7th to air.

FYI, A lot of my season box sets have both years on the back but these are sitcoms that are done in front of an audience which take 2 hours to tape rather than a day. A season that aired in 1991-1992 for instance says "1991, 1992" on the back.

[Jessica]

Well, yeah. Could be.^^

[ALFIsMyIdol]

Often in interviews it was said that it would take around 30 hours to wrap up one episode (i think that's the correct numbering) and by that i'd say that it would all be shot before the season premier hit the screens so i'd say that they would shoot it in 1988 and it was aired in 1988-1989 (just an example). Of course almost all of the shows on TV would air on the course of two years (1988-1989).