David Silverman Movies

In the 102nd and final episode of ALF, the titular alien is thrilled to learn that his fellow Melmaccians Skip and Rhonda are going to establish a new colony on another planet--and he's been invited to join them if he can come up with a security deposit. This means that ALF will have to leave the Tanners, a prospect he faces with both sadness and regret (mostly over not being able to raise money for that deposit). Alas, just as he's prepared to make his final farewells, ALF is captured by the Alien Task Force! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While taking an art class, Lynn (Andrea Elson) encourages ALF to try his hand at painting. Dutifully, ALF creates a "still life" using food, then substitutes his masterpiece for Lynn's current class assignment. ALF's "painting" is lauded as a work of genius--and a green-with-envy Lynn wishes that she'd kept her mouth shut! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, Kip Niven returns to the series, but not in his familiar role as Vera's duplicitous ex-fiance Steve Marsh. Instead, he shows up as Steve's cousin Travis Marsh, a heavily bewhiskered country-western singer. After hearing Alice (Linda Lavin) warble a tune, Travis invites her to join his travelling band--but his interest in Alice is a bit more than professional! Linda Lavin and Kip Niven sing "Higher and Higher". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It's plate-carriers vs. plungers when Alice (Linda Lavin), Vera (Beth Howland) and Jolene (Celia Weston) participate in a TV quiz show. The category is "musical trivia", and the girls' competition consists of a trio of plumbers, led by peppery oldster Louie (Cliff Norton). For a while, it looks like the waitresses are going to win--but that's when the competition starts flushing up the dirty tricks. This episode was codirected by series regular Vic Tayback (Mel). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Enterprising Mel (Vic Tayback) purchases a nursery school for the purpose of bulldozing the property and erecting a parking lot for his diner. This scheme causes the school's faculty and students, not to mention the diner staff, to regard Mel as a super-villain--and in fine "sitcom retribution" fashion, it is Mel himself who suffers most from the situation. Future Designing Women regular Rue McClanahan is cast in the unlikely role of Mother Goose! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Guich Koock appears as Jonas, the brother of trucker-turned-waitress Jolene Hunnicutt (Celia Weston). Making a surprise appearance at the diner, Jonas is somewhat taken aback when Jolene cuts him dead. She hasn't forgotten about his reputation as a con artist--and when Jonas sells a worm ranch to diner owner Mel (Vic Tayback), it looks like Jolene has good reason to give her brother the cold shoulder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Vera (Beth Howland) has taken up playing the cello, even though her talent somewhat exceeds her enthusiasm. That said, the gang at Mel's diner (except for Alice [Linda Lavin], who barely appears in this episode) is in for a surprise when Vera is invited to join a local string quartet. The music heard during the closing credits was reportedly played by series regular Beth Howland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A puppet cast discovers and enacts the traditions of the holidays in Passover at Bubbe's. This uplifting family film, originally released in 1990, was the winner of a Kids First! Award. It features colorful Muppet-like characters involved in Passover preparations. The holiday story touches the heart of young and old alike with its account of the warm relationship between grandmother Bubbe and her granddaughter. The film contains original music and historically accurate information. Passover at Bubbe's is one of a series of home videos featuring the Bubbe puppet family. ~ Sally Barber, All Movie Guide

Doting grandparents George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford) want to enter little Jessica in a baby contest sponsored by a big-time ad agency. Jessica's parents Lionel (Mike Evans) and Jenny (Berlinda Tolbert) are dead set against this plan. Thus, George and Louise secretly take Jessica to the contest -- and promptly "misplace" the child. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dreamworks SKG's second feature-length animated film blends comedy and drama in an unusual historical adventure. Two genial swindlers working as stable hands stow away with Cortez, the legendary Spanish conquistador, as he searches for El Dorado, the lost City of Gold. Luck smiles on the two con men, and they happen to find a settlement in Mexico that they believe is El Dorado; however, while the two exotic strangers are at first embraced by the Mayan people, they've also arrived just in time to be offered up as the next human sacrifice. The Road to El Dorado was directed by Don Paul, who helmed the first DreamWorks animated feature, The Prince of Egypt; Will Finn, a featured animator on Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin; Bibo Bergeron, who worked on Ferngully: The Last Rainforest; and David Silverman. It features new songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, and the voice cast includes Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, Rosie Perez, Edward James Olmos, and Armand Assante. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

While Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) has never been a star student, his grades have been slipping even further than usual, and his teacher Mrs. Krabappel (voice of Marcia Wallace) warns him that if his marks don't improve, he might fail history and be left back rather than graduate to the fifth grade. Bart intends to study before his big test, but Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) persuades him to watch some television with him first; by the time Bart finally cracks his books, he's nearly fallen asleep. The next morning, Bart is convinced he can't pass and fakes being sick; Bart gets answers for the test from Milhouse (voice of Cartwright), but Milhouse turns out to be a bad choice, and Bart gets an F. Desperate to pass his class, Bart makes a deal with class brain Martin (voice of Russi Taylor) -- if Martin shows Bart how to be smart, Bart will show Martin how to be cool. Martin, however, turns into a party animal and fails to live up to his end of the bargain, and Bart prays to God for a reprieve on his test. To Bart's astonishment, a freak snowstorm causes school to be cancelled the next day, and while all his friends are out having fun, Bart studies like he's never studied before in a last-ditch attempt to pass the fourth grade. "Bart Gets an F" was first aired on October 11, 1990. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide