Reception
For his portrayal of Alf, Meagher was nominated for Most Popular Actor at the 2008 Digital Spy Soap Awards. In 2010, Meagher won the Gold Logie at the Logie Awards. He was also nominated for Most Popular Actor. The episode featuring Alf's breakdown, following the suicide of an army mate who served with him in Vietnam, won the 1998 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Episode in a Television Drama Serial and was presented to director Russell Webb. The episode featuring Alf's late wife Ailsa showing him a vision of Summer Bay without him won the 2003 Australian Writers' Guild Award for Best Episode in a Television Serial. It was presented to the episode's writer Coral Drouyn.
Rosemarie Milsome of the Newcastle Herald was critical of Alf's treatment of Chloe Richards breastfeeding her newborn daughter, Olivia in the diner, labelling him "The stereotypical ocker middle-aged male; judgmental, laconic and a pain in the backside." She added: "I thought Chloe should have decked Alf, but then I tend to fly off the handle and, anyway, it would have been difficult for her to have a good swing with a baby attached to her nipple." Holy Soap have said that Alf's most memorable moment is "The classic episode ripping off It's A Wonderful Life, in which Alf, in the middle of a brain tumour operation, is led through Summer Bay history as if he had never existed." They also describe him as "the Lou Carpenter of Summer Bay, a miserable but lovable legend who will never leave." Hampshire culture website Get Hampshire branded Alf a "legendary misery-guts". They also said he is commonly known for his use of declining Australian slang with sayings such as "flamin' mongrel". Yahoo!7 opined he had become "a TV icon" for using his catchphrases such as "flamin'" and "strewth". In Catherine Deveny's book It's not my fault they print them she joked that she was distressed after watching three episodes of Home and Away and not hearing Alf say "flaming mongrels". Virgin Media have also agreed he is "lover of stereotypical Aussie slang", stating "Stone the flamin’ crows!" has been one of his typical lines. They added that their favourite was "Yer flamin' great galah!" They also said "There's no doubt Alf is loved, despite being a bit of a rogue with a finger in every pie." They went on to describe him as the "godfather of Summer Bay" and "Grumpy but kind and good natured." Geoff Mayer, Brian McFlarne and Ina Bertrand said in their book "The Oxford companion to Australian film" that Meagher's roles have epitomised the rough-hewn, knockabout Australian character. They said he portrays the persona in Alf and brands him a popular character.
Read more about this topic: Alf Stewart
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