BLASTS FROM THE PAST

entertainment

Two Septembers in the early ’90s introduced Pakistanis (and the world) to cross generational shows such as ‘The X Files’ and ‘Friends’ which transposed the dynamics of buddy hangouts, critical thinking process and consumerism.

The former, as a sci-fi thriller, questioned authority and defied official narratives with lead stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson playing the roles of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully giving exceptional insights into a fictionalised FBI’s shadowy world. Of course, the notorious Cigarette Smoking Man’s Machiavellian machinations remained the key plot of the show’s theme but in the larger scheme of things, it was all about tackling cases when no one believed the Oxford-educated Mulder with Scully often interjecting with scientific reasoning during the first couple of seasons.

Whereas, the latter, as a light-hearted comedy, had a knack for giving us simultaneous laughter and melancholy. From Joey and Chandler’s streak for happy go lucky nature, and Phoebe and Ross’ humorous eccentricities, to Monica and Rachel’s oddities in their work and love lives; ‘Friends’ had everything your closely-knit college or young professional buddy groups could imagine.

For Pakistanis, if ‘The X Files’ taught them to question governments for their failures with a conspiratorial worldview, then ‘Friends’ taught what it feels like to make or break lifelong friendships and relationships. Millennials and Gen Z grew up watching reruns of both shows well into adulthood. Though, in comparison, ‘Friends’ remains a monumental global success to this day by generating a billion dollars annually.

In Pakistan alone, Friends’ impact is such that the urban youth got heavily influenced by the six protagonists’ laidback fashion style with Joey and Rachel becoming the most prominent trendsetters. In terms of hairstyle, The Rachel Cut for Pakistani girls remains iconic even today – thanks to Jennifer Anniston’s chic fashion sense in her real and reel life. But, of course, Courteney Cox’s sleek Bob cut as Monica too had its fair share of fans.

As a lifestyle subculture, ‘The X Files’ too played a pivotal role by introducing Scully’s timeless attire in Pakistan’s professional settings to a niche audience while Mulder’s largely formal wear complemented subsets of semi-formal style Ross and Chandler donned in ‘Friends’.

Local coffee shops and cafés inspired by Central Perk popping up over the years imply how successful ‘Friends’ remains for Pakistan’s budding urban class. At one point, Lahore had a themed café but it closed down a couple of years ago. However, this did not deter café culture from dying as ‘Third Culture Coffee’, ‘Brew’ and ‘Drip Coffee Bar’ in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi respectively turned out to be spiritual successors to the show’s fictional version in a post-COVID world which brought writers, students and young professionals at a single platform where they could socialise, work or even hang out. Bittersweet nostalgia, eh?

Those who’ve had the pleasure to watch the show would be familiar with subtle brand placements and celebrity appearances. This was something unconventional back in the day but indicated the level of global recognition. Even fashion designer Ralph Lauren and Virgin Atlantic’s founder Richard Branson made brief cameos that tells us how consumerism became vital in a unipolar world led by America which was co-opted by the Europeans and Asians. In Pakistan’s affluent neighbourhoods, these brands are household names, and audiences either bought their products or travelled in when abroad.

Looking back at ‘The X Files’, Pakistan itself is nothing short of a den for wild conspiracy theories but here’s a peculiar take: it’s all about a thin line between perception and reality with the two overlapping on some instances. Maybe Mulder and Scully might’ve taught local audiences what to believe or not. After all, the tagline of the show was ‘The truth is out there’. In the last 15 years alone, Pakistanis witnessed a number of scandals ranging from political and diplomatic in nature to those impacting the economic outlook. The merits and demerits of these alleged scandals are debatable but from the eyes of ‘The X Files’, they would either be questioned or tossed aside depending on who’s asking.

Many of us grew up with an intriguing exposure to mass media – from cable television to satellite dish and the subsequent transition between VHS tapes, DVDs and online streaming, experiencing various stages of its evolution. A world dominated by America in a post-Cold War world globalised the way children of this era consumed entertainment with an ever-quirky film and television fraternity playing its part like never before. In areas where gunboat diplomacy failed, Hollywood’s entertainment value as a powerhouse came to the rescue. For Pakistan’s urban youth growing up at the time, it became a mirrored portal that redefined Western pop culture’s impact lasting to this day. ‘The X Files’ did manage to project a soft image of America for a wider set of audiences including those in Pakistan where syndicated primetime episodes were immensely popular in the ’90s and early 2000s.

Duchovny and Anderson, in their roles as Mulder and Scully, carried the mantle of platonic friendship for most part. The idea of romantic relationships is stereotypical in most contemporary shows but there are instances where platonic friendships are prioritised and this was one of them.

In Pakistan, platonic ties are rare and largely frowned upon but these characters do make people realise what it really means to be just your everyday hangout buddy of the opposite gender.

The global limelight Friends’ cast received was unsurprising given how they were even endorsed in diplomatic and political gatherings around the world. The 2004 documentary ‘The One After They Were Friends’ detailed the aspects of the cast’s behind the scenes life which piqued my interest given the amount of fame they had to deal with and how they became lifelong friends.

Matthew Perry’s autobiography ‘Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing’, published just a year before his untimely demise, is a window into his life in contrast to his fictional depiction as Chandler. Someone who brought smiles for his fans was drowning in struggles over the years and what made it inspiring was his recovery and close bond with his co-stars who stood by his side. He truly is a role model for everyone fighting their own demons especially those in Pakistan where mental health and addiction are considered taboo subjects. Perhaps, it’s time that we collectively work in avoiding stigmatising and play our role in lending hands to those battling themselves.

Another interesting aspect is the meme culture adopted since the 2010s with Friends characters becoming integral part of our everyday lives in the form of memes and gifs.

Who knows? Maybe Pakistan could get to see its own set of actors gracing the screens if official remakes of these iconic shows will get green-light. For now, let’s just enjoy the fact they have given us something to yearn for culturally and personally with sprinkles of politics.

Hassan Khan is a journalist turned entrepreneur who loves travelling and writing on pop culture.

He can be reached at hassan.khan06@icloud.com and followed on X @mhassankhan06

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