[draft 7-5-2025]

THE SHADOWSCAPE

(e)scape for free from reality

the AI app matches us so artfully,
its add-in's charm so beautifully.
is it time for us to really see
whether we're a couple, possibly,
without smiling artificially?

Episode 3

“Disarming charm ” (Beyond a shadow of doubt)

[SoCal. Midday. Large interior work area on floor of a dated office building. A casually dressed man works in his cubicle. The far side of the work area is bright, lit by a section of windows. But the worker’s cubicle is mostly in shadow, lit by task lights and computer screens.]

[Scene “Is this a match?”]

[The series host “Rod” walks into the scene, faces the camera, and makes a brief monolog.]

“Witness thirty-something Cyril Sheppard, preparing for his first date, or at least his first in person meeting, with Roxy. Coached by his new matchmaking app, Cyril is confident that words won’t get in the way – in expressing the emotional connection he’s felt in their online chats. Soon, he’ll need to decide whether their exchanges ring true – or whether that even matters in The Shadowscape.”

[Dramatic montage with music fades in and spins out to black.]

[Scene sketch / summary]

[Fade to credits]

Copyright © 2025 John P. Healy

Notes

[1] Re “words won’t get in the way,” see the song “This Masquerade” by George Benson (1976).

Are we really happy here with this lonely game we play?
Looking for words to say
Searching but not finding understanding anywhere
We’re lost in a masquerade

[2] Re matchmaking, see Matchmaker Lyrics – Fiddler on the Roof

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch …

[3] Re “conversational pizzazz,” imagine if everyone had a Cyrano de Bergerac to present themselves on dating apps (aka “Cyrano in your pocket” – Jeff Patton).

AI Overview

“Cyrano de Bergerac” refers to both a historical figure, Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac, and the famous play (1897) based on his life, written by Edmond Rostand. The play, simply titled “Cyrano de Bergerac,” is a romantic drama about a skilled swordsman and poet with a large nose, who loves Roxane but believes his appearance makes him unworthy of her affection. He helps a handsome but tongue-tied cadet, Christian, win her heart by writing love letters for him. The play explores themes of unrequited love, self-doubt, loyalty, and the power of words. 

…

Rostand’s Play:

• Written in 1897, the play draws inspiration from Cyrano’s life and personality. 
• It’s a five-act drama in verse, often considered a classic of French literature. 
• The play is known for its memorable characters, witty dialogue, and poignant portrayal of Cyrano’s unrequited love. 
• The play has been adapted into various forms, including operas, films, and musicals.
   
  Key Elements of the Play:
• Cyrano’s Character: He is a complex character, a master of both sword and pen, but deeply insecure about his appearance. 
• Roxane: A beautiful and intelligent woman, admired by both Cyrano and Christian. 
• Christian: A handsome but inarticulate cadet who falls for Roxane. 
• The Love Triangle: The core of the plot revolves around Cyrano’s secret love for Roxane and his decision to help Christian woo her. 
• The Power of Words: Cyrano’s eloquent letters, though signed by Christian, reveal the depth of his feelings and ultimately win Roxane’s heart. 
• Tragic Flaw: Cyrano’s self-doubt and insecurity about his nose are his tragic flaws, preventing him from openly declaring his love. 

[4] There’s the classic trope in a romantic comedy:

Pal: Stop trying to be someone else. You're being a jerk!
Hero: But she won't like the real me. I don't know what to say!
Pal: Just be yourself. That's who she likes.
Hero: (Sighs)

AI Overview [example of classic trope in a romantic comedy to “just be yourself”]

One of the classic rom-com tropes involving the message “just be yourself” is when a character attempts to change themselves or adopt a facade to impress a love interest, only to discover that their true self is who their love interest truly appreciates. This can be referred to as a “Redundant Romance Attempt”.

Here’s an example of how this might play out:

Initial situation: A character, perhaps a shy and quirky individual, has a crush on someone who seems drawn to a different personality type – maybe someone more outgoing and “cool”.

The change: The character, convinced they need to be something they’re not to win the affection of their desired love interest, attempts a makeover, changes their interests, and adopts a persona to appear more like the type of person they believe the love interest would be attracted to.

The reveal: Through a series of comedic misunderstandings or pivotal moments, the character’s true personality shines through. The love interest, in turn, realizes that they are actually drawn to the character’s authenticity, quirkiness, or unique qualities that the character had been trying to hide.

The moral: The character learns the value of being true to themselves and that the right person will appreciate them for who they genuinely are. The love interest validates this by showing affection for the authentic version of the character.

This trope highlights the idea that genuine connection and love are built on honesty and self-acceptance, and that trying to be someone else to please others is ultimately counterproductive.

Dive deeper in AI Mode

[5] Re the (often exhausting) contemporary dating scene, this article poses the issue of not only cognitive off-loading, but also emotional outsourcing. “Charm bombing.” AI love triangles?

When wanting more than cursory “what’s up” conversation, there’s an app for that. There be AI ringers. So, what’s acceptable and not – social norms for text, voice, image, video. And when does authenticity even matter (besides all those T&C).

Will AI produce a race the bottom, a veneer of uniform boilerplate?

• Washington Post > “‘It’s almost like we never even spoke’: AI is making everyone on dating apps sound charming” by Tatum Hunter and Lisa Bonos (Jul 3, 2025) – The influx of AI makes dating more complicated, raising questions about etiquette and ethics in a dating landscape that can already feel alienating.

With nearly a third of U.S. adults saying they have used dating apps and the majority of relationships now beginning online, dating companies are keen to find how cutting-edge AI can bolster their business model. Hinge has added AI tools that read users’ profiles and skim through their photos, suggesting changes and additions that theoretically boost their chances at a match. Tinder uses AI to read your messages, nudging you if it thinks you have sent or received something distasteful. And apps such as Rizz and Wing AI help users decide what to say to a potential date.

[6] Around 1980 I joined Great Expectations, a franchise dating service in Los Angeles CA. Not cheap. Their technology was state-of-the-art at that time. Personal profiles (including photos, bound in 3-ring binders), 5-minute Q&A personal videos (in a library of VHS cassettes), and VCRs and TVs (for viewing those videos).

Ullman’s [the company founder’s] central idea was that a video recording could showcase a more honest version of a person.

Ullman’s business cards used the tagline “bars hate us” (and ads used the catchphrase “Choice, not chance”).

Member profiles were screened by Member Services staff – to help bring out the best in every member. In-person contact required mutual consent.

I met a lot of women. But what I discovered (and understand so much better now) is that the technology did not include a conversation (something, although often primal, which happens in bars). And personal likes & such in many profiles were sort of generic.

Back then the service struggled to shake a stigma – the stereotype that members were “inherently desperate.”

21st century vibes continue to support a model which addresses busy schedules (career focus) and common expectations. But our digital age poses challenges regardless. (Google: “major challenges for dating among younger generations in the 21st century.”)

• Vox > “How 1970s VCR dating paved the way for Tinder and Hinge” by Michael Waters (Feb 9, 2021) – Great Expectations, which existed into the ’90s, was the original dating technology. [Article contains a scan of a 9-point flyer of how Great expectations worked and a 1995 YouTube video.]

The company’s founder, a 26-year-old named Jeff Ullman, ushered members over to a video camera, where he recorded a three-minute conversation introducing each person to the world. Ullman cycled through questions like, “Do you work hard? What makes you angry? What really motivates you? What are you looking for in a man/woman?” Then he added each videotape to the Great Expectations library and let members peruse the rest of the tapes. Appended to each was a one-page résumé outlining the person’s height, location, job, and so on, so that members could filter out candidates before popping in a tape. This was “videotape dating,” or “video dating” for short.

The central romance in the 1979 film A Perfect Couple, written and directed by Oscar winner Robert Altman, takes place thanks to Great Expectations.

MADtv — a ’90s-era competitor to Saturday Night Live — regularly parodied the company as “Lowered Expectations.”

But the people who dated with Great Expectations also risked a level of awkwardness that modern dating app users are spared. After all, to browse matches, people had to show up in person to the Great Expectations’ offices.

• LA Times > “Love God From Hell : The Man Who Brought You Videodating Hates to Date, Loves to Taunt and Has Himself Been Unlucky in Love” by Amy Wallace (Jan. 16, 1994) – Would You Buy a Relationship From Jeffrey Ullman?”