How Life is Strange: Double Exposure Dodges the 'Other Darrin' Treatment

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is poised to launch on PC and consoles on October 29, with a Nintendo Switch release scheduled for a later date. With just over a month until the highly anticipated release, fans are eager to see how Max Caulfield’s journey will continue, especially since her narrative wrapped up with 2015’s Life is Strange. However, this raises questions about how Double Exposure will respect both endings from the original game, as some fans have already come to terms with Max’s tale being finished.

Regardless, as a staple of the episodic adventure genre, the potential for expanding into a direct sequel is vast. Developed by Deck Nine, the studio behind True Colors and Before the Storm, and published by Square Enix, Life is Strange: Double Exposure intends to explore Max’s past trauma, current relationships, and newfound interdimensional powers. While there will be plenty of new mechanics to explore, the 2024 title offers a sense of familiarity by skillfully avoiding the “Other Darrin” treatment with Max.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure Offers Multiple Avenues for Nostalgia

Hannah Telle Returns To Voice Max Caulfield in Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Later Life is Strange titles introduced new protagonists such as Chris Eriksen, Steph Gingrich, Alex Chen, Sean Diaz, and Chloe Price. However, Double Exposure pleasantly surprises fans by bringing Max back as the central focus of the narrative. Additionally, Hannah Telle, the original voice actress for the photography-loving protagonist, is also reprising her role, despite having first taken on the character nearly a decade ago.

Notably, Telle first returned to the anthology in the fourth episode of the prequel to the original game. Although the initial title launched in 2017 with three episodes, “Awake,” “Brave New World,” and “Hell is Empty,” a bonus episode for Before the Storm, “Farewell”, was added about three months later. Set three days before Max moves to Seattle and three years before the events of the first game, it deals with Max struggling to find a way to tell Chloe about her upcoming move. As emotional as this extra content is, its significance is heightened by Telle’s voice-acting.

Fortunately, along with Telle’s return, the upcoming installment should offer plenty of chances for reminiscing through the use of a camera, supernatural abilities, and varied timelines. Previews have characterized Double Exposure as a narrative featuring a fresh take on her powers while retaining the familiar essence of Max’s introverted, yet charming, personality. Not to be forgotten, Max’s relationship with Chloe may be addressed, alongside the introduction of new friends like Safiya and Moses.

Life is Strange Has Previously Given Notable Characters the ‘Other Darrin’ Treatment

The “Other Darrin” treatment refers to a scenario where a new actor is cast to portray the same character previously played by another actor, often without any explanation provided to the audience for the change. The reasons for the original actor’s departure can vary, but generally, mediums like films, shows, and games proceed as if nothing has happened. This exact situation can be seen with Chloe Price’s character throughout the series. Ashley Burch originally voiced Chloe Price, but due to the industry-wide 2017 SAG-AFTRA strike, she could not reprise her role. Other affected roles include, but aren’t limited to, David Madsen, Frank Bowers, Nathan Prescott, Samuel Taylor, and Victoria Chase.

As a result of Burch’s departure, the developers brought in Rhianna DeVries to voice the rebellious teenager in Before the Storm. This change was made without an in-universe explanation, leading to a noticeable shift in Chloe’s voice, despite DeVries making an effort to emulate the former version. This transition coincided with Deck Nine joining the series as a developer, though Don’t Nod Entertainment still had some involvement. Ultimately, among these various transitions, Hannah Telle is the only actor from the original game who has not undergone the “Other Darrin” treatment, making her the longest-serving cast member in the franchise.