NBC's "Destination X" with host Jeffrey Dean Morgan is a winner

Reel Perspectives

June 5, 2025

Messy alliances, mystery travel, and a touch of drama, Destination X is your next guilty pleasure! In the new exciting reality competition television series hosted by Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead, The Boys), also serving as executive producer, twelve contestants must figure out their mystery locations on the international adventure of a lifetime as the players are brought to Europe, then transported by bus to various undisclosed locations, while blindfolded.

Competing for the grand prize of $250,000, they participate in challenges to earn clues, trying to figure out exactly where the heck they are, relying on personal instincts, history, and geography. The series premiered on NBC on May 27, 2025, and consists of eight episodes, with new episodes released every Tuesday.

From the moment you hit play, you're thrown into a world that feels like The Amazing Race with a twist - except this time, the contestants have no clue where they are. Literally. The contestants ride around in a high-tech, blacked-out bus with no view of the outside world. Add in some futuristic goggles and a quarter-million-dollar prize, and you've got tension brewing fast!

Contestants competing for the grand prize are:

• Biggy Bailey | Chattanooga, TN

• Ally Bross | Orlando, FL

• Kim Conner | Kaneohe, HI

• JaNa Craig | Las Vegas, NV

• Shayne Cureton | Indianapolis, IN

• Jonah Evarts | Manhattan, KS

• Mack Fitzgerald | Austin, TX

• Tai Lowry | Prince George's County, MD

• Josh Martinez | Miami, FL

• Rachel George'se | Orlando, FL

• Rick Szabo | Picton, Ontario, Canada

• Peter Weber | Los Angeles, CA

NBC

The main challenge presented in the premiere episode involved solving riddles to help the team track down a hidden coin. If riddles aren't your thing, don't worry - you're not alone. The fun and drama kick in when players start disagreeing about the clues, questioning each other's motives, and engaging in low-key backstabbing before eliminations even begin. Of course, the contestant who is furthest away from the real location gets eliminated.

One elimination moment, in particular, will have you going, "Oop!" - when Josh gets sent home and immediately calls out Rick for misleading the group. Whether you think Rick did it on purpose or not, the drama is officially in motion.

You will be drawn to each contestant early as they each bring their distinct personality to the forefront. Mack, for example, is blunt and does not sugarcoat anything, openly admitting she's in it for herself and does not trust anyone. And somehow, you kind of respect her candor. At least she's honest.

And then there's Jeffrey Dean Morgan, ever charismatic. Cool, collected, with just the right amount of charm, he anchors the show with charisma that makes the chaos feel watchable without being overwhelming in a test of physical and mental gymnastics.

The rules are a bit murky at first, especially the elimination format, but by the end of the first episode, it starts to click. If you stick with it, you'll binge a few episodes to see who's really playing the game—and who's faking it, till they're eliminated.

Sharon Vuong, Executive Vice President of Unscripted Programming for NBC, stated in a press release, "The series is the ultimate high-stakes guessing game, inviting viewers to embark on a thrilling journey across Europe's most iconic landscapes and landmarks, all while engaging with our adventurous and dynamic cast."

Bottom line, if you're into strategy, secrets, deception, and wit, Destination X is the kind of psychological ride you'll want to be part of.

---

New episodes of Destination X are released every Tuesday, with episodes available to stream the next day on Peacock.

---