Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS are forward for the Season 1 finale of Destination X on NBC, out there streaming subsequent day with a Peacock subscription.
The first season of Destination X has come to an finish, with the finale revealing alliances and betrayals that decided who amongst Rick Szabo, Biggy Bailey, and Peter Weber would win the $250,000 grand prize. I’ve had enjoyable watching the sequence because it aired after new episodes of America’s Acquired Expertise, however no episode actually hooked me as a lot as when the sequence premiere hoodwinked me earlier within the 2025 TV schedule.
I was nonetheless joyful to have fun Rick getting the win by figuring out Massive Ben in London, and there is some actual attraction in knowledgeable birdwatcher popping out on prime. However it wasn’t till I learn some feedback from host Jeffrey Dean Morgan that I realized that a part of my happiness for Rick was seemingly as a result of I was rooting towards one other competitor greater than I knew. Sorry, Pilot Pete, however I simply actually did not need you to win!
Now, to be clear – I wasn’t rooting towards Peter Weber due to his expertise on The Bachelor or The Traitors. In any case, gaining fame in Bachelor Nation (whether or not or not you are there for the appropriate causes) would not make one a geography skilled, being banished from The Traitors Season 2 solid would not remodel a competitor right into a grasp cartographer, and dealing as a pilot would not assure the power to crack clues. No, I did not actually care that a lot that Peter got here in with actuality TV expertise.
Peter Weber was simply my #3 pick of the three finalists due to one huge benefit that had nothing to do together with his time on ABC or Peacock actuality exhibits: he acquired to affix Destination X a couple of episodes into the season, skipping out on some early eliminations. I got here to my realization not when the ultimate credit rolled on Rick’s pleasure or after Peter’s emotional ultimate speech, however after I learn some feedback from Jeffrey Dean Morgan to Parade. He mentioned:
I give huge props to the casting division. Now, going ahead, say we do a Season 2. I sort of like the combo of getting some newbies in addition to some veterans. And perhaps additionally it will behoove us to do sort of what Traitors does, and have an ‘all-star’ kind of factor of actuality present vets come on and do the present. However I just like the newbies. I like the blokes [who] have by no means executed this earlier than. And you already know, somebody like Rick, who will get to stroll away with the large prize, who we’d by no means seen earlier than, a hen watcher from Canada, I assume that’s sort of cool. I marvel what the viewers would assume if Peter had come on Episode 3 after which received it, if folks assume that that’s truthful.
Peter Weber was considered one of two actuality stars who acquired to make late arrivals to Destination X, as he was joined by Love Island USA vet JaNa Craig to maneuver into the bus in Episode 3. JaNa did not final lengthy in competitors, however Peter clearly made it to the very finish. Jeffrey Dean Morgan raised the query of whether or not “folks assume that that is truthful” if he’d been the champion; I cannot communicate for everyone, however I certain would not have seen it as 100% truthful.
That mentioned, I cannot disagree with Morgan’s extra level that it “makes for good TV if the viewers is aware of some folks,” and Deal or No Deal Island did one thing comparable by casting Survivor legend Boston Rob Mariano for Season 1. And the format of Destination X implies that what Morgan described as Peter and JaNa being “very savvy” and “very sensible” about actuality TV dynamics will not be sufficient to win. Savviness is not sufficient once you additionally must establish places in Europe! The enjoying discipline would have been fairly even when all people began on the similar time.
On the entire, I’m on board if Destination X is renewed and brings in actuality TV celebs on the identical degree as The Bachelor and Love Island vets, however would discover it an entire lot simpler to root for them if in addition they have to begin in the beginning like all people else. Was Peter Weber an entertaining a part of the ultimate levels of Season 1 because of his secret alliance? Certain, however I do not assume I’ll change my thoughts that it will have been unfair for him to beat Rick or Biggy.
If you wish to relive the wild journey of Destination X Season 1, you could find the episodes streaming on Peacock. Jeffrey Dean Morgan appears open to returning for a second season, particularly after he revealed why he lastly took the internet hosting job. The rankings as America’s Acquired Expertise‘s primetime accomplice have been additionally stable, so I would not be stunned to see NBC convey the present again as a brand new summer time staple.
