Remember those old-school mystery bus trips where you’d pay a pound, hop on a charabanc, and end up at a random seaside town for the day?
Well, Rob Brydon and the BBC are trying to bring that spirit back—but with a high-tech twist—in their new show Destination X.
Except… somewhere along the road, the fun seems to have gotten lost.
A Game Show Without a View
The concept sounds promising: 13 contestants on a luxury coach, travelling through unknown locations and competing for a £100,000 prize by trying to guess where they are.
Sounds quirky and adventurous, right?
But here’s the catch—no one can actually see anything.
The coach windows are completely blacked out, and when the players do get off the bus, they’re forced to wear electronic goggles that only give them blink-and-you’ll-miss-it peeks of their surroundings.
To make things even more confusing, these goggles have tiny cameras inside them that show us close-up shots of the contestants’ eyeballs darting around blindly.
It’s supposed to be immersive, but it honestly just feels disorienting—and for viewers, a little nauseating.
A Coach That Feels More Like a Submarine
If the aim was to make this a comfortable adventure, the setup missed the memo.
The coach is fitted with cramped bunk beds that line a tight hallway, giving off serious submarine or hostel-on-wheels vibes.
One contestant, 22-year-old Mahdi, quickly tapped out after just one night, citing concern over hygiene and possibly the symphony of snores from fellow travellers.
No judgement—most of us would’ve done the same.
A Strange Start With Too Much Stagecraft
The show didn’t exactly ease us in with realism either.
It kicked off at a supposedly real airport in Baden-Baden, but something was clearly off.
The entire place looked like a film set—the baggage drop was oddly placed next to the duty-free, and actors stood in as passengers.
Even the airport staff were played by twins, so familiar faces could pop up in different places to mess with contestants’ heads.
It felt less like a clever mind game and more like performance art that didn’t quite know what it wanted to be.
Locked In and Looking for Clues
At one point, the contestants were shoved into a box in what looked like a random European town square, trying to gather clues through a slot in the wall.
It was like watching a budget escape room challenge.
Brydon tried to lighten the mood in his cruise ship-style double-breasted blazer, playing the jolly holiday rep role.
But even he couldn’t salvage the mood—the jokes didn’t land, and there wasn’t a single line worth remembering.
What Destination X Is Really Missing
It’s clear what the BBC was aiming for—a hybrid of The Traitors and Race Across the World, mixing deception and discovery.
But Destination X ends up delivering neither.
There’s no real drama, no emotional investment, no jaw-dropping scenery, and worst of all, no reason to keep watching.
When a travel mystery show hides the journey itself, it strips away the joy of adventure. And if viewers can’t enjoy the ride either, then who exactly is this for?