As NBC’s summer programming gets started, we’re introduced to a new reality series called Destination X. It’s a fun series that takes the contestants and us around Europe, using clues to figure out where the X they are.
Caution: We’re jumping into SPOILERS for Destination X season 1, episode 1.
The very first episode made it clear that the contestants were somewhere in Italy. The question was which city exactly? Through a series of clues that took the contestants to find Pinocchio, olive oil, and coins holding the emblem of the Swiss Guard, the contestants had to work out that they were in Rome, Italy.
While three of those who went to the Map Room got it right, two opted for Milan or close to Milan. Unfortunately for Josh Martinez, he was the one furthest away from Rome on the map, and that sent him home as the first contestant eliminated in Destination X.
Josh Martinez talks no regrets but mistakes in Destination X
GeekSided: I was so sad for you being the first contestant eliminated. We were just getting to know you and seeing your gameplay.
Josh Martinez: Yeah, it’s rough because I was so excited to play this game. I was really amped, just eager to get in there and have the full experience. Even if I didn’t win the show, I wanted to make it to the end. I wanted the full experience, so for it to be cut so short was a stab at the heart.
I just try to keep my spirits high, and there are lessons in all of this. I don’t think it’s the last time I’m going to compete and do these shows, so I just think the lesson is to trust yourself. Trust your gut. Next time, pick Rome!
GS: You’ve done Big Brother and The Challenge. What was it about Destination X that made you know this was the next show for you?
JM: It’s just so different from both of those shows. It’s just so different from any show I’ve ever watched or heard of on TV, and I think that scared me. Once they said you’re traveling on a bus all around Europe, well, Europe is massive, and once they pitched the show to me, I was terrified.
But I was all in. I’m an adrenaline junkie. I love adventure, and this is like the ultimate adventure, so I was all in. I was really excited. And it was NBC, so I definitely wanted to join the NBC family, so I was very excited.
GS: Was there ever a point when you thought you would hide your Big Brother past from everyone else?
JM: No. It’s such a big part of my life, and I think my strongest strength in all of these games is not my physicality, but that I’m able to genuinely connect with people. I thought there would be others from Big Brother or Housewives, like The Traitors, but when I saw it was only me, I wasn’t going to say “I’ve done 13 other shows and I won Big Brother,” but I knew I couldn’t hide it because it was a big part of my life.
GS: What was your strategy going into Destination X?
JM: My strategy right off the ramp was to form strong relationships, form allies, make friends, and connect with people. I know that in any game you do, allies are very important, so I definitely wanted to build a strong team and then just win challenges. The strongest person on the bus was the one who had the most clues, and at that point, it was Mack. I had no relationship with her, so instantly I was like “Oh, s**t,” but yeah, just win challenges.
I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. I had no idea. I went in truly blindfolded, so I just had to adapt. It was way harder than I thought. I didn’t have much room to prep because I had just gotten home from another show, so I had about a week or two in between the shows. It was nuts.
GS: Did you do some research into Europe, like pop culture and history?
JM: I had a map with me. That’s all I had, and as soon as I got to the hotel in Belgium, they confiscated it, so that was my prep. I had like big landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, and things like that, but the map of Europe was all I was focusing on.
I have a lot of life experience traveling in Europe, because I’ve done so many Challenge seasons there, so I felt pretty well-versed in the geography of Europe. I wouldn’t even blame myself for going out on that. I think I would have done pretty well in the show if I had just trusted myself.
GS: What happened in the Map Room to make you change your mind? You were set on Rome for so long and then changed it at the last minute to Milan.
JM: I don’t know. To this day, I don’t have the right answer for you. I don’t know what the hell got into me during that last two minutes when I completely panicked.
My team had Rome, everything was leading to Rome, and it’s so iconic. Milan is great for shopping, but it’s not iconic like Rome, so I don’t know what got into me. Obviously, just the whispers and the chatter and Rick. I went a little stir crazy, and that got the best of me.
GS: If it makes you feel any better, I thought Rome was too obvious and I changed my mind at the last minute.
JM: All you have is one clue and everybody’s word of mouth. I had nothing to work with besides Biggy’s insights, because the other team didn’t share their clues with us at all until Rick started saying, “Oh, we think we’re in Milan.” And I think they genuinely thought they were in Milan, so I’ll give him that. It was tough. Your mind plays games when you’re trapped on a bus.
GS: Then we found out that where all the clues were, where Biggy and Mack were running around, wasn’t even in Rome. What was that like for you to learn you weren’t actually there?
JM: This is the thing. I don’t like saying regret. I don’t regret anything, but that’s another mistake I made. If I didn’t let Biggy run outside, I would have seen that town and I would have known that I’m 1) in Italy and 2) in Rome or near Rome. I was there the summer before, so I would have instantly connected the dots, and I would have gone off my own gut.
While we were 90 or 100 miles from Rome, I could tell that it was Old Italy, and I would have connected the dots. But yeah, it’s way harder than it seems. It seems pretty straightforward. You get a couple of clues, and all points are to Rome. But it’s not like that. When you can’t look out of the windows, and you’re off the bus for a little bit and then trapped in there, and you’re just traveling for hours, not knowing where you’re going, your mind starts to trick you.
GS: What was the VR goggle experience like? I was not expecting that.
JM: Awful. Burn them. I never want to see them again. You really can’t see in them, and when they unblur, that’s when you get your vision back. I hated them, but the producers of this show were geniuses. Whoever created this madness of the project is an absolute genius! This is such a good game, such a great concept. You’re really in the dark.
GS: You mentioned trusting your gut, but is there anything else you would change if you could do it all again?
JM: I would play more aggressively. I’m upset that I didn’t jump up and be more aggressive in my approach to taking charge and running outside. I would have called out Mack, and I would have just been way more unfiltered, but I felt so well-positioned in my alliance and within the friendships that I was making. I didn’t think I would go out first, and I thought I was good, building connections.
I should have unleashed the beast in the first hour. I think that has me so hungry. I feel bad for whoever I play up against next, because I’m ready to play. I barely got my hands dirty on this show, so I’m just ready to game. I’ve been feeling that for months.
GS: Which show do you want to do next?
JM: I would love to continue to work with NBC, whatever that is. I had the best experience. I’ve done reality shows for eight years now, and I’ve worked with so many production teams, and they’ve all been great. NBC just does it right. It was such a beautiful, amazing experience for me, and I felt like they treated me so good. I know I’m in good hands. I felt very appreciated and very loved.
So, maybe The Traitors or Deal or No Deal Island. Anything really.
GS: I love the strategy games that make you think.
JM: Me too.
GS: I could definitely see you being great on The Traitors.
JM: I think it would be great TV, because I’m gonna spiral, but I want to give it a shot. It’s definitely a big goal of mine. I’m very open about it, so we’ll see when it aligns. Hopefully soon.
Destination X airs on Tuesdays at 10/9c on NBC and streams the following day on Peacock.