‘The Voice’s Game-Changing Twist Is Rewriting Season 28 in the Most Shocking Way

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Voice, Season 28.Over the 14 seasons ithas been on the air, The Voice has experimented with twists for its coaches. From the steal to the block, when a new mechanic is introduced, it makes a noticeable impact, but it often leads to banter between the coaches for entertainment value. For the longest time, it’s always been about the coaches. For Season 28, someone else is about to get their hand at messing with the flow of the show. And it couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.

Ryan Mitchell came to the Blind Auditions with a unique sound. Rarely does The Voice feature alt-rock artists, but Ryan was ready to change that. Sadly, none of the coaches turned their chairs for him as they didn’t connect with his sound. To his dismay, host Carson Daly was ready to change Ryan’s fate as he launched the season’s new twist: Carson’s Callback. When it came into play, The Voice completely changed. Finally, the long-time host had a purpose on the show beyond holding a microphone.

Carson’s Callback Gives Carson More Power Than Ever

The 25-year-old Los Angeles native shared in his intro package that music had always been a part of his life. He even started an Everly Brothers-inspired band with his older sibling when he was younger. But Ryan revealed that after going down a dark path, his life changed for the worse, having lived out on the street. He eventually turned his life around following rehab, where his parents sent him an “emergency box” that featured albums to rediscover his passion for music. Proudly four years sober, his story was one of a second chance. How apropos. During his Blind Audition of “Cigarette Daydreams” by Cage the Elephant, unfortunately, the judges didn’t connect. He wasn’t belting out, giving vocal gymnastics.

Instead, he offered a pure alt-rock with a tinge of pop that has room for improvement on the right track. Ryan needed someone who would understand his stylistic choices, like Adam Levine. Michael Bublé was concerned about whether Ryan “could do other stuff.” Reba McEntire encouraged him to return one day with a new song. As Snoop Dogg put it, “This no will become a yes sooner than later.” It was as if it was all set up perfectly for another second chance in Ryan’s life.

On the sidelines, Carson was fuming. Honestly, it’s the most energetic and alive he’s ever been. So, he unleashed Carson’s Callback. “I’m really frustrated. Sometimes the coaches just don’t get it right,” he told Ryan and his parents. “28 seasons, I see coaches let great singers like yourself fall through the cracks.” He walked him backstage, handed him a prop with the twist’s title, and told him he had 24 hours to learn a new song and try again. “You’re just too good to let go,” he told Ryan.

The twist, only able to be utilized once, gave Carson the power to allow a failed auditioner the chance to come back. Like the recently implemented Coach Replay, the new mechanic gives singers a second chance at changing their lives when the coaches make an oopsie. The coaches often regret their decisions in the fast-paced Blind Audition scenario. This alleviates the regret.

On night two, Ryan returned for his second chance. “This could make or break everything,” he told Carson before taking the stage with a revamped version of Britney Spears‘ “Baby One More Time.” He was singing through the perspective of the button. This time, it worked. Proving his stylized voice can take any genre, it proved that Carson’s twist was worthwhile. And honestly, it should be allowed more than once. Just a day earlier, Michael lamented about Ryan being his regret. Well, he regretted it again as only Reba turned, automatically putting him on her team.

Can Ryan Mitchell Capitalize on His Second Chance?

The bigger story would have been a four-chair turn, so maybe Carson wasted it early on an artist that the professionals didn’t quite feel was right. Nevertheless, having a much different perspective, Carson’s power is crucial. He not only sees the performance, but he feels the energy, heartbreak, and pain the singer’s loved ones are experiencing watching their person miss out on their dream. Additionally, it gives Carson more of a purpose during the Blind Auditions than just being that shoulder for the singers’ loved ones to lean on. It’s an aggressive game changer.

Will Ryan have the emotional capacity to work with a coach who rejected him, or does that even factor in? It’s going to be a tough journey, but if anyone can guide him, it’s the Queen of Country. Reba is already championing his season victory with his comeback story. The only close comparison to a similar story is this current season of America’s Got Talent. Austin Brown was initially rejected and then returned days later after hounding the producers for a second chance to audition again.

He went on to make it to the quarterfinals as the judges praised his comeback story. The difference was whether his return was truly professional. So, is Ryan about to be the greatest comeback story of all time on The Voice? We’ll see. It certainly would be entertaining if he did!

The Voice airs Mondays at 8 pm EST on NBC. All episodes are available to stream on Peacock.

Release Date

April 26, 2011

Directors

Alan Carter

Franchise(s)

The Voice

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