Spoiler alert! This story discusses the September 22 premiere of The Voice Season 28. The episode can be streamed with a Peacock subscription if you’re not caught up.
The Voice is officially back, with Niall Horan and Michael Bublé battling it out to stay undefeated against fellow coaches Snoop Dogg and Reba McEntire. It was teased ahead of the season that host Carson Daly would also be getting in on the fun when Season 28 premiered on the 2025 TV schedule, and sure enough, the Carson Callback was introduced in the very first episode. While we finally know how the twist works, I’m left with even more questions.
How Does The Carson Callback Card Work?
Carson Daly’s big moment came toward the end of the premiere, when 25-year-old Ryan Mitchell took the stage to sing Cage the Elephant’s “Cigarette Daydreams.” The host was visibly perturbed when the L.A. singer got no turns, muttering, “Why didn’t you push your button?” when Michael Bublé admitted Mitchell’s unique voice made him overthink it.
Again, during Niall Horan’s critique that he wanted to hear different sides of Ryan Mitchell’s voice, Carson Daly said under his breath, “That’s the song. He’s singing the song.” When the artist reunited with his family and Daly backstage, the host told him:
I’m really frustrated. Sometimes the coaches just don’t get it right. There is something I think I can do. I would like to try and help, if you’re willing to take a walk with me.
That’s when Carson Daly explained that after 28 seasons he was tired of The Voice coaches letting good artists fall through the cracks, and the show rarely got a “cool alt rock artist” like Ryan Mitchell. Daly introduced the Carson Callback, telling the artist he had 24 hours to rehearse another song before auditioning again the next day. In the host’s words:
I can only do this once, and from what I just heard, I’m gonna give you the Callback card. And what I want you to do is, like, right now, pick a new song. Ryan, you have 24 hours to prepare for this second and last chance. ‘Cause I believe you can definitely get a chair turn.
So it looks like we’ll be seeing Ryan Mitchell again in Episode 2, which airs September 23. So, I’ve got a couple of questions about how this went down.
Why Didn’t The Voice Explain The Carson Callback Before The Host Used It?
While the previews for Season 28 did tease the Carson Callback, fans had no idea what the card did. I wondered if Carson Daly might get to pick one artist for each team, or save a singer from a later round in the competition. The Voice should have let the home audience know the stakes beforehand, because by the time Daly explained the card — including the fact that he can only use it once this season — he had already executed the move.
Sure, we get to see Ryan Mitchell return in the next episode, but I think it would have been cooler if The Voice had built up that anticipation, letting the audience wonder if this no-chair artist would be the one saved by the host. As it is, now that we know how the card works, we won’t even see it get played again until The Voice’s revamped Season 29 in February 2026?
I’m also curious about Carson Daly’s wording that this audition do-over is the artist’s “second and last chance.” Last chance? Does that mean if the 25-year-old doesn’t get picked in Episode 2 (he will, though), he won’t be allowed to audition on future seasons? Surely not, so Daly just meant it’s his last chance this season to advance? That’s … just how the competition works. I know, it’s nitpicky, but words matter, man.
Tune in at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, September 23, on NBC to see if Ryan Mitchell makes the most of the first-ever Carson Callback and if we get any more clarity on why The Voice’s big Season 28 twist is over just as we were figuring it out.
