The 23rd season begins in Samoa with 18 castaways, including returning players Benjamin "Coach" Wade and Ozzy Lusth. The castaways are divided into two tribes and compete in their first immunity challenge, with the losing team sending someone to Redemption Island.

With Semhar voted off to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Mark, John, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Christine, Rick, Mikayla, Stacey, and Brandon are still in the main game. Things start to go to paranoia when Brandon tells Coach that he is related to Russell Hantz, Coach's arch-enemy. Brandon is determined to get Mikayla off the island.

With Christine sent out to Redemption, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Mark, John, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, Stacey, and Brandon are still in it to win it. On Upolu,things get heated when Brandon reveals a part of his past the entire tribe. Meanwhile one Survivor scrambles to stay alive in the competition and it isn't Cochran.

With Papa Bear sent out to Redemption, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, Stacey, and Brandon are the ones who are still in the game. Brandon gets paranoid more and opens up about his feelings when confronted by Stacey. Cochran and Jim form a mini-alliance and incorporate a unlike ally.

With Stacey sent out to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, Elyse, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, and Brandon are in it to win it all still. Stacey and Christine have a lot to say to the other tribe members at the duel that paint a target on Coach's back. However, after a day of good fortune, Coach is not worried at all.

With Elyse gone to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, Mikayla, and Brandon are left to see if they can outlast one another. Ozzy decides to say that he is a "free agent" and reveal a big secret, but has second thoughts of the target that he just painted on his back.

With Mikayla sent to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Ozzy, Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, and Brandon are in the game still and they are even closer to the merge. After a devastating loss, one survivor chooses to sacrifice themselves to take out a bigger threat on a different island.

With Ozzy voted to Redemption Island, for the Savaii Tribe: Whitney, Keith, Dawn, Cochran, and Jim and on the Upolu Tribe: Coach, Edna, Sophie, Albert, Rick, and Brandon are in it as the tribes merge and one person gets their redemption and reenters the game. Once merged, Cochran struggles with the promise that he gave someone.

Cochran faces the wrath of his former alliance after suddenly turning against them; and the newly merged Te Tuna tribe learn there will be a double elimination at tribal council.

The castaways are shocked to learn about a double elimination. At Redemption Island, two ousted players are sent home.

A Closer Look - Recap of the season so far & previously unseen footage. Highlights from the season are featured.

Cochran made a plea to the core Upolu alliance of Albert, Brandon, Coach, Rick, and Sophie to keep him in the game. On day 29, the tribe got a little frustrated at Albert for not working around the camp. Edna asked Coach for advice. At Tribal Council, Cochran again pushed his feeling that the Upolu alliance owed him a debt. Edna voiced her sadness in being a junior member of the Upolu alliance.

The castaways are reunited with loved ones, but one family member crosses the line, which puts his or her relative's game in danger.

Sixteen new castaways, previously divided into two tribes, Savaii and Upolu, were joined by returning contestants, Oscar "Ozzy" Lusth and Benjamin "Coach" Wade, with Ozzy joining Savaii and Coach joining Upolu by random draw. Redemption Island was again in play: voted out players would be sent to Redemption Island and participate in duels, with the winner remaining there until either the next duel or until two specific points where players were brought back into the game

Sixteen new castaways, previously divided into two tribes, Savaii and Upolu, were joined by returning contestants, Oscar "Ozzy" Lusth and Benjamin "Coach" Wade, with Ozzy joining Savaii and Coach joining Upolu by random draw. Redemption Island was again in play: voted out players would be sent to Redemption Island and participate in duels, with the winner remaining there until either the next duel or until two specific points where players were brought back into the game

Sixteen new castaways, previously divided into two tribes, Savaii and Upolu, were joined by returning contestants, Oscar "Ozzy" Lusth and Benjamin "Coach" Wade, with Ozzy joining Savaii and Coach joining Upolu by random draw. Redemption Island was again in play: voted out players would be sent to Redemption Island and participate in duels, with the winner remaining there until either the next duel or until two specific points where players were brought back into the game