Blood Is Thicker than Anything

Blood Is Thicker Than Anything is the premiere episode of.

"Day 0"
At sundown, the couples are dropped off at 10 different locations. They spend the night together as they await their greeting from Jeff Probst in the morning, the actual "Day 1" of the competition.

Day 1
Each pair of loved ones is brought down to the beach to meet up with Jeff. Jeff reveals that the loved ones will be competing on different tribes. He then instructs the tribes to vote out one of their members right from the start. The returnees vote out Candice, while the new contestants voted out Laura B. He states that they will be sent to Redemption Island. Jeff gives John, Candice's husband the opportunity to switch places with their loved one and go to Redemption Island in their place. He gives the same choice to Rupert, but only Rupert swaps, putting Laura B. on the returnees tribe (Galang).

Back at the Galang camp, Laura B. tries to prove her worth to the tribe, knowing that if she doesn't do well she would be voted out quickly. Tyson starts a fire and the tribe sets up camp fairly easily. Monica wonders if Colton has changed since the last time she played with him on One World and asks him whether he will betray her this time like he did last time. Colton answers that he is unsure and doesn't want to make any commitments.

Meanwhile, at the Tadhana camp, the newbies struggled to make fire and set up a shelter. Brad made multiple alliances with the four other guys on the tribe, trying to pull them all together into a voting block. Vytas revealed his past to his fellow tribe mates and hoped that it wouldn't affect his reputation.

That night, Colton explained to everyone that he was trying to change from the last time he played the game. He also tells about how people in Texas when he was growing up didn't accept him being gay, leading to him crying and his tribe comforting him.

Day 2
On Redemption Island, Candice complains about Rupert laziness. On the other hand, Rupert's strategy is to let Candice do all the work so he can beat her at the next duel. Candice is also extremely mad with the people who voted her off. She uses a machete to break coconuts imagining that they are the tribe mates who voted her off's heads.

Day 3
At the combined Reward/Immunity Challenge, Tadhana had the early lead due to Gervase Peterson struggling throughout the swimming and physical part of the challenge, but during the puzzle portion, Galang catches up and ends up winning the challenge.

At Tadhana, the men's alliance decides between Katie Collins for her weakness in the challenge and Marissa Peterson due to her uncle Gervase's boasting after winning the challenge. Eventually, the whole tribe votes for Marissa, sending her to Redemption Island by a unanimous 8-1 decision. Before heading to Redemption Island, Marissa furiously glares at her tribemates.

Reward/Immunity
Challenge: Blue Lagoon Bustle

Tribes start out on the beach, first 6 players from each tribe run into the ocean, swim out to a net obstacle, climb over, go over a barrel roll, swim to crate staircase and jump off, swim to tribal boat, dive down and untie a series of knots, paddle back to shore, carry chest to puzzle station, three players from each tribe solves their tribe's puzzle which is a captain's wheel. First tribe to extend the flag using the wheel, wins.

Reward: Tribal Immunity and flint Winner: Galang

Redemption Island
There was no Redemption Island duel as it is the first episode. The first duel will be held on the next episode.

Other

 * The title of the episode was said by Rupert about switching places with his wife at the Redemption Island.
 * Rupert switching places with his wife marks the first time a contestant is sent to Redemption Island without getting voted off.
 * This was the first time a tribe of returning players wins the first Immunity Challenge against a tribe of new players, as  and  had the tribe of new contestants win this challenge.
 * However, new player Laura B. was on the tribe of returning players due to having switched with Rupert.
 * With this episode, Candice Cody becomes the second castaway overall to experience being sent to Exile Island and Redemption Island, following Ozzy Lusth.
 * At the first impression vote, Aras Baskauskas said he voted against Gervase Peterson because he was a Washington Redskins fan, and Gervase was wearing a Philadelphia Eagles shirt. The Redskins and Eagles are both members of the same division of the NFL.
 * This is the second episode to not include the opening title sequence, following.
 * This episode marks the first time that in the retooled Redemption Island format, the pairs switched places.
 * This was also the earliest time where someone switched tribes in any case.