Sophia has a heated conflict with Alexei, and Bykov, realising that they clearly can't stand each other... forces them to work on a new patient together. The patient at first mistakes interns for a couple, and, when corrected, states that she thinks that they're destined for each other. Sophia disagrees, in such harsh terms that Alexei feels offended, despite never having plans for her. Alexei tries to "impress" Sophia by showing his strength, but she just makes negative comment about his intellect. He then tries to show his knowledge of Moscow, by answering the questions about directions, but she tells him that he should've become taxi driver. Then he tries, with Rita's help, to pass himself as funny, but fails at it genuinely. Maxim then suggests Lyosha that Sophia tries to be a "bad girl", and the best way to become one is by sleeping with a "bad boy"; Lyosha interprets it as advice to push Sophia to sleep with him. But when Alexei actually tries this plan — starting by forcibly kissing Sophia — it fails miserably, and makes her hate him even more.
Kupitman accuses Phil of stealing "his" cognac, on the basis that despite Kupitman remaining sober, cognac doesn't accumulate over time, meaning that Phil takes some for himself (instead of sharing it). When Phil points out that he receives cognac as a gift for, you know, working with patients, Kupitman replies that since he provided Phil with job in his office, he has the right for 30% of Phil's "earnings"... and takes away almost all of Phil's alcohol. Phil complains to Kisegach, and she promises to deal with the situation, which she does by confiscating part of Kupitman's alcohol stock, stating that "I'm superior, so I can take your earning" logic works both ways. But on the way back, she gets busted by a ministry inspector, and has to clumsily "bribe" him with it (by saying that it's "for upcoming birthday" — nevermind that it would be several months in the future; she's afraid to forget). Kupitman "compensates" for that by taking even more of Phil's cognac, because no matter what, Kupitman always receives his profit. And it's too late to take back what was taken by Kisegach. After that, Kupitman and Kisegach signs an agreement which regulates that Kisegach would take some of his booze once per month for cases such this today's visit, while Kupitman would continue "compensating" for it from Phi's "earnings". Only then Phil realises that none of them is actually on his side; he decides to take "justice" into his own hands, and just steals what was taken by Kupitman: it isn't stealing if you were blatantly robbed first.
After learning about Bykov's habits from Lyuba, Maxim tries to exploit this knowledge to win some points — like Bykov's love for bikes, or his favourite game, or his favourite band (which Max actually dislikes). But Max makes a mistake of leaving dossier in the open, where it gets discovered by Bykov, who decides to add some chaos and "correct" it by adding some fake information; he also convinces Lyuba to join forces. Maxim asks Lyuba to provide him with more information about Bykov, and she reluctantly supplies him with Bykov's greatest secret: he collects... pornography. When Bykov busts Maxim watching porn, Max states that he does that "for idea", not just out of perverse lust — to which Bykov reacts by tricking him into announcing this over intercom... and then uses the intercom himself to voice his disdain for perverts like Maxim. When asked why, Bykov explains that he simply hates sycophants.
This episode provides examples of:
- Abhorrent Admirer: When they gets mistaken for a couple, Sophia angrily tells that she and Alexei are not in relationship and absolutely can't be. This offends Alexei, who feels insulted at her seeing him as just that bad option, and he become determined to make her like him more (not even to actually date her, just to prove that it's not impossible). After several failed attempts, Maxim suggests him that Sophia wants a bad boy, and Alexei tries to become one, by acting aggressive and even forcibly kissing Sophia. If he had low chances before, he has zero now. Even Alexei himself now doubts whether he has any chances.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: According to Maxim, Sophia (who tries to be a "bad girl") would like Alexei more if he would act like a "bad boy". And you can't be more of a "bad boy" than by sleeping with "bad girl". In simple words, Lyosha must have sex with Sophia.
- Blatant Lies: When busted with a package full of booze by a man from ministry, Kisegach states that this is a gift for his upcoming birthday. When pointed that it would be in December (with many months left to wait), she states that she wants to do it "preemptively", to not forget. It works.
- Cannot Tell a Joke: When both plans to impress Sophia (with either strength or smarts) fails due to Sophia reacting negatively, Alexei tries to look funny instead — only to fail at finding any funny joke.
- Digging Yourself Deeper: After baiting Sophia (with Rita's help) by promising her a good joke, Alexei instead tells her a lame one. Rita helps him by stating that she laughed on the "other, funnier one"... only for Alexei to fail a second time. Then he tries to state that it was a wrong joke, too, and asks Rita to remind it to him. Rita actually leaves first.
- Dirty Old Man: Where Bykov and Lyuba obtains all this porn they used to play a prank on Maxim? Turns out, it belongs to Kupitman.
- Dumb Muscle: When Alexei tries to impress Sophia with his strength, she immediately uses an old proverb (which roughly translates as "all strength, no use for brains") to insult him.
- Failure Is the Only Option: Alexei tries to impress Sophia by showing his strength — she accuses him of being Dumb Muscle. He tries to impress her with his smarts — but uses the sphere which isn't gonna provide him with any points (as Sophia puts it, fitting more for a taxi driver than for a doctor). Then he tries to impress her with his jokester talents — only to fail to find any genuinely funny joke.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: When Kupitman uses "logic" that he is Phil's superior and ergo has a right for 30% of all cognac Phil earns, Kisegach uses that same logic against him, confiscating 30% of his cognac (which is much bigger amount).
- Insane Troll Logic: Kupitman thinks that since Phil works in his office, Kupitman has a right for 30% of his earnings (and by "earnings" he means cognac Phil received as a gift from his patients), even comparing it to taxes. He then takes away 3 (out of 4) bottles, clearly showing that even this "logic" was just an excuse. Still an improvement over similar situation he once had with Lobanov, because back then he asked for 100%.
- Jerkass: Kupitman confiscates 30% of cognac that Phil earned with loose "justification" that it was "taxes". When Kisegach uses the same logic against him, and confiscates 30% of his cognac, he, instead of accepting defeat, takes away even more of Phil's cognac, stating that no matter what, he must receive his "profit".
- Karma Houdini: Subverted. Kisegach's attempt to punish Kupitman only results in him taking even more of Phil's cognac, as "compensation". Then they signs up an agreement which makes this an official politics. Phil has one "right" — continue working under Kupitman. That's it. Kupitman even states that this is just how things works — "this is Russia". Phil disagrees, and takes justice into his own hands — he steals all of Kupitman's remaining cognac, and leaves: after all, "not caught — not thief".Phil: "This is Russia", he said. Well, if this is Russia, then — try to find me first.
- Missing Steps Plan: While Maxim's plan theoretically makes some sense — to impress Sophia, Lyosha must act as a "bad boy", and you can't be more of a "bad boy" than by sleeping with a "bad girl" (Sophia) — it completely omits the crucial detail: how Alexei would sleep with Sophia, if she hates his guts? Maxim doesn't care, as long as Alexei would leave, while Lyosha just doesn't think about it.
- Never My Fault: When Kisegach confiscates 30% of his cognac, using the same "logic" Kupitman used to confiscate cognac from Phil, Kupitman, instead of learning his lesson, confiscates even more of Phil's cognac, stating that "no matter what, [he] should receive profit".
- Product Placement: Yet another "Snickers" chocolate bar can be seen in Maxim's hand during him discussing with Alexei their new plan. It can be seen in his hand even after they moves away from the wending machine.
- She Is Not My Girlfriend: Sophia, in no uncertain terms, states to the patient who tried to ship her with Alexei that she isn't Lyosha's girlfriend and never would. Her harsh words actually insults Alexei — not because he wants them to be a couple, but because she is that certain that they can't, like if there's something wrong with Alexei, especially since she failed to explain just why.
- Shipper on Deck:
- Sophia and Alexei's patient initially mistakes them for a couple, due to them "fitting" each other. Even after Sophia states that they aren't, she insists that they are "meant for each other".
- Inverted with everyone else whom Alexei asks about it; they thinks that they clearly cant be together, despite Alexei's objections. Maxim outright states that Lyosha is unfit for Sophia, while Lyuba tries delicately assure him that she is unfit for him. Neither of them succeeds (and Lyuba actually achieves the opposite effect, since he gets an idea how to win Sophia's interest).
- Sophisticated as Hell: Bykov's story which he tells to Maxim, in order to show him why his behaviour is wrong, mixes medical terms with words like "tits":Bykov: Let me tell you a story. Long time ago, back when I was a young romantic, I loved one girl, with already developed secondary sexual characteristics, by which I mean tits. But there's a problem: she strongly liked the "Sherbet" ice-cream, which I hated — in fact, I still hate it. But, to impress her, I scoffed on it, and scoffed, and scoffed, so I could spend more time with object of my love — with tits.
Maxim: And how is it related to my case?..
Bykov: Today, you tried to grab my tits — which I didn't like, at all. - Stealth Insult: When his first plan fails, Alexei tries to impress Sophia by showing her his great knowledge of Moscow and how to reach any location. She "compliments" him, stating that he would be a "great taxi driver".
- Sycophantic Servant: Maxim, to earn some points with Bykov, so he would be treated better than the other interns, tries to collect (through Lyuba) more information about his interests and hobbies. This backfires when Bykov finds out (Max made a mistake of leaving his dossier where Bykov could see it), and tricks Max into publicly humiliating himself, after which he tells him a story from his own past, to show why he finds Maxim's behaviour offensive.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Sophia has a heated conflict with Alexei. Bykov, when he realises that they can't stand each other... forces them to work on a new patient together. He explicitly states their antipathy as a reason.
- Troll:
- Bykov intentionally forces Alexei and Sophia to work together because they can't stand each other: he thinks it's funny.
- When Bykov finds dossier which Maxim collected on him (so he may know how to please Bykov), Bykov (with Lyuba's help) provides Max with new "information" — that Bykov is collecting... pornography. Maxim falls for it. When asked just why Lyuba keeps it in a nurse room, she states that she's Bykov's Secret-Keeper, and that with her, his secrets are safer than at home (where Kisegach can find out). Then Bykov tricks Max into announcing his "love" for retro porn over the intercom, and only then reveals that this was a prank.
