While working in the office, Gleb hears a woman screaming to call for ambulance; when he goes out, he sees an unconscious man, and provides him with a first aid, while the others are waiting for ambulance. He actually goes to the hospital with the man, telling the medics who comes for help (amongst them Polina and Levin) what to do, as well as revealing that the guy has suffered from infarct. Unknowingly to him, Victor and Anastasia are observing his actions, pleasantly surprised that he shows some competency for once — like a true doctor. Bykov shows up behind their backs and says that the "true doctors" are working in the hospital, not office, and goes to Gleb to tell him to leave: he's no longer a part of the team, choosing business over medicine. Victor smiles, clearly expecting Gleb to come to right conclusions, and make the right choice. The man with "heart attack", meanwhile, reveals himself to be a pretender: it was all a part of Victor's plan. Later, Victor visits Gleb in the office and asks why he didn't do the work which was put on him. Gleb sarcastically claps his hands and says that he knows that it was an attempt to convince him that he's a crappy businessman, but a good doctor; it was way too blatant. Victor instead tells him that... no one really cares what he would choose; if Gleb wishes to waste eight years he invested into medicine, it would be only his choice; and so would be consequences, both bad and good ones. Meanwhile, Kisegach asks Bykov to be gentle with Gleb when he returns — but Bykov tells her that he's not gonna accept Gleb back, both because he can't forgive Gleb, and because he can't forgive Kisegach: she once again conspired with Victor, without asking Bykov's opinion on this plan (which he doesn't like!).
Lobanov notices how Phil behaves near Polina, and asks him whether he fell for her. Phil tries to deny it, but quickly gives up and admits; but he can't tell her about it... Semyon tells him that nothing is gonna change until he makes the first step, but agrees to help him by talking to Polina and "delicately preparing everything". Unfortunately, Phil knows all too well that Semyon and "delicateness" are mutually exclusive... Semyon actually goes to Polina, and asks her several questions, disguising it as a quiz; the answers she gives him makes Lobanov convinced that Polina is ready to reciprocate, Phil just has to ask. Phil is more sceptical: those answers don't actually mean anything special. Lobanov tells that if that was "too subtle" for him, he may try more direct approach, and leaves before Phil can stop him. This time, Semyon shows Polina Phil's photo, and, after making sure that she likes it, offers to give it to her; Polina tells that she has her own, which Semyon takes as the sign of her liking Phil, otherwise why keep tose in her phone? But Phil tells him that it doesn't prove anything on its own: it's normal for people to make the photos of their friends, he himself has Semyon's photos, amongst others. Lobanov then reveals that before leaving, he did another "test": he asked Polina what she would take with her if she ends on a remote island — an axe, matchsticks, salt... or Phil. She chose Phil. Phil doesn't take it as a proof, either, and asks Semyon to never "help" him again, which offends Lobanov. Later, Polina asks Phil why Semyon keeps bothering her with stupid questions about Phil, and whether those are attempts to learn whether she likes Phil. Phil manages to salvage the situation by asking what she would reply if that's indeed the case. She says that those questions better be asked personally, then realisation hits in, and she decides to leave before the situation gets even more awkward. Phil starts insulting his lack of courage (it was the best chance, and he wasted it!), but Polina opens the door and asks what was that. Phil finally gathers it, and asks directly; when she says "yes" and leaves, Phil smiles. Semyon later tries to tell him that he just got the "proof" that Polina doesn't like Phil, unaware that Polina just messed with him — but Phil says that he and Polina are going on a date to cinema.
Levin tries to make Alexei to work for him, like bringing tests results from laboratory; Lyosha tries to disagree, saying that Levin actually can do that by himself, especially if it's something high-priority. Rather than doing as suggested, Levin just goes to Bykov and complains about Lyosha's insubordination, insisting on him being punished. But Bykov refuses, and instead suggests him to think — why even interns refuse to do his requests, including such small ones? When Levin returns, he sees how Alexei agrees to go into shop to buy food for Lobanov (which isn't even work-related!). Semyon tells him that Levin is too soft, people like Lyosha only understands a hard stick (no carrot). Bykov, meanwhile, confronts Alexei about insubordination; even if he dislikes Levin, it's still an intern disobeying a doctor, not to mention that request was rather simple. Lyosha reveals that the problem is not in what Levin asked, but how he asked: arrogantly and insultingly. Bykov seemingly sides with Levin, and even insults Alexei too, but Lyosha reacts to it way less negatively than to what Levin did. Later, Levin actually tries Lobanov's method, and starts blatantly abusing Alexei... in front of Bykov. Bykov then confronts Lyosha, and reminds that "subordination" only applies to medicine — he's not obligated to do things like bringing Levin coffee. Alexei says that he understands... and pours coffee on Levin. When Levin tries to complain, Bykov points that Alexei did his actual task; the rest is a punishment for attempt to force him into doing personal errands.
This episode provides examples of:
- Bait-and-Switch: When Gleb tells Victor that he knows about his and Kisegach's plan — to convince him that he's bad at business and good at medicine — Victor says that analytics is another thing at which Gleb is... not that good. He then proceeds to explain to him the real state of things through Brutal Honesty.
- Brutal Honesty: Victor tells Gleb that no one really tries to make him return to the medicine at all cost; no one really cares. It's only up to Gleb to choose: whether he prefers to waste eight years he invested into medicine, and waste five more to learn how to do business, or he wants to make use of that investment and achieve something? It's his choice, and his consequences — both bad ones, and good ones.
- Call-Back: When Phil says that his interest to Polina was born when she broke up with Timur, Semyon replies by saying that Phil has a thing for other people's exes, clearly meaning Phil dating Olga.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: To increase his pressure on Gleb, Victor starts acting like he's some sort of a trainer, who yells at him, wakes him up early, pushes him to not waste time (there's always a room for improvement!), and, of course, drops more work on him. The end goal is the same: make Gleb want to go back into medicine.
- Engineered Heroism: Victor and Anastasia sets up the situation where Gleb saves a man from a heart attack, hoping that it would convince him to rethink his choice to quit medicine. It doesn't work, as Gleb realises that the heart attack was fake, and understands the whole scheme.
- Hypocrite Has a Point: While it's Bykov (who's known for abusing his subordinates himself, including making slavery jokes) who says it, he's still right when he tells Levin that "we do not practice slavery here" after Levin got punished by Lyosha for blatantly mistreating him by forcing to do work-unrelated tasks: Levin did abuse his authority, and was punished for that.
- Imagine Spot: Levin mistreating Lyosha is demonstrated through the scene where Alexei imagines gigantic Levin (he barely fits in the room) yelling insults at him, in distorted low voice, while Alexei (in distorted high voice) sheepishly tries to disagree, with Levin ending with a mighty roar.
- Insane Troll Logic: While Lobanov isn't wrong about Polina liking Phil, the things he uses as arguments in favour of it indeed makes no sense, and Phil isn't wrong here:
- Lobanov is convinced that Polina is ready to date Phil... basing it on his weird quiz consisting on random silly choices between "A" and "B", with questions like "USA or Australia" (Phil is American), "flatmate or not flatmate" (they are sharing apartment), two questions in a row ending with reply "daddy" (Phil has two fathers), etc.
- Lobanov takes Polina having Phil's photos on her phone as a sign of her liking him. Phil points that he has Polina's photos, too... as well as Semyon's, Lyuba's, Gleb's and even Kupitman's: people are tend to make the photos of their friends, and just keep them cause they like them! Polina and Phil are flatmates, so the chances of them having each other's photos are much higher. When Lobanov tries to argue that he has no other people's photos, Phil points that it's due to his phone being unable to make them, so he has to upload them externally.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Right after Victor tells Gleb that no one but himself cares what Gleb would choose, not even his parents (they are slightly less indifferent, but that's it), he gets called by Kisegach, who (with worried voice) asks him what did Gleb say. Victor salvages the situation by using double-meaning phrases which may refer either to Gleb or to business, which amounts to plan "A" failing, but still achieving enough progress to worth working further. He then just tells Gleb that it's his choice — and his consequences, both bad ones and good ones.
- I Resemble That Remark!: Alexei, when asked why he refused to obey Levin (which is insubordination), tells that it's due to Levin treating him like dirt. Later Levin (following Lobanov's plan) acts like a jerk to Lyosha and even tries to force him to bring coffee (in front of Bykov), which proves Alexei right.
- Mean Boss: Levin makes a mistake of asking Lobanov for help with making Alexei respect his authority; unfortunately, Lobanov only knows one method — press your subordinate till they comply (which may or may not be just a joke: he's known for pranking people like this, with Levin being the prime target). It only works until Alexei learns from Bykov that while he's supposed to obey the orders which are actually related to his job, Levin can not order him things like "hey, you, bring me coffee"; when Alexei pours that coffee on Levin, Bykov actually sides with Alexei.
- No-Respect Guy: While Bykov later does confront Alexei about insubordination, he refuses Levin initially, stating that if not even interns are obeying him, it means that the problem is in Levin himself. Unfortunately, Levin asks Lobanov, who suggests him the method of "the stick without carrot", while actual problem was caused by Levin himself not respecting anyone but himself, and acting like a rude, abusive asshole (even Bykov alternates between acting like a jerk, and actually helping his underlings).
- Not What It Looks Like: Alexei accidentally spills kefir on Bykov's shoes, and bends to clean them up. Levin busts them and accuses Bykov of hypocrisy. Bykov (already angry) says that he's not gonna even bother with explanations, and just tells Alexei to continue cleaning.
- Oh, Crap!:
- When Semyon offers his help with preparing Polina for Phil confessing to her, Phil (who knows Lobanov's "delicate" methods) almost panics. Semyon promises that he would be actually careful this time, but it barely assures Phil.
- When Phil shows scepticism in Lobanov's "delicate" method actually showing any results, Lobanov decides to try more direct approach. Phil realises what's gonna happen, but fails to stop Seyon before he leaves.
- Reformed, but Rejected: Invoked. Bykov refuses to accept Gleb back even if he does return to the hospital, stating that he considers this to be a betrayal — of medicine, of patients and his friends — to find a place where he has to work less and earn more. By that point, we already know that Bykov despises traitors.
- Trial Balloon Question: When Polina tells Phil that Semyon, for whatever reason, bothers her with questions which indicates his attempts to learn whether Polina likes Phil, Phil asks, "hypothetically", what she would've replied if that was true. She replies that such question should be asked personally, plus, Semyon isn't good at that... Then realisation hits in, and she decides to leave before the situation becomes even more awkward.
- Troll:
- It's highly likely that Semyon telling Levin about him acting harsh and unforgiving to his subordinates was him messing with Levin, as, firstly, Lobanov is known for that sort of pranks (with Levin as his favourite target), and secondly, neither Lobanov's nor Alexei's behaviour indicates that Lyosha was pressed into it.
- When Lobanov tries to "delicately" ask Polina about Phil for a third time (by that point, Phil just asked directly and got a positive answer), by asking her, "just out of interest, [he's] checking with his magazine", what type of guys she likes, Polina describes him polar opposite of Phil: blue-eyed blonde, short, Russian, a businessman or "at least" an actor, and rabid homophobe. After hearing this, Phil starts laughing, while Lobanov completely misses that Polina just messed with him.
