Gleb and Semyon, out of boredom, starts mocking Levin, not caring at all that he is presented and can hear them. Semyon warns him that soon they would try something else on him, so prepare. Quietly enough for them to not hear him, Levin says that they should prepare, too. Later, Levin shows up with "deer" (and stylised horns) drawing on his coat. He accuses Semyon of doing this, but Lobanov states that sadly, someone beat him to this joke; Levin doesn't believe him. Then Semyon sees that everyone are standing near a bulletin board; when he gets closer, he sees his photo with "moron of the month" written on it with red marker. Lobanov goes to Levin and tries to force-feed him red-marker, but Levin states that it wasn't him, just like Semyon wasn't the one who vandalised Levin's coat. It was someone who likes trolling people, and who was aware of their discussion... Gleb. Gleb insists that it wasn't him — but then Bykov comes in, and asks whether he still needs that red marker. As punishment, Levin puts the photo in Gleb's mouth, while Lobanov writes "deer" on his head with red marker. And then Gleb tells them that there was another person, who overheard their conversation, who likes provoking internal conflicts, and who showed up with a marker at exactly the worst possible moment: Bykov. Gleb complains to Kisegach, who then calls Bykov out on being childish, but Bykov is more concerned with the guys being too "boring" and not trying to prank him in turn, instead of just snitching. Kisegach asks why he can't imagine that people can just mature up (unlike him). Bykov decides to test it, and orders the guys to run to Rita's post; whoever loses, would get a night shift, and whoever refuses, would get two; at first, no one reacts (seemingly confirming Kisegach's point), but then they rushes so hard, they gets stuck in a door.
Lyuba starts asking Rita about her life with Alexei, now when they moved together. According to Rita, Alexei started making unwanted changes in their house, like moving furniture around, or bringing up something unexpected and ugly without asking her first. Lyuba remembers that Alexei planned to dump Rita, and thinks that it's yet another round of the same "game", on which she angrily confronts him. Alexei points that Rita asked him for help herself, and reminds Lyuba about Rita's balcony being littered with various old stuff as prime example (with which she agrees). But Lyuba warns him: if he tries anything funny, she's always ready to kick his ass. Later, Rita takes a loan from her, and Lyuba learns that Alexei refuses to share money, despite living in Rita's house, at her expense; Lyuba again angrily confronts him, and he states that the true reason for that is because his salary goes for the wedding preparations. Then Lyuba learns that Rita's sex life also took major hit, and, of course, again presumes that it's Lyosha's fault; he doesn't even bother with explanation this time, and just tells her to leave. Lyuba tells him that she would watch over him, and Lyosha now worries that her paranoia wouldn't end any time soon. But then he sees Levin, and comes up with an idea. Alexei goes to Kupitman, and asks how his relationship with Lyuba goes: he started noticing that Levin spends suspiciously large amount of time with Lyuba... Naturally, this leads to scandal, and later Lyuba comes to Bykov's on-call room to confront Alexei. Lyosha informs her that it was self-defence, and he wouldn't continue if she wouldn't. They gets interrupted by angry Kupitman showing up and asking why Lyuba keeps going there. And then Levin shows up, too; Kupitman sarcastically wishes them "good talking", and leaves.
Polina is hopelessly late to work, meaning that she certainly would be punished with a night shift (and she planned to adhere concert of Justin Timberlake!). But Phil offers to cover for her, taking all the blame. Bykov believes it (Phil told him a story how he accidentally damaged their lock, and they were unable to leave), but Polina is sure: she would screw up somewhere, and Bykov would leave her on a night shift for something else. Phil offers to cover for her if something happens. And indeed, Polina starts screwing up almost immediately, and has no other choice but call Phil to cover up for her again. And again. And again... Soon, Bykov starts viewing Phil as walking disaster, as well as utter dumbass. Due to Phil always sticking near Polina, Bykov goes to Kupitman to warn him: perhaps, soon Phil would try to return back to the Therapy; Bykov finds it amusing, Kupitman (who likes dropping all work on Phil) not so much. Kupitman decides to win Phil's loyalty by giving him various gifts (new working schedule, more weekends, better salary...). Phil doesn't understand what's the meaning of this, but plays along. When Polina screws up again (this time seriously, by mistaking asthma for bronchitis), what was merely night shift-worthy for interns, looks like serious incompetence for full-pledged doctor. When asked what he's even doing here, Phil remembers the previous conversation, and runs with "nostalgia" explanation. And since things like this are punishable with night shift, Phil would stay here to fix "his" screwups and dealing with Polina's patient. When Kupitman hears that Phil keeps going to Therapy, he reacts negatively, and, when Phil tries to insist that he merely visited his friends, tries to invite him to a bar — only for Phil to state that he would serve a night shift, at Bykov's. This makes Kupitman outright angry, and he calls him ungrateful jerk who wants to return back to Bykov's abuse even after all what Kupitman did for him. Phil, surprised, tells him that he doesn't. Kupitman then goes to Bykov, and asks just how he fools people into going back to him, to his tyrannical ways. Bykov gives him a self-glorifying speech, which Kupitman records on his phone to have something to laugh about later, and tells that he knows that Phil is visiting the Therapy not for Bykov, but for Polina; Phil revealed this when realised that he risks spoiling standing with his boss. When Kupitman leaves, Bykov calls Polina and tells her that she would get five night shifts, while Phil may go. Phil asks Bykov to send Polina away, so he may talk with him in private, and tells him that the reason why he sticks there is... him loving Polina; being too shy, he resorted to sticking around, and accidentally distracted Polina, leading to her failures. Bykov tells him to shut up, and lifts the shifts imposed on Polina — but keeps the one on Phil, as a price of Bykov's silence. Polina is glad for help, but feels surprised by him choosing this as excuse. Phil states that it's the first he came up with, and she seemingly believes, but the shocked expression doesn't leave her face even afterwards...
This episode provides examples of:
- Animal Motifs: With Levin returning, it was inevitable that "deer" jokes would show up, too. This time, it's the word "deer" (and stylised horns on top of it) being painted right on Levin's coat. When Levin angrily calls out Semyon on stupid prank, Lobanov tells him to "stop stamping".
- The Dog Bites Back: Subverted. At first, everything looks like it would be a plot about Levin striking back at Semyon and Gleb for abusing him (and Semyon indeed suspects him when he himself gets pranked)... but later it turns out to be set up by Bykov, who tried to force Gleb, Semyon and Levin to fight each other for his amusement.
- Foreshadowing: During Gleb and Semyon discussing pranking Levin, close-up of Bykov sitting nearby in his earphones gets shown briefly. Later it turns out that Bykov overheard everything and used this discussion to set them up against each other. Viewers who remembers that it's not the first time when Bykov overhears the other people's discussions by pretending that he's listening music, may realise that Bykov would be involved in this plot much earlier than Gleb does.
- I'm Standing Right Here: Gleb and Semyon mocks Levin's (lack of) sexual life, not caring at all that he's in the same room (in fact, this way it's even funnier!).
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Gleb tries to deny being behind a "moron of the month" prank, but then Bykov comes in and asks wether he still needs the red marker. Subverted in that the prank was done by Bykov himself, as part of his plan to set the three against each other.
- It's All About Me: Kupitman doesn't take well that Phil potentially may leave him and return to Bykov: on whom he would dump all the work if not on Phil? He tries to bribe him first, and then outright accuses him of "betrayal", forcing Phil to tell that it's not about Bykov, but about Polina.
- Never My Fault: Despite wrongly accusing Alexei of acting like asshole to Rita twice, Lyuba never admits her mistakes, nor she apologises. First time, she simply leaves, and second time, she finds another excuse to insult him for something unrelated.
- Not Me This Time: As much as he likes this prank, Semyon was not the one who put the word "deer" on Levin's coat. But he doesn't miss the opportunity to mock him for it.
- Ship Tease: Phil loving Polina being literally first thing he comes up with when defending her before Bykov, and Polina's weird reaction to it implies that they may have some feelings developing.
- Taking the Heat: Phil takes all the blame for Polina's screwups, starting with her being late, and ending with her botching diagnosing her patient. Ultimately, Phil has to serve a night shift instead of Polina.
- Walking Disaster Area: Wherever Polina goes and whatever she touches, it ends with destructions and chaos, forcing Phil to cover for her, making himself look bad.
