Semyon and Olga must choose who would be their daughter's godfather; obviously, Semyon wants to pick Gleb, but Olga is vehemently against his candidature. Unfortunately, Semyon already promised this to Gleb, and now must somehow explain this to him. But he fails to say as is, making it sound as him distrusting Gleb. Gleb, feeling betrayed, asks Kupitman to drink with him (telling him everything in process). Kupitman just mocks him — and then Gleb asks whether Bykov appointed him as his future son's godfather. Kupitman goes to check — and learns that he didn't, for pretty much the same reason as Lobanov didn't pick Gleb — due to Kisegach being against his candidature (to the point of being ready to fire him if they run out of other options). After that, the two proceeds to get drunk, at which they gets busted by Bykov, who asks what the hell they're doing. When completely wasted Kupitman tells him to go screw himself, he asks Gleb, and learns about his situation with Lobanov. After Bykov learns about Olga's reasons for refusal, he confronts Olga and Anastasia. Kisegach feels insulted by Olga refusing her son's candidature, while Bykov tells Kisegach a story how Kupitman was refused to become godfather for Alisa by Bykov's then-wife Anna, which was how he became an alcoholic in the first place — and that Gleb may follow his example.
Semyon's patient is a music teacher with heart problems, who just can't afford being held at the hospital for three weeks: firstly, he fears that his students' skills would degrade without constant practice, and secondly, he would lose their parents' money; he asks Semyon to help him set up for regular training right in his (private) ward, he's even willing to pay Semyon for this. But Lobanov's plan fails immediately, because the ward has terrible sound-proofing, and Rita, after receiving enough complaints, and hearing it herself, even from far away, forces Semyon to stop it. Meanwhile, Polina gets punished with working at morgue; unfortunately, she's dreadfully afraid of corpses (despite, as Phil points out, it being one of the first things they cure while training future medics). Since Polina can't force herself to visit a morgue and thus do her job, Phil offers his help. But his "help" (attempt to explain what "corpse" is, to make it more tolerable for her) achieves the opposite effect and makek her vomit. Phil realises that he can't help Polina by being nice with her, and tries to just press her into going to morgue, by threatening to rat her out to Bykov; he also refuses to go with her, forcing her to go alone. Lobanov, meanwhile, brought his patient to the morgue, as it's the only place where he wouldn't be busted. Cue Polina showing up, hearing firstly their music and then their voices, and fainting.
This episode provides examples of:
- Armor-Piercing Question: When Kupitman mocks Gleb being hurt by Semyon's betrayal (Semyon didn't appoint Gleb as his daughter's godfather, despite promising to do so, without any strong excuse), Gleb asks him whether Bykov appointed Kupitman to be his son's godfather. Kupitman jokingly replies that sure, he did, but then immediately calls Bykov.
- Blackmail: When all else fails, Phil just blackmails Polina; either she goes to the morgue by herself and deals with her fears, or he would rat her out to Bykov, who would put her here by force (and likely lock her up).
- Casual Danger Dialogue: When Bykov sends Polina to work at morgue as a punishment for her screwup, she reacts as it's something completely ordinary. Then she reveals to Phil (when Bykov leaves) that she's actually dreadfully afraid of corpses; she hid her fear from Bykov due to being perfectly aware that if he finds out, he would milk her fear for all its worth and use the work at the morgue as the ultimate threat to force her into whatever he wants.
- Didn't Think This Through: Gleb's patient, music teacher, insists on being allowed to train his students right in his ward, claiming that it would harm no one, due to the ward being private. But due to bad soundproofing it gets heard across near the whole hospital.
- Henpecked Husband: When questioned by Bykov why he didn't just tell Gleb that he didn't appoint him his daughter's godfather not due to dislike, but due to Olga's orders (Bykov just witnessed Gleb's reaction to this "betrayal"), Semyon states that he feared to look like he answers to Olga's every demand without any saying in the matter.
- I Need a Freaking Drink:
- Gleb's response to Semyon's betrayal (refusal to appoint Gleb his daughter's godfather) is to visit Kupitman and ask him to drink together.
- When Gleb discusses Semyon's betrayal with Kupitman, the topic of whether Bykov appointed Kupitman himself as his son's godfather gets brought up; sure enough, turns out that he didn't. Kupitman suggests to start drinking even harder than they were before.Kupitman: I used to have a friend, but not anymore. Now, let's drink.
Gleb: Weren't we just?..
Kupitman: Before that, we merely tippled; do I really need to explain the difference?
- Ironic Fear: Phil comments on Polina being afraid of corpses, being surprised how she even graduated.Polina: I can't work at the morgue.
Phil: Why?
Polina: I'm afraid.
Phil: [laughs] [Beat] Really?! You've received medical education; they deal with this phobia on the very first course! - Leonine Contract: Semyon's patient offers him 10% cut of his earnings in exchange for being allowed to being visited by his students right in his (private) ward. Semyon instead demands 50%. They "bargains" like this for some time, with patient rising Semyon's cut slightly, and Semyon insisting on his initial 50% demand; while patient states that Semyon "has no understanding of how bargaining works", Semyon ignores him, being perfectly aware that it's the patient who desperately needs this deal (and suggested it in the first place), not him, and now just tries to delay inevitable. Sure enough, the patient reluctantly agrees. He, however, still insists on lowering the price back to 10% when original plan fails and Lobanov gets forced to move him to the morgue instead.
- Poor Communication Kills: When Olga insists that Gleb can't be their baby's godfather, she orders Semyon to tell this to Gleb (because Semyon already promised him this without consulting with his wife). But Semyon fails to just say that it was Olga's decision, and instead tries "we are not yet sure" excuse, which only makes it look like it was Semyon himself who refused it, and now Gleb thinks that Semyon had betrayed him.
- Preemptive "Shut Up": Before Semyon even finishes his sentence, Olga tells him that no, he can't appoint Gleb their daughter's godfather.
- Start of Darkness: According to Bykov, many years ago his first wife Anna (Alisa's mother) refused to appoint Kupitman her daughter's godfather, which harmed his feelings so much that he started drinking, and drinking heavily. Now Kisegach makes the similar mistake. When Olga asks how is this related to her and Gleb, Bykov pointes out that she may cause Gleb to become "the second Kupitman" (cue Imagine Spot of Kupitman-like Gleb, clothes and hairstyle included).
- Tempting Fate: After they gets busted by Rita (due to the ward's bad soundproofing), Semyon assures his patient that if he would give his student musical lessons at the morgue, he wouldn't be busted by anyone. Cue Polina (who's dreadfully afraid of corpses, but was forced to work here by Bykov) showing up, hearing firstly their music and then their voices, and fainting.
- Too Much Information: While good intentioned, Phil's attempts to "help" Polina with her fear of corpses by describing what corpse really is (in details) only makes her vomit. She actually asks him at one point to stop, but he ignores her.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Polina's dreadfully afraid of corpses. Unfortunately, Bykov just sent her to work at the morgue as a punishment (he wasn't aware of this — fortunately, cause otherwise he would've milked it for all its worth).
