Their babysitter is busy — and so is Kisegach, so Ilya would stay with Bykov, of which Kisegach informs him right when they both arrives at work. Just after she leaves, Semyon appears, with his daughter Katia (Olga had the same idea as Kisegach). Bykov immediately sees an opportunity, and drops Ilya on Lobanov, ignoring all his complaints. When Bykov returns, he finds that puzzle he leaved to Semyon (amongst other toys) is completed... by Katia, but not Ilya. Bykov, not willing to accept that someone like Semyon can raise "better" child than him, demands another "challenge" — building a tower from cubes... which Katia again wins, while Ilya doesn't even try. Bykov tries to explain to Ilya how it's supposed to work, but he instead just throws a cube at father. Nothing good comes out of attempt to make a painting, or make figures out of plasticine, either. Can it be that Ilya really isn't as smart as Bykov thinks? Bykov goes straight to Kisegach, and accuses her of being the cause of their son being so "dumb" (completely ignoring her arguments that girls are developing faster): she spends too much time at work, and too little with Ilya. She then tells him how little he actually contributes to rising Ilya. Bykov reacts by starting insulting her, and gets told to leave her alone. Meanwhile, to not provoke Bykov, Semyon starts helping Ilya with whatever task he tries to accomplish. With someone for once paying attention to what he's doing, Ilya finds the motivation he lacked, and starts making progress. When Bykov returns, he gets rather surprised to see that Lobanov, of all people, is better father than he ever was. Just before going home, Bykov buys a new jigsaw puzzle for Ilya, and starts complimenting him over dealing with it so fast. Kisegach returns home just in time to see that Bykov isn't completely hopeless.
Rita's old friend Sveta fell sick, and now is in this hospital. She needs the best doctor Rita may find, and she has such candidature: young, perspective, smart... Levin. Alexei, who was presented during this conversation, feels offended by her lack of trust in him. Without talking with Rita first, Alexei goes straight to Levin, and asks him to reject Rita's request, explaining why it's important to him. Levin agrees, as long as it wouldn't damage his reputation. But Rita instead asks Alexei to... find Gleb, who immediately agrees. Gleb can't back out on his offer, but can pretend that he's dumbass, so Alexei can come in and "fix" his mistakes in front of Rita, while stating how "easy" it was. But they overdo this, resulting in Rita giving the patient to Polina, to not bother Lyosha with something so minor. But when Rita leads Polina to the patient, she sees that Alexei is already here, examining her. Alexei angrily confronts her about lack of trust in him, as she asks literally anyone but him. Rita then explains that the problem is not in Lyosha, it's in Sveta; she's... easy, and Rita can't risk Alexei being near her. Anyone but him. And that's when Levin (who overheard the conversation) offers his help again.
Phil receives his first personal VIP patient — a police colonel, who, instead of Kupitman (who's late to work), went straight to him. Kupitman, predictably, is not amused by losing his old — and well-paying — client, and accuses Phil of "stealing" him. Phil doesn't fall for his intimidation attempt, since it was entirely Kupitman's fault. Realising that Phil is not as easy as he used to be, Kupitman starts bargaining with him, offering three other (less important) patients for one colonel. When Phil refuses, Kupitman starts offering him more and more other clients, explaining why it's the best deal Phil can make... only for Phil to point that they all are easily replaceable, while there's something important in that one colonel whom Kupitman desperately needs back. Only after giving him several even more valuable contacts, Kupitman receives what he bargained for. But after talking with colonel, Kupitman learns that it's his last examination before retirement; Phil just tricked him into sacrificing so many valuable patients for nothing! Kupitman angrily announces that "deal" is cancelled, as Phil has cheated. But Phil points out that people like that colonel tend to find good, well-paying jobs after retirement, and Kupitman may later exploit it. Kupitman agrees with that argument, and changes his mind. But when he leaves, Phil's smiles smugly. And indeed, the colonel reveals that he doesn't plan to continue working after retirement, and instead would move to his brother in Astrakhan, who has his own recreational center there. Kupitman goes to Phil and straight up lies about the colonel's plans, and suggests to let them use each other's contacts, but Phil refuses, as he already knows the truth. He'd a good mentor, after all. Kupitman may only punish him with a night shift, but it would just mean accepting defeat.
This episode provides examples of:
- Bait-and-Switch:
- Rita, in Alexei's presence, recommends to her old friend the best doctor she knows, young, perspective, smart... Levin. Alexei, who thought that she's gonna recommend him, gets offended by her lack of trust.
- After Levin refuses to help Rita (following agreement with Alexei), he reminds her that there're "other doctors around here". Rita agrees, and asks Alexei to... find Gleb.
- Batman Gambit: Phil takes that "valuable" colonel solely to make Kupitman fight for him, resulting in Kupitman sacrificing several valuable contacts just to receive soon-to-be-retired colonel with no plans to pick any important jobs.
- Blatant Lies: No one believes Levin when he claims that it's just a coincidence that he changed his mind and agreed to help right after Alexei and Rita discussed Rita's very "easy" friend in his presence.
- Character Development: Back when he was dating Irina, Semyon was openly hostile to children and was unable to find come along with her son Kirill. Now, when he's a father himself, he's much better at it, knowing how to find common language with them and motivate them to realise their hidden talents.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: The manner in which Kupitman discusses "rising" that colonel all the way from the time when he was still mere lieutenant, and his reaction on Phil "stealing" him greatly resembles the parent calling out bad "spouse" of their child.
- Do Well, But Not Perfect: Gleb overdoes his show when he tries to deceive Rita into believing that he is dumb, and Alexei helped him with "so easy" task; if it's easy, Rita may just ask Polina and not bother Lyosha! However, later it turns out that she has the reasons to keep Alexei specifically away from Sveta, so it was just an excuse.
- Dumbass No More: Phil is no longer Naïve Newcomer everyone used to exploit. He doesn't fall for any of Kupitman's tricks, and actually manages to trick him into accepting absolutely useless (soon to be ex) colonel in return for several much more useful contacts. With boss like Kupitman, one must learn or die.
- Heel Realisation: After seeing that Semyon, of all people, is better father than him, and Ilya is really suffering without attention of his father, Bykov tries to change for the best and spend more time with his son. Kisegach, who previously was very angry at his ugly behaviour, witnesses him playing with Ilya, and is happy to see that Bykov isn't completely hopeless.
- Hidden Depths: Semyon may be not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, but no one can deny: he knows how to find common language with children, and help them show off skills they usually hide. He manages to deal much greater progress with Bykov's son in one day than Bykov did in years.
- Hypocrite: When accusing Kisegach of being "bad" mother and wife, Bykov completely ignores the fact that he provides absolutely zero support with either household or their son. The sole contribution is his money, and Kisegach is perfectly capable of surviving without those.
- Never My Fault: Bykov sees Kisegach as the reason why Ilya is "dumb", but when he tries to accuse Kisegach of that, she points all the things he does wrong in rising him. Bykov never talks with Ilya, never plays with him, and either ignores him or gives him I-Pad to play games, and instead of showing him educational programs, watches sport. He doesn't even bother to tell him fairytales, giving him audiobooks instead. Bykov gets tired at work? So is Kisegach, who works in the same hospital as him, on position with even higher responsibility. Bykov then tries to play the "you're the mother, you must!" card, but she points that there're too many things which she "must", and too few which he (a father) "must". And after all this, he dares to call her "bad mother"?
- Really Gets Around: Rita tries to keep Alexei away from Sveta not because she distrusts Lyosha, but because she distrusts Sveta: she is... "easy", to say the least, and Rita may not risk allowing Alexei near her. Levin, when he hears this, instantly takes back his previous refusal and agrees to help, badly pretending that it's a coincidence.
- Stay in the Kitchen: Bykov's "justification" why he may use free time as he wish, and Kisegach "must" sit with Ilya: because "she's the mother". He completely ignores the fact that he's the father, and should do something for his son besides just giving him planchet or audiobook and forgetting about him, or the fact that he does literally nothing while at home, dumping all household on his wife, always complaining, yet never helping.
- Unseen No More: We finally see Semyon's daughter, Katia, when he brings her on the work.
- Zonk: Phil gives up that police colonel only after taking many of Kupitman's highly valuable patients... and then Kupitman learns that the guy plans to retire soon (without moving to some prestigious jobs as often happens in such cases), meaning that he is of no value. Phil was aware of this, but hid it from Kupitman to exploit his greed as much as possible.
