Lobanov is in debt to the orderlies, and their patience is out. He must pay his debt, today. But he is low on money — and everyone refuses to loan him, either because they're low on money themselves, don't trust him or have already loaned him and waits until he pays his debts to them (Bykov actually sides with orderlies and asks them to press Lobanov on his behalf). But later Bykov makes them think that he just cut Lobanov's finger to pay his debt, and offers them to cut his kidney, which scares them off.
Gleb and Phil works together on the one assignment. They screws up, but Bykov yells only on Gleb. Phil believes that Bykov didn't yell on him because he has a better opinion on Phil, while Gleb believes it's just because Phil remained silent. To "test" whose version is correct, they decides to screw up separately and test on whom Bykov would shout louder. Gleb gets more rage, but refuses to accept results: coming first, he received the most heat, and Phil came second, when Bykov was already exhausted. They tries to do it in reverse, and again Gleb gets yelled at stronger; Gleb dismisses results as Phil coming first and angering Bykov, who then snaps on Gleb, who comes second. Gleb suggests to start talking simultaneously and see whom Bykov would pick... and even that fails, as Bykov just ignores Phil. Phil decides to just break Bykov's favourite mug, here and now, which switches Bykov's attention... for less than a minute, after which Bykov again starts yelling on Gleb. Phil then remembers Lyuba saying "if he beats you, he loves you", and takes it as as sign of Bykov "not loving" him — to which Bykov reacts by beating him with a rolled magazine, which makes Phil smile.
Varya feels attraction to David and plans to hit on him. This would be problematic because of the sheer awkwardness caused by the previous accident. What's worse, all his previous lovers were very attractive and interesting, while Varya is... a little tit-less grey mouse. And then Varya remembers about her patient, who refused to wash off her makeup, and asks her for help with impressing David — resulting in something monstrous. After that, David replies to her that he likes the real her much more without all this.
This episode provides examples of:
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Phil takes the fact that Bykov doesn't shout on him as a sign that Bykov doesn't care about him, because "if he beats you, he loves you". Bykov calls him the dumbest one from all interns, and proceeds to beat him with a rolled magazine. Phil actually smiles at it, probably sincerely believing that it's a sign of Bykov loving him.
- Be Yourself: David actually likes the real Varya much more than her attempt to make herself "prettier" with makeup.
- Chekhov's Gunman: That patient who refused to wash off her cosmetic? Varya later asks her for help, because she wants to hit on David, and all his previous lovers were very attractive, while Varya... Varya is a boring tit-less grey mouse.
- Comically Missing the Point: Lyuba comments on Bykov passionately shouting on Gleb with "if he beats you, he loves you" saying; she says it ironicallynote , but Phil takes it as a sign that Bykov doesn't love him, because he never beats him or shouts on him (he did both with Gleb). Bykov outright calls him dumbass for applying this saying to his situation, and starts (jokingly) beating him with a rolled magazine... with Phil smiling, still believing that it's a sign of love.
- Everyone Has Standards: How Bykov frees Lobanov from the orderlies who bothered him for a full day? By pretending that he cut off his finger to pay for debt... and offering them to cut Semyon's kidney. They, or course, refuses, deciding that it doesn't worth it; just as planned.
- Moving the Goalposts: Every time when Bykov shouts only on Gleb, but not on Phil, Gleb considers that Phil did something "wrong" and made the test "unfair", and insists on trying again, but in different way. It quickly becomes apparent that Bykov does just dislike him more.
- Perpetual Poverty: Lobanov is in debt to the orderlies, who demands their money back, today. Because Semyon is, as always, low on money, he is forced to loan from somebody else... or at least try, because everyone has either just as few money, or don't trust him, or even already waits until he pays his debts to them.
- Really Gets Around: David having several affairs before (all of them short-living) once again gets brought up by Lyuba to persuade Varya into staying away from him (it doesn't work). The problem is, all previous lovers were very attractive, while Varya is a boring tit-less grey mouse.
- Tough Love: Phil, due to misinterpreting Lyuba's ironic comment ("if he beats you, he loves you") as Bykov actually loving Gleb more, due to shouting and even beating him more, while almost ignoring Phil himself; in truth, the saying was about saving one's soul through strictness, while Bykov only shouts on Gleb more because Gleb annoys him more.
- Uncanny Valley Makeup: Varya, with all this makeup and this dress looks rather vulgar, to David's disgust. David actually invites her on another date later, once she gets rid of... that, cause he likes the real Varya much more.
