Content Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the Netflix show Russian Doll.
There’s no shortage of hilarious lines from Netflix’s Russian Doll, thanks to witty characters like Nadia, Maxine, and even Horse. The wacky and often profound events in the comedy-drama series are made better by gut-busting moments punctuated by well-written quotes.
From Maxine’s obsession with chicken to Nadia’s meme-worthy comment about Thursdays, the funniest lines from the show provide some much-needed comic relief for the protagonist, who is forced to come to terms with how the universe is messing with her, and for fans, who are just along for the wild ride. With the recent release of Russian Doll‘s second season, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of the most humorous quotes from the popular series.
Nadia Vulvokov:
“That’s My Drug Dealer. I Gotta Take This.”
Aside from the time loops and time-traveling train, one of the weirdest aspects of the show is how Nadia manages to keep her job. Fans have only ever seen her step into the office once, and she manages to highlight just how little she cares by standing up in the middle of a meeting for an urgent phone call from her “drug dealer,” Wardog.
Paired with her colleagues’ reactions, it creates a comical scene that gives fans a better idea of who Nadia is. Some audiences may spot a brief callback to this moment in season 2, where Nadia doesn’t think twice about ignoring a notification about an important meeting.
Maxine:
“Okay. I’m Gonna Make Another Chicken! Will You Guys Eat Another Chicken? Top Ten Idea. Top Ten Chicken.”
An instantly recognizable running gag in the series revolves around Maxine’s chicken. Fans who pay close attention will realize that she has talked about it several times, first during the numerous time loops in season 1, and then while she’s preparing raw chicken in front of Alan and Nadia in season 2.
Her announcement about how she’s gonna “make another chicken” emphasizes how much effort she puts into pleasing other people. Nadia’s birthday party has to be perfect, which includes the iconic chicken that really should get more attention from the guests.
Nadia Vulvokov:
“Humanity… A Little Bit Overrated, No?”
Nadia’s pessimistic view of the world has undoubtedly been influenced by her chaotic childhood, which has a lot to do with her relationship with her mother. When she has a conversation with Ruth towards the end of the first season, she admits that she thinks “humanity” is “a little bit overrated.”
Ruth’s insightful advice about forgiving other people (likely referring to Nora) only prompts a glib response from Nadia, who says “other people are garbage.” It may be a humorous line, but it’s also a glimpse into the protagonist’s inner turmoil, which she’s forced to confront soon enough.
Alan Zaveri:
“I Know You Won’t Believe Me When I Say This, But I Have Seen A Movie.”
Nadia and Alan’s personalities are drastically different, which is why it’s so entertaining to watch their conversations. This is highlighted in one of their interactions in season 2 where they argue about what they should do about their newfound ability to time travel. Nadia thinks they should “change s**t,” asking him if he’s never seen a movie.
Alan responds with the funny line about having seen a film before reminding Nadia that “literally every movie about time travel says don’t change things.” She, of course, ignores this and runs away before Alan could realize she was cheating during their chess game.
Ruth Brenner:
“I Don’t Know What I’m Doing – I’m Looking At A Watch.”
A comical moment ensues when Nadia (in Lenora’s body) starts to give birth to herself on the subway where she’s surrounded by Vera, Delia, Ruth, and a bunch of strangers. Everyone starts to panic, including Ruth, who asks Nadia if she’s just had “another contraction,” to which the stressed out protagonist replies that she doesn’t know.
Ruth can only laugh and say she doesn’t know either, as she’s just pretending to time the contractions and “looking at a watch.” The way Vera insults her for not being “a f*****g real doctor” makes the entire scene even more chaotic and hilarious.
Nadia Vulvokov:
“Every Time You Compliment Me, A Cockroach Gets Its Wings.”
One of the biggest reveals in the trailer for Russian Doll‘s second season is Maxine’s involvement in Nadia’s new misadventures. Audiences meet her again in an early scene where Nadia complains about Ruth’s situation, to which she says that the protagonist is “doing great.” Instead of appreciating the compliment, Nadia retorts with her own New Yorker version of the saying, “an angel gets its wings.”
The cockroach is also a reference to the first season, as some fans may remember a funny exchange between Nadia and Maxine, where she can’t understand why Nadia would ever think her bestfriend would call her a cockroach.
Horse:
“Babies Are True Materialists.”
Several of the fan theories about Horse turned out to be wrong, which may have been disappointing for some fans. That said, it was still cool to see him being his usual self again in season 2, which means he brought along some (often funny) words of wisdom.
One of the smart jokes Horse cracks on the show is his line about “babies” being the “true materialists.” It’s a statement that alludes to materialism, which is a philosophical monism that holds matter important above all else, which is something that comes naturally to infants who only know what’s in front of them. The deep philosophical idea seems to be just another passing thought for him, inspired by baby Nadia’s presence.
Alan Zaveri:
“I Don’t Want Your Four-Year-Old Chicken.”
Maxine finds herself preparing chicken yet again in front of Nadia and Alan. She’s shocked by Alan’s uncalled for insult about not wanting her “four-year-old chicken,” which is a hilarious phrase that obviously only makes sense to the time travelers.
By fixing the chicken in front of the duo, she helps Nadia explain the increasingly chaotic situation around them by slicing the chicken in half and showing Alan that it’s still raw inside. It’s funny how while this is illuminating for Alan, Maxine is rightly just confused by the whole interaction.
Maxine:
“Did You Know That Human Embryos Go Through A Stage Where They Have Slits In Their Necks Like Fish? Isn’t That Adorbs?”
Maxine has become one of the most likable characters in Russian Doll, thanks to her gut-busting one-liners that often seem to come out of nowhere. A great example of this happens during a phone call with Nadia, where she starts talking about how “human embryos” have “slits in their necks like fish,” adding that she finds “that adorbs.”
It’s such a seemingly random and disgusting fact, which fits perfectly with the character as fans know her at that point. Only Maxine would find something like that cute, and it doesn’t faze those close to her anymore.
Nadia Vulvokov:
“Thursday! What A Concept.”
Arguably the most meme-worthy line from the show, Nadia re-evaluates her idea of “Thursday” as “a concept” after a comment from Maxine about how she started cooking her chicken last Thursday. For Nadia, “it’s never gonna be Thursday again,” and at that moment, she embraces the absurdity of her situation in the time loop, not knowing how bad it’s going to get.
It’s a gut-busting joke for audiences who understand what she means by Thursday being a concept, as nobody else in her party gets that for Nadia, “nothing is ever gonna change.” It’s a line that likely got several fans to fall in love with her unique personality and perspective on life and the universe.
