Sometimes Louie has these sequences with no dialogue and a real subtle beauty, and then you get a bit disappointed when they end. This episode had a few great sequences, and really only one slightly maudlin bit of dialogue. There are a few themes going on in this episode, starting from the beginning when Louis sees a bunch of model-type people just hanging around in the hotel lobby. That theme continues throughout the episode, the representation of all the people Louis fears and hates. He is embarrassed to swim in public, being out of shape, but is incredibly spiteful towards the blasé cruelty of the beautiful. Really, some people literally knock him down.
That one bit where a girl takes a strawberry and Louis can’t help but attack her was brilliant and hilarious, and kind of indicative of his stance on the “I’m pretty so I can do whatever I want” sort of person. So that ties into the next theme, the paradox of male friendship. Louis finally meets a guy he likes and connects with, someone who shows him a truly human side of a city he (later in the words of his still black ex-wife) hates. This is guy who gives him a wonderful compliment on the importance of making people laugh, believed he saved Louis’ life (although that entire lifesaving scene was awesome, from the sputtering protests of Louis to the dramatic score), and even acknowledges Louis’ unexpected half-Mexican heritage. Although if you’re a real fan, you already knew that about him (pretentious review! drink!).
The episode then becomes an exploration of the difficulty of men (especially in the US) to express emotions or friendship with other men without homophobic fears. At first, you might think Ramon the lifeguard is only befriending Louis to hit on him, but then that gets turned around when Ramon thinks Louis is interested in him. They can acknowledge after the confusion that they enjoy hanging out, but realize that’s as far as it goes. Sometimes you can’t get past that level of awkwardness and just outright say that you like spending time with someone in a non-sexual way. Especially, as Louis says in his clip of standup material, with straight men.
The only real dissonant note was Ramon’s little speech on how those folks in the big towers don’t really know the “real Miami,” which was a bit over-the-top. But we too saw the “real Miami” in those “wonderful” scenes and segments, just like Louis. The human context makes all the difference.
And now, Louis CK’s hidden “joke” in the episode:
Clacked by Jeremy Fogelman 
on Jul 13, 2012 @ 02:46 EST5EDT
Nice recap. I like that you spotlighted Ramon’s underplayed but indeed wonderful compliment to Louie’s profession. This episode was so damned adventurous and fun.
Great show..I felt like I was being whisked around Miami also and having a ball right along with them. So hilarious when his ex-wife said..Ohhh..you’ve met someone!