Samantha is characterized by her open and unapologetic approach to sex and relationships. Throughout the series, she engages in numerous brief sexual encounters, often with colorful or unconventional partners. These include a man who requires her to take an
HIV test before engaging in sex on a swing, a college student also named Sam Jones who wishes to lose his virginity, a partner whose
bodily fluids she finds unappealing, and a personal trainer who shaves a lightning bolt into her pubic hair. She typically avoids emotional attachments, frequently insisting that her partners leave shortly after their encounters. In one storyline, she makes a
sex-tape in response to tabloid rumors suggesting she is a "
fag hag", aiming to assert her sexual identity. She once jokes that she regularly loses underwear because she leaves them behind at partners’ homes. Her casual approach to sex leads to tension with her friend Charlotte when she sleeps with Charlotte’s brother, prompting a confrontation. Although Samantha rarely pursues long-term relationships, the series references a past heartbreak involving a man named Dominic Delmonico, whom she briefly reconnects with during the show’s run. She also has several more substantial romantic relationships across the series.
James At the end of the first season, Samantha begins dating James (
James Goodwin), whom she meets at a jazz bar. Unlike her usual approach to relationships, she delays having sex with him, believing he might be someone she could eventually marry. After declaring her love for him, they become physically intimate, but Samantha is disappointed to discover that James is significantly
under-endowed, which affects their sexual compatibility. In the season one finale, "Oh Come All Ye Faithful," she confides in her friends that she is unable to enjoy intimacy with him and finds the experience unsatisfying. Despite attempting to resolve the issue through
couples' counseling, the relationship ends after she expresses her frustration, to which James responds with a disparaging remark about her anatomy. In the second season episode "Ex and the City," Samantha’s experience with James is humorously contrasted by her brief encounter with a man known as "Mr. Too Big," who warns her about the size of his anatomy before they attempt sex. Although initially enthusiastic, Samantha ultimately finds the experience physically overwhelming and ends the relationship mid-second encounter. The episode concludes with her unexpectedly exclaiming "I miss James!" during a dinner with her friends, suggesting that her emotional attachment to him may have been genuine despite their physical incompatibility.
Maria Reyes In
Season 4, Samantha enters into a brief but serious same-sex relationship with Maria Reyes (
Sônia Braga), a Brazilian artist. Her friends are surprised—not by the fact that Maria is a woman, but by the seriousness of the relationship. Charlotte remarks that Samantha is likely not a lesbian, but simply "ran out of men." Initially, Samantha intends to remain friends with Maria, believing she is not suited for committed relationships. However, when Maria expresses her inability to continue a platonic friendship, Samantha decides to pursue a romantic relationship and kisses her. The relationship allows Samantha to explore her sexuality from a new perspective, and she expresses curiosity about female intimacy. Over time, however, Samantha becomes dissatisfied as the sexual element of their relationship diminishes and is replaced by frequent emotional conversations. Tensions also arise when Maria confronts Samantha about her extensive sexual history. Ultimately, the relationship ends when Maria concludes that Samantha has intimacy issues, and Samantha acknowledges that she misses being with men.
Richard Wright Later in
Season 4, Samantha begins a relationship with Richard Wright (
James Remar), a wealthy hotel magnate. Initially, the two appear well-matched, sharing a mutual disinterest in commitment and a preference for casual relationships. However, as their relationship progresses, Samantha develops deeper feelings for Richard and agrees to pursue a
monogamous partnership. The relationship is disrupted when Samantha discovers that Richard has been unfaithful. Although she attempts to forgive him and continue the relationship, she ultimately ends it due to lingering distrust. In
Season 6, Samantha encounters Richard at a party while attending with her new partner, Smith Jerrod. She accompanies Richard to a private room where they engage in sex, but during the encounter, Samantha appears emotionally detached and conflicted. Afterward, she returns to Smith, visibly distressed, and apologizes for her actions.
Jerry "Smith" Jerrod Samantha meets Jerry "Smith" Jerrod (
Jason Lewis), a 28-year-old waiter and aspiring actor, while dining with friends at a restaurant called Raw. Initially intending to pursue a
casual encounter, she returns alone and succeeds in taking him home, outlasting other women vying for his attention. What begins as a purely physical relationship—during which she refers to him simply as "Smith" in their imaginative sexual scenarios—gradually develops into something more, despite Samantha’s resistance to emotional involvement. She is initially put off by learning personal details about him, such as his status as a recovering alcoholic, but finds herself continuing to see him. Recognizing his potential, Samantha uses her public relations expertise to boost his career, renaming him "Smith Jerrod" and helping him land modeling and acting work. He gains significant attention after posing nude in a
Times Square ad campaign for
Absolut Vodka, dubbed the "Absolut Hunk," which leads to a role in a
Gus Van Sant film. Samantha appreciates that Smith is not threatened by her professional success, unlike some of her past partners. Despite her initial reluctance to commit, Samantha grows emotionally attached. When Smith leaves for a film shoot, she realizes she misses him, though she struggles with the attention he receives as a rising celebrity and the difference in their ages. At a party, she has a brief sexual encounter with her ex, Richard Wright, but quickly regrets it. She returns to Smith, who forgives her, and she eventually begins referring to him as her boyfriend. The two appear to live together, and Smith is shown to have keys to her apartment. Smith supports Samantha during her
breast cancer diagnosis, even shaving his head in solidarity when she begins
chemotherapy. While Samantha loses interest in sex during treatment, she encourages Smith to seek intimacy elsewhere during his film shoot in
Canada. Although he initially refuses, she later changes her mind and tells him he may do so. Instead, he surprises her by returning to New York and expressing his love. Samantha responds by telling him that he means more to her than any man she has known. In the series finale, the two are shown having sex, while the flowers Smith had previously sent—initially unopened—are now in full bloom, symbolizing the growth of their relationship. In
Sex and the City (2008), the couple is still together, with Samantha having moved to
Los Angeles to manage Smith’s increasingly successful acting career. However, she becomes restless with monogamy and frustrated that her life revolves around his professional schedule. Struggling with temptation and self-image, she ultimately decides to end the relationship, stating that the most important relationship she needs to work on is the one she has with herself. In
Sex and the City 2 (2010), Samantha and Smith remain on good terms. He invites her to accompany him to the premiere of his summer film, acknowledging that his career would not have been possible without her support. At the event, he introduces her to the film's
Arab financier, who later offers her a professional opportunity in
Abu Dhabi. ==Reception==