In Sex And The City, Samantha is different from her three best friends as she isn’t motivated to be in a relationship. For most of the series, Samantha is more than happy having casual relationships and having what she calls the ‘”benefits” of being in a relationship without the commitment.
However, despite a fair amount of resistance on Samantha’s part, she does find herself in a long-lasting, monogamous relationship with Smith. The pair are one of the best (and most surprising) couples of the series, and many fans find their relationship to be the one that they relate to and understand the most.
One Person Is More Interested Than The Other
![Sex And The City: 10 Ways Samantha & Smith Are The Most Relatable Couple](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/sex-and-the-city-smith-jerrod.jpg)
While Samantha makes it her mission to initially seduce Smith, Smith is more interested in being in a relationship. Samantha is so used to being single that it takes her some time to come around to the idea of making things official between them.
Many fans relate to this aspect of their relationship because, in real life, relationships are often not as simple as two people meeting and falling in love in equal measure. Fans like how realistic it is that initially, only Smith wants something long-term.
They Make Compromises For Each Other
![Smith comforting Samantha after her mistake in Sex and The City](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Smith-comforting-Samantha-after-her-mistake-in-Let-There-Be-Light.jpg)
Smith and Samantha sacrifice their own personal desires at various points on the show in order to allow space for the other to have their needs fulfilled. When the pair first get together, Smith wants to hold Samantha’s hand, but Samantha isn’t comfortable with this. She evens falls down a hole in the sidewalk to avoid it.
However, Samantha adapts in order to make Smith happy, which is one of the most romantic moments in Sex And The City. Relationships inherently involve some compromise and fans particularly enjoy seeing Samantha (who is extremely selfish at times) engaging in the necessary give and take of a relationship.
Intimacy Is A Big Part Of Their Relationship
![Samantha Jones and Smith Jerod in bed in Sex and the City](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/samantha-jones-smith-jerod-in-bed-sex-and-the-city-season-5.jpg)
While the pair end up in a long-term relationship, Samantha and Smith begin by engaging in more of a physical relationship than an emotional one. After they become official, it’s clear that intimacy is still very much a priority for them.
Intimacy is a key theme for many Sex and the City relationships. However, Samantha and Smith’s relationship is nicely juxtaposed and fans like watching the characters make each other a priority as this is an important part of many romantic relationships.
They Help Each Other
![Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones +Jason Lewis as Smith Jerrod on Sex and The City Entry 4](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Kim-Cattrall-as-Samantha-Jones-Jason-Lewis-as-Smith-Jerrod-on-Sex-and-The-City-Entry-4-.jpg)
In Samantha and Smith’s best Sex and the City episodes, the two characters look out for each other and help one another when they can. When they first meet, Samantha owns her own PR firm whereas Smith is a struggling actor who supports himself by working as a waiter. Samantha uses her knowledge and expertise to help Smith become a star and develop his acting career.
This part of their relationship is extremely relatable for fans since relationships inherently involve caring about the other person and wanting to see them happy. Viewers love seeing Smith and Samantha lifting each other up throughout the show.
There Is An Age Gap Between Them
![Smith and Samantha in a club on Sex and the City](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Smith-and-Samantha-in-Sex-and-the-City.jpg)
Samantha is significantly older than Smith, but the series does not show this as a particularly important part of, or as having much impact on the nature of, their relationship.
So often in TV series and movies, including on this very show, couples are similar ages or (in heterosexual relationships) men are older than their female partners. Fans enjoy seeing a relationship in which Samantha (a woman) is older than Smith (a man) because it is so often under-represented and demonstrates that love can be ageless.
They Go Through Hard Times Together
![Split image of Smith saving his head on Sex and the City](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sex-and-the-City-Heartwarming-Samantha-and-Smith-Cropped.jpg)
The series sees Samantha and Smith go through some particularly difficult situations together, especially when Samantha is diagnosed with cancer. This is a memorable SATC storyline and an emotional one, too, as Smith supports Samantha, even shaving his head when Samantha has chemotherapy.
While the pair are in a happy relationship, that doesn’t mean that they are immune from difficult experiences. However, the pair support each other through their struggles when they occur, which is an extremely important part of real-life relationships.
Samantha And Smith Are Still Attracted To Other People
![Samantha by the pool raising her sunglasses](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Sex-and-the-City-Samantha-and-Charlotte-Slut-Shaming-Cropped.jpg)
Being in a monogamous relationship doesn’t mean that Smith and Samantha immediately stop being attracted to other people. When the pair get a new neighbor in L.A., Samantha finds herself being very taken with him and becoming jealous of his intimate relationships with other women.
Although this does mark the end of their relationship, fans enjoy this storyline because it shows that relationships do not always equal only having eyes for one person. In Samantha’s case, her love for Smith didn’t negate her attraction to other people.
They Try To Stick It Out When It Stops Working
![Samantha and Smith looking at each other in Sex and The City](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/10-Most-Questionable-Life-Choices-Main-Characters-Made-In-Sex-and-the-City-samantha-stepped-out-on-smith.jpg)
When Samantha starts to realize that she is no longer happy in her relationship, she tries really hard to stay as she feels she owes it to Smith. However, when she sees her three best friends, they confront her with the inevitable truth.
Unhappy relationships aren’t happy one day and unhappy the next, as they gradually deteriorate over time. Many couples will try and make an unhappy relationship work for a long time before throwing in the towel and fans like the realistic depiction of this relationship slowly coming to an end.
The Relationship Does Not Last Forever
![Samantha breaking up with Smith in Sex And The City](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/samantha-talking-to-smith.jpg)
Although Samantha and Smith’s relationship does last for a long time, it does eventually come to an end in the first Sex and the City movie. Both characters seem saddened by this, but they recognize that the relationship has simply run its course. It’s the best reason a couple breaks up in Sex and the City.
As seen throughout Sex and the City, going through break ups is an inevitable part of dating. While fans are disappointed that this relationship does not work out, it is one of the most relatable things about Samantha and Smith’s relationship.
Samantha And Smith Don’t Want To Get Married
![The ring Smith gives Samantha in Sex and The City](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Sex-and-The-City-Samanthas-Ring-Cropped.jpg)
While Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte all want to and eventually do get married, marriage is not something that Samantha is concerned with. When Smith buys Samantha a ring, she makes very clear that it is “ring with diamonds, not a diamond ring” before telling Smith how much she loves it.
Marriage is often presented as essential in “happily ever after” relationships, so fans love that this Sex and the City relationship demonstrates that not all couples want to get married. Marriage is a choice that some happy couples make, and some happy couples don’t.