‘Sex and the City’: In Defense of Richard Wright

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By Andrea Francese | More Articles: TV
Published on
March 5, 2023

Richard Wright first appeared in season 4 of Sex and the City and unexpectedly swept Samantha Jones off her feet. Fans were initially into the relationship. After several seasons of watching Samantha strut through New York City’s often troubled dating scene, it was nice to see her find a man that seemed well-suited to her. That ended quickly, though. Fans largely despise Richard for breaking Samantha’s heart by cheating on her. We are here to defend the ever-sexy hotel magnate.

Samantha Jones had three significant love interests in ‘Sex and the City’

Samantha Jones wasn’t a woman who wanted to be tied down. Unlike her best friends, Carrie Bradshaw, Miranda Hobbes, and Charlotte York, Samantha wasn’t in the pursuit of romance. She was looking for great sex and little else. Still, she had a few significant love affairs during the show’s six-season run.

Samantha dated Maria, an artist she met at Charlotte’s gallery. Maria was too intense and a wee bit controlling during her short-lived romance with Samantha. She then hooked up with Richard Wright, the wealthy hotel mogul that broke her heart, before settling on Smith Jerrod. While we love Smith, we don’t share the same hatred for Richard as some fans.

Richard Wright seemed to understand Samantha Jones

Richard was a straight shooter who seemed to understand Samantha at a core level. When he and Samantha first met, they were both interested in sleeping around. Their relationship started as a high-end hookup. In addition to great sex, they flew to exotic locations on a private jet and enjoyed luxury amenities.

As things progressed, it became clear that both Samantha and Richard had developed feelings for each other. Unlike the other men in Samantha’s orbit, Richard actually took the time to romance Samantha. We love that he gave her space to get comfortable but treated her like a true romantic interest instead of a sure thing.

The cheating wasn’t great, but it wasn’t that bad

Richard Wright’s biggest transgression, according to Sex and the City fans, was his decision to cheat on Samantha. We agree; it was a pretty awful thing to do. Still, was it really that bad? While cheating on Samantha Jones doesn’t make Richard the best boyfriend ever, his bad behavior is pretty tame compared to some of the other men the foursome bedded.

Richard also explained his cheating in a pretty understandable and relatable way. Just like Samantha, Richard was not accustomed to commitment. His strong feelings seemed to freak him out, driving him into someone else’s arms. Samantha caught him and ended things. If Richard had been just another player, he would have walked away and found another woman. He didn’t do that, though. He reached out, reconnected, and eventually won his woman back, although it was short-lived.

We understand why Samantha couldn’t get past Richard’s cheating. In the end, it worked out for the best. We loved Smith Jerrod for Samantha way more. Still, we can’t say Richard Wright was all that bad. Dare we say we still kind of like him?