Ah yeah I should've pulled more examples specifically of class consciousness. I'd have to dig for more specifics there, but I do remember this conversation very clearly from my rewatch:
The ladies talking about class, wealth, and the differences between men and women who have money: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4KQCd8G_t8
Would I rewrite Samantha's character? I'm not so sure. I think for the time she was the breath of fresh air for women's independence. An allowance for women to be selfish that was very much needed to be put on display. The criticism of her being a gay man in a woman's body is valid, but I think that is also precisely where the value lies. In a world where women have true freedom, why wouldn't some of us act like gay men?
It's funny you mention that Samantha freaks out when kink comes up! I always thought the opposite like when she called herself a "try-sexual" and that she would trying anything once. She took a tantric sex class and I think was pictured in a BDSM dungeon once or twice on the show. She also entered into a sexual relationship with a woman as an exploration of her own sexual identity.