I found this episode never really made a BIG deal out of Ben being a woman, you would think if you had a leapt into a woman there would have been an instant shock then followed up by awkward interactions between the leapee and Jake.
New QL didn't deal with this character leap very well imho, Ben may as well have leapt into a man, it made no difference to the storyline. I suppose it can be put down to our very modern views of gender neutrality nowadays and masking masculine and femine ways.
Sam's woman roles were more feminine and uncomfortable because his lifetime restriction limited him, for the most part, to the women's lib era when women with masculine behavior and professions wasn't normal nor accepted and women were belittled almost as pets.
His level of discomfort is in large part attributed to his personal comfort zone and belief system as an individual, not just as a man. Remember, he supported gay and women's rights despite growing up in a sexist and intolerant age but himself was a straight man who preferred masculinity.
Although Ben's exact age has not been revealed and he was able to break down the lifetime walls, he is at least a generation Sam's junior (as Sam was Al's). He grew up in a more gender equal society meaning there is a wider range of women characters, and we still haven't learned a lot about his own character. Despite his engagement to a woman, he could still be bisexual or pansexual and therefor might not have a problem kissing a man.
The Netflix series Lucifer is a strong example of such a character.
He did show shades of discomfort at the beginning with the advances being made towards him by the criminal he was supposed to be arresting but that could still go either way because the guy was being a creeper.
In addition, thus far Ben seems more able to go with the flow than Sam was, one of several examples of individualism between the two characters in the span of just 4 episodes which I for one appreciate. If this character was meant to have the exact same characterization as Sam, they should have just convinced Scott to come back to stick with the actual Sam as the lead.
Eva's characterization as non-feminine causing Ben to come off as indistinguishable from a being in the role of a man was not invalid/wrong for a woman in this age. There are plenty of women in law enforcement and either way who are strong and able to stand their own ground.
While the proposal fell a bit flat that was because we didn't see their relationship outside of their professional partnership and how serious this couple was, and Eva and Jake don't read as a couple who are into traditional romance with stolen kisses and random car sex. He gave her a taser for Christmas and it's implied that she considered that hot.
Don't forget Eva was having doubts because Jake wanted to leave the bounty hunting business and she did not and had turned down the proposal in the original history. So, they were not in a great place that lent itself to awkward expectations of intimacy.
Alright, so Eva didn't make for the most exciting woman leap but it's still valid and as I said before unique since Sam never had this form of woman role.
This was only Ben's first woman I'm sure he'll get some feminine ones that lend themselves better to humor.
