The thing about vanilla is that it's versatile. It can shine on its own, but even when it's not outstanding, there's almost no one who dislikes it, which is not the case WRT any other flavoring you can name.

"The Gentle Vultures" reminds me of that poster with the two vultures and the caption, "Patience, my ass -- I'm gonna KILL something!"

"The Last Question" is a decent fictional speculation about oscillating-universe cosmology; the thing I find a bit disappointing in the ending is the religious overtone.