Fun game: see how much of the set is used in other movies. Most of the Hallmark movies are made on the same set in Atlanta so some will share little things like the same staircase or same exterior of a house. Hallmark reuses more than just the plots!
I’ve never heard someone say they wanted to listen to pop or stadium country music because it’s innovative. In fact, a hasty and anecdotal surveying of friends and neighbors says that they listen to the music because it’s easy to listen to (ie unchallenging).
The directions say to mix the hot water thoroughly throughout the dry mixture, cover, and remove from heat so the entire mix can absorb the water. Sounds like there was no mixing and the half that wasn’t in the water barely got any while the rest was sitting in the water meant for the entire package. Easy fix is to mix it before covering. Hopefully the next batch comes out to your satisfaction!