Rework `ViewDataDictionary` to ensure `ModelMetadata` is never `null` (#1466)

This is the reanimation of #1453, now done against dev.  No significant changes from that PR after I addressed comments there.

See individual commits for details.

/cc @pranavkm @rynowak @yishaigalatzer 
:ok_hand: I'll add that exact test.  cases where the base class is `object` aren't as obvious though they do follow similar code paths.