The 2012 In/Out List

Monica Hesse and Dan Zak establish what’s in and what’s out in 2012.

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OUT: Ryan Gosling. IN: Michael Fassbender. ("Hey girl. I'm no longer the broodiest bro on the block.")

Matt Sayles / AP

OUT: Tebowing. IN: Hunting the God particle. (Take a knee, Tim. Scientists are nearing the end zone of the universe.)

Garrett W. Ellwood, left; Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images

OUT: Michael Phelps. IN: Missy Franklin. (He blitzed Beijing; she's poised to plunder London.)

Kathy Willens, left; Francois Xavier Marit / AP, left; AFP Getty Images

OUT: Over-hyped Shake Shack. IN: Underwhelming meatballs. (Stop standing in line for the food your dad used to make when mom was out of town.)

Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post

OUT: Bryce Dallas Howard. IN: Jessica Chastain. (The redheads co-starred in "The Help," but we deducted points for "Twilight" and added some for "Tree of Life.")

Charles Sykes, left; Valery Hache / AP; AFP Getty Images

OUT: Tigers. IN: Sloths. (Tiger moms, tiger blood, “The Tiger’s Wife.” Let’s slow it down.)

AM Panthaky, left; Desiree Martin / AFP/Getty Images

OUT: Trump. IN: Thiel. (In the category of libertarian titans, Donald's free-market megaphone was a little too loud this year.)

Seth Wenig, left; Lois Bernstein / AP (left)

OUT: Natalee Holloway. IN: Natalie Wood. (We'll never stop searching for Natalee, but the reopening of Natalie’s case has revived a decades-old investigation.)

/ Family photo via AP; AFP/Getty Images

OUT: Putin. IN: Putin. (“Democracy” in action.)

/ AFP/Getty Images, left; AP

OUT: Pippa’s bum. IN: Kate’s uterus. (In 2012 the bump under examination will be in the belly region.)

Chris Jackson / Getty Images

OUT: Adele. IN: Gary Clark Jr. (With Adele's over-exposure and vocal problems, we're looking for someone else who invigorates old sounds with fresh soul.)

Joel Ryan, left; Bill O'Leary / AP; The Washington Post

OUT: Stewardess nostalgia. IN: Postman nostalgia. (We’re done with romanticizing the friendly skies of the ‘60s; how about the endangered letter carriers of today?)

Patrick Harbron, left; Justin Sullivan / ABC; Getty Images

OUT: Alex Ovechkin. IN: Lamont Peterson. (We prefer a hometown hero whose fighting yields championships.)

Toni L. Sandys, left; Al Bello / The Washington Post; Getty Images

OUT: “How I Met Your Mother.” IN: “Happy Endings.” (With Lily about to give birth, we must look elsewhere for child-free, zinger-heavy camaraderie.)

Bruce Birmelin, right / CBS Broadcasting Inc.; ABC, right

OUT: Nicki Minaj. IN: Azealia Banks. (Minaj was the larger-than-life rapper of 2011. Banks promises to unseat her in 2012.)

Lucas Jackson, left; Matt Barnes / Reuters; Primary Talent International

OUT: New planets. IN: New dinosaurs. (Forget Kepler22b. Say hello to Spinops sternbergorum!)

Ames/JPL-Caltech, left; Vanderlei Almeida / NASA via Getty Images; AFP/Getty Images

OUT: Snakeskin. IN: Peacock feathers. (Because we said so.)

Frazer Harrison, left; Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

OUT: Buying in Bloomingdale. IN: Renting in Navy Yard. (We’re priced out, so we head for the water.)

/ The Washington Post

OUT: Portland. IN: Pittsburgh. (Put a bird on it? Get lost.)

/ Handout, left; AP

OUT: Spotify. IN: Bluebrain. (Don’t follow the music. Let the music follow you.)

/ Bloomberg, left;The Washington Post

OUT: Boston terriers. IN: Belgian Malinois. (Dogs as war heroes, not status symbols.)

/ The Washington Post, left; AP

OUT: Trapeze lessons. IN: Flying lessons. (Fly through the air with the greatest of ease. IN A PLANE.)

/ The Washington Post, left; AP

OUT: “New Girl.” IN: “Girls.” (Zooey, begone. Lena, hello.)

/ AP, left; HBO

OUT: Organic vodka. IN: White whiskey. (It’s not moonshine, but it’ll do.)

/ AP

OUT: Bandage dresses. IN: Wide-leg trousers. (A lady needs to eat.)

/ Getty Images

OUT: Words with Friends. IN: Scrabble (with neighbors). (Put down your device and initiate some real face time.)

/ The Washington Post, left; Reuters

OUT: Impulsive pixies. IN: Impulsive bangs. (The latter is sassy. The former just says you’ve been dumped.)

/ Reuters, left, AP

OUT: Civil War reenactors. IN: Titanic revivalists. (Both tragedies are having big anniversaries; Titanic’s comes with a re-release of James Cameron’s epic — in 3D!)

/ Reuters, left, AP

OUT: Michael Caine. IN: Christopher Plummer. (The erstwhile Captain von Trapp appears Oscar-bound with “Beginners.”)

/ Getty Images

OUT: Quinoa. IN: Amaranth. (We only have room for one favorite biblical grain.)

/ Getty Images, left, AP

OUT: Reagan. IN: Thatcher. (The Great Communicator was over-invoked in 2011. The Iron Lady has an enduring ethos and a blockbuster movie.)

/ AP, left; Getty Images

Featured Photo Galleries

In this image released by the Miss Universe Organization, Miss Washington USA 2012, Christina Clarke; Miss West Virginia USA 2012, Andrea Rogers; and Miss Wisconsin USA 2012, Emily Guerin compete in their swimwear by Kooey Australia and fashion footwear by Chinese Laundry during the 2012 Miss USA Presentation Show on May 30, 2012 at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2012 MISS USA Pageant will air LIVE on NBC June 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET from the Theatre for Performing Arts in Las Vegas. = RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT 'AFP PHOTO / Miss Universe Organization / DARREN DECKER' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS =DARREN DECKER/AFP/GettyImages

Miss Universe, Beijing Aquarium, National Spelling Bee and more in the day in photos

Miss Universe, Beijing Aquarium, National Spelling Bee and more.

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 30: Jon Stewart attends the Sesame Street Workshop 10th Annual Benefit Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on May 30, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Jon Stewart, Justin Bieber, Bruce Springsteen, Lil Wayne, Michelle Williams and other celebrities.

The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is seen in a camera on the end of the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm as it moves away from the station in preparation for its return to earth in this image from NASA TV May 31, 2012. REUTERS/NASA TV (SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

SpaceX prepares to return home

The SpaceX Dragon capsule detached from the international space station Thursday morning.

Police investigate the scene where a man who was believed to have shot and killed several people earlier in the day shot himself Wednesday, May 30, 2012, in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle. A gunman opened fire at a Seattle cafe earlier Wednesday, killing three people and critically wounding two others and later a man believed to be the same suspect shot and killed a woman and took her car near downtown, abandoning it less than two miles from where the alleged shooter shot himself as officers closed in on him, authorities said. His condition wasn't immediately known. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Gunman kills five, shoots himself in Seattle

A gunman killed five people in Seattle — four at a cafe and another in a carjacking.

LANDOVER, MD May 30, 2012 U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Fabian Johnson (23) hits a crossing pass to forward Herculez Gomez (9) for their 1st half goal against Brazil Men's National Team goalie Rafael (12) on May 30, 2012 in Landover, MD (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Brazil too much for U.S. to handle

Herculez Gomez scores just before halftime, but Brazil runs away with a 4-1 victory.

Camels rest at a watering hole outside the town of Aleg May 25, 2012. REUTERS/Joe Penney (MAURITANIA - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY)

Camels, tigers, turtles, a giant stag beetle and more in animal views

Camels, tigers, turtles, a giant stag beetle and more.

Editor’s choice: Reader-submitted photos

Some of the Post’s top picks of snapshots taken and submitted by readers.

HANDOUT PHOTO: Camera men film as the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) crew, U.S. astronaut Joseph Acaba and Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, blasts off from it's launch pad at Baikonur cosmodrome, May 15, 2012. (Courtesy of Shamil Zhumatov/ADAY.org)

A snapshot of life

ADAY.org aimed to capture a picture of life across the globe on one day: May, 15, 2012.

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