(Image: Tom Red/Private Media)

We’d all hoped 2021 would make amends for the toxic bin fire that was 2020. But we were all dead wrong: 2021 turned out to be even worse.

So with our collective expectations at an all-time low, Crikey satirist Tom Red spent the week knee-deep in goat entrails to see what 2022 has in store. Here’s what he found:

Voices of…

After disappointing election results, the movement will split into two competing factions: Inside Voices, who believe in political change through spiritual wellness, and Outside Voices, who maintain they would have bagged more seats if their T-shirt and shit-posting game was more “street”.

ScoMo

2020: “I don’t hold a hose, mate.”

2021: “It’s not a race.”

2022: “You want fries with that?”

Albo

2020: lose extraneous policies, reveal new vision.

2021: lose extraneous kilos, reveal new glasses.

2022: “Thanks again, Bill, for all of your detailed feedback and suggestions, but we really, really need to wrap this meeting up now.”

Alan Jones

2020: SkyNews (national pay TV).

2021: direct to the people (online).

2022: corner of Pitt and Bathurst streets, Sydney (milkcrate and megaphone).

Language

2020: It is what it is.  

2021: Or is it?

2022: I can’t even…

Space

2020: obscenely rich man-babies spend millions trying to get into space for 10 minutes.

2021: obscenely rich man-babies actually get into space for 10 minutes.

2022: the monster from Alien sends an intergalactic “cease and desist” order, threatening to destroy the earth if she encounters any more obscenely rich man-babies.

Finding love

There will be an explosion of micro-targeted dating apps to challenge big guns such as eHarmony, Grindr and Tinder. Highly rated newcomers include:

Kinda: for indifferent, noncommittal daters.

Blinda: for daters who enjoy a drink or 17.

eFervency: for daters moved by The Thorn Birds, The Vicar of Dibley and Fleabag.

eHarlotry: for unsentimental, transactional daters.

eCarpentry: for desperate renovators who can’t get a tradie to call them back via the regular channels.

Streaming TV

2020: Tiger King

2021: Squid Game

2022: The Peter Foster Story: a 17-part musical documentary, directed by Baz Luhrmann.

Reality TV

2020: I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here.

2021: I’m an Epidemiologist… Get Me Out of Here.

2022: I’m fine in here. Really. Just leave me.

Food

2020: sourdough

2021: picnic hampers

2022: Soylent Green

Drinks

2020: home-brew

2021: Aperol Spritz

2022: goon