The Simpsons is the most acclaimed animated series in history. Throughout its more than 700 episodes, the yellow family has made generations laugh with its acid humor and social metaphors.
But in Springfield, it is not all laughter: as the years go by, people have been noticing a pattern of instances that, when first aired, seemed so far-fetched but turned out to occur in reality.
Discover the things The Simpsons predicted that shockingly came true.
A Pandemic of Asian Origin
How not to start with one of the most talked-about scenes throughout the past couple of years? The pandemic departed from China to the whole world in 2019 and the Springfield family had already predicted it in episode 21 of the fourth season.
This prediction was a close one, although not exact. During the episode, the virus originated in the city of Osaka, Japan. But the fast way of spreading and the later on restrictions were accurately predicted. As soon as the international news about the current pandemic aired, fans brought back the images released in 1993.
Video Calls
Although today it is one of the most widely used forms of communication, when Season’s 6 Episode 19 premiered in 1995 showing Lisa on a video call with her mother, it seemed impossible. There were hardly any cell phones and owning one was seen as a luxury not many could afford.
Oddly enough, in 2010, exactly 15 years after the episode first aired, the technology for video calling was introduced. And they did not only predict this new feature! They also predicted the older generations to have a hard time adapting to it.
New Owners
Towards the end of the episode “When You Dish Upon A Star”, aired in 1998, the writers included a sign outside of a building that read “20th Century Fox, A Division of Walt Disney Co”.
In 2017, Disney announced that they were acquiring part of 21st Century Fox, which owns 20th Century Fox. ESPN’s reporter Darren Rovell was the first to notice the accurate prediction and posted a tweet including a screenshot from the episode.
Tiger attack
When Mr. Burns first opens the doors to his casino in Springfield, two characters inspired by the magicians Siegfried & Roy make an appearance. This duo entertained millions of turists in Las Vegas with their famous shows involving white tigers.
Towards the end of the episode, the illusionists find themselves getting attacked by one of their tigers. 10 years after the episode premiere, a shockingly similar attack took place. A tiger named Montecore struck Roy during one of their Vegas shows bitting his arms and neck, which consequently put an end to their performing career.
World Trade Center
The Simpsons’ predictions are usually funny, nostalgic, and overall shocking. But also, at times, a bit disturbing. In 1997, the show aired an episode called “The City of New York vs Homer Simpson”. In one of the scenes, Bart is seen holding a flyer that reads: New York, $9, and the Twin Towers appear to make up the number 11. Four years later, when the attack took place, viewers pointed out the similarities with the episode, and we can’t unsee it.
In 2010, the executive producer of the show, Bill Oakley, told The New York Observer: “$9 was picked as a comically cheap fare, and I will grant that it’s eerie, given that it’s on the only episode of any series ever that had an entire act of World Trade Centre jokes.”
World Cup Final
At the beginning of 2014, season 25 premiered, which included an episode about the World Cup in Brazil, which was held a few months later. In it, Homer is a referee and the series anticipated one of the most important matches of that tournament: Brazil vs. Germany. This prediction wasn’t completely accurate but it got pretty close. In the episode, the two teams met during the semifinals when in reality the match took place during the final of the tournament.
However, both in the episode and in the actual tournament, the victory went to the Germans. The writers can officially add another success to the list of predictions!
Three-eyed fish
Blinky, the three-eyed fish, made its first appearance on season 2 of the show. Bart and Lisa were fishing near the nuclear power plant and came across the little three-eyed guy. This instance sparked concerns about the harm of nuclear waste to marine life.
Roughly ten years later, a similar mutant fish was found in Argentina, near a nuclear power plant. This proves that The Simpsons didn’t just predict the existence of such creature but also the cause of this frightening mutation.
The Grease Bandit
Fans of The Simpsons have proven time and time again that they are willing to go to endless measures to prove their commitment to the show. This time around, someone took inspiration from Season 10, Episode 1, where Bart and Homer decide to steal used grease from their elementary school’s cafeteria.
In 2014, thousands of pounds of cooking oil were solen from restaurants in the Minnesota area and fans were quick to link it back to the show.
Yellow judges
Ah yes, another Simpsons episode coming to life before our eyes. In the episde “Elementary School Musical”, Milhouse Van Houten predicted the Economic Sciences Nobel Prize winner for the year 2016, professor Bengt R. Holmström.
Viewers of the show later realized that he not only predicted one Nobel Prize winner, but two! W. E. Moerner, won the Chemistry Novel Prize in 2014.
Endless Tour
In the episode titled “Lisa’s Wedding” aired in 1995, Lisa Simpson travels to the future all the way to the year 2010. During one of the scenes, a poster appears featuring the Rolling Stones and their “Steel Wheelchair Tour” implying that the band will still be on tour 15 years later.
Surprise, surprise!
Mr. Burns is real
Burns’ Bear, premiered in 1993, is one of the favorite episodes of many fans. The plot featuring Homer’s boss, an ever-malicious old man sensitized by a doll from his childhood, is one of the most fondly remembered of the series.
So when an ancient bear without an eye appeared at an airport in England, scenes of the episode immediately went viral. A search for its owner was even proposed, but it seems unlikely that the legendary Mr. Burns will show up and retrieve it.
I did it first
Again anticipating technology. As in series such as The Jetsons, the genius of the writers in dealing with themes of the future is demonstrated with each new advance. Although basic prototypes already existed, the first smartwatches hit the market as of 2012.
However, John, Lisa’s English fiancé, was already communicating by this means 17 years before, in the series created by Matt Groening. He can be seen in the scene where he asks the young Simpson to marry him.
