Most Famous Simpsons Predictions That Came True

There are plenty of instances where the hit series “The Simpsons” on Fox has eerily predicted major world events before they occurred. At this point, people have become accustomed to seeing memes that perfectly mirror these real-life events. Due to the striking similarities and innumerable instances, the phrase “Simpsons already did it” has now become quite common. Now, we can delve into all the examples where “The Simpsons” foresaw events years before they took place. So, without further delay, let’s jump right into the most famous Simpsons predictions that came true.

Titanic Submersible Disaster and “Homer’s Paternity”Coot”—Season 17, Episode 10 (2006)

The recent Titanic submersible tragedy had people worldwide glued to their screens. We were all eager to learn about the fate of the unfortunate passengers who were heading to witness the Titanic’s ruins. Just as the misfortune of their journey unfolded, someone was quick to share a clip from “The Simpsons” where Homer and one more character find themselves deep in the ocean in their submarines. While the context may differ, the similarities between the two situations are uncanny.

In case you missed this particular episode, let us fill you in. Homer encounters a man whom he believes to be his long-lost father. Following several events, he pledges to take the man deep into the ocean to find a sunken ship. Nevertheless, things do not unfold seamlessly, and Homer ends up trapped in the submarine. The outcome, however, differs significantly from that of the Titanic submersible. Homer somehow manages to escape and ultimately finds himself safely in the hospital.

COVID-19 Pandemic and “Marge in Chains”—Season 4, Episode 21 (1993)

The plot of this episode revolves around the Osaka Flu, mirroring the real-world scenario of the COVID-19 virus. Like the Coronavirus pandemic, the flu originated from a single point and rapidly spread to the United States, causing widespread chaos. The episode unfolded the shocking realities of a pandemic that left viewers deeply unsettled.

This particular episode focused on Marge, who faced punishment with jail time for shoplifting. Meanwhile, the rest of Springfield fell victim to the flu following the delivery of a juicer called the “Juice Loosener.” The parallel with reality even became more real as, like the actual situation, there was no immediate cure. This uncertainty left the Simpsons clueless about how to tackle the issue.

COVID-19 Scenario Predicted By Simpson

The doctors’ response in the episode, advocating bed rest for the infected patients, aligned with the real-world COVID-19 scenario. Medical professionals also recommended rest (mainly seclusion) during the pandemic to manage COVID-19.

In that same episode, there was another hint of an outbreak. People were demanding a cure for the illness. Their main concern was getting a placebo. During the protest, someone pointed at a vehicle that supposedly carried the placebos. The hypercrowd caused the truck to roll over, releasing a swarm of killer bees. Interestingly, a real-life version of this unfolded around the same time as the COVID-19 outbreak.

Asian Giant Hornet

There were several reports about the U.S. dealing with the Asian Giant Hornet, which poses a severe threat to the bee population. These killer bees had the potential to wipe out entire colonies of native bees.

Real Tomacco Plants and “E-I-E-I-“D’oh!”—Season 11, Episode 5 (1999)

In this episode, Homer decided to exploit the power of mutation by inventing an unusual plant. He sourced materials from the nuclear power plant to create something he called a ‘Tomacco‘ that was a fusion of tobacco and tomato.

Interestingly, reports surfaced long after this episode aired about deformed vegetables appearing around the Japan Nuclear Plant. These vegetables had an eerie resemblance to Homer’s creations. Fortunately, no one has attempted to capitalize on these monstrous creations in real life.

Disney/Fox’s Merger Deal and “When You Wish Upon a Star”—Season 10, Episode 5 (1998)

In this episode, Homer decides to work for Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger after encountering them. He pitched a movie idea to executives in the 20th century, and in the next scene of the episode, we witness Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox. Originally intended as a humorous joke on corporate mergers, this episode took on a new significance decades later.

In an unexpected turn of events, this prediction became reality in 2019 when Walt Disney Co. announced a massive $71 billion deal to merge with 21st Century Fox. A few years later, they also finalized agreements regarding streaming rights. Following this deal, this 1998 episode became a remarkable instance of The Simpsons seamlessly foreseeing the future.

Trump’s Presidency and “Bart to the Future”—Season 11, Episode 17 (2000)

This episode highlighted Bart’s vision of a future version of Lisa Simpson becoming president. A particular line from Lisa sparked intense discussions among Simpsons viewers. Lisa mentioned how her administration inherited debt from President Trump, which made things quite difficult for her to manage, a statement that gained notable attention.

The interesting twist is that Donald Trump’s presidency became a reality approximately 16 years after the episode was aired.

Additionally, another scene from the episode appeared to be eerily mirrored in real life. The depiction of Trump descending an escalator with supporters overlooking him resembled an actual event. Shortly after the election, Donald Trump descended an escalator with his wife, Melania Trump, while his followers observed him.

Matrix 4 Premiere and “The Ziff Who Came to Dinner”—Season 15, Episode 14 (2004)

Due to the episode’s lack of popularity, this similarity might have gone unnoticed by many. However, as mentioned earlier, the dedicated Simpsons fandom tends to pick up on minor details.

In 2021, after a prolonged hiatus, the Matrix franchise made a comeback with the release of “The Matrix Resurrections.” The poster prominently featured Neo in a stylish pose at the forefront. Interestingly, the earlier mentioned Simpsons episode showcased a poster behind Homer Simpson titled “A Matrix Christmas,” with the tagline “Coming Soon.” Similarly, the Matrix 4 poster depicted Keanu Reeves as Neo, posing in a Christmas hat.

This was likely a coincidence since people were already familiar with the Matrix movies before the episode aired. The creators must have drawn inspiration from the films. Nonetheless, it is disappointing that we did not see the iconic Neo striking a relaxed pose with a killer Christmas hat in the official 2021 movie poster.

The Beatles Sending Belated Fan Mail and “Brush with Greatness—Season 2, Episode 18 (1991)

The episode featured Ringo Starr of The Beatles responding to fan mail written decades earlier. Interestingly, this fictional scenario turned into reality in September 2013. Two dedicated Beatles fans from Essex received a reply to fan mail they had sent 50 years ago, and the response came from none other than Paul McCartney.

The fans had sent their recordings and mail to a London theater where the band was supposed to perform. Unfortunately, a historian discovered the recording at a car boot sale much later.

For those interested in delving deeper into this lore, the BBC’s “The One Show” documented the reunion of the fans.

Facetime, Apple Watch, and Autocorrect

It is truly fascinating how The Simpsons seemed to predict, or at least foreshadow, various technological advancements that later became a reality. In the 6th season, Episode 19, The Simpsons featured a wristwatch that multitasked as a phone. This concept was introduced two decades later with Apple’s launch of its digital watches. The show, indeed, was ahead of its time.

The concept of ‘autocorrect,’ now a highly used feature in our devices, was humorously depicted in the 6th season’s 8th episode. The scene involved school bullies Kearney and Dolph attempting to take a memo to “beat up Martin” on a Newton device. However, this memo automatically translates into ‘Eat up, Martha.’ In fact, it is true that Nitin Ganatra, former director of engineering iOS applications at Apple, told Fast Company that the Simpsons played a major role in improving the Apple keyboard.

In “Lisa’s Wedding,” Season 6, Episode 19 (1995), the show portrayed a fortune teller predicting Lisa’s future in 2010. What is noteworthy is the depiction of a video call with Marge’s face on the phone, resembling the concept of FaceTime. In real life, Apple introduced FaceTime to its devices in 2010. The Simpsons have played a part in shaping the technological advancements we experience today.

Indeed, many of these predictions from The Simpsons may not have been perfectly accurate. Regardless of this, they somehow managed to align with real-world events. These instances often depict everyday occurrences or recurring patterns in human behavior. While it may seem superficial to the viewers, it is true that the creators did not have anything extraordinary to predict the future; at its core, it was all purely coincidental. As The Simpsons continues to run, we wonder what more the creators have in store for us! Of course, more Simpsons predictions have come true. But the ones mentioned above are the mainstream ones.

We hope this article gave you insights into many instances when Simpsons episodes hit the nail on the head. If they continue to do so in the future, we’ll be sure to update the site with the latest updates! So, stay tuned for more!