 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Since its debut in 1989,The Simpsons has produced over790 episodes. Many episodes have drawn attention for bearing resemblance to later historical developments. Media scholars note that given the show's longevity and satirical nature - which frequently incorporates contemporary cultural references - some apparent correspondences are statistically likely to occur.
One of the writers,Stephanie Gillis, said there are so many things happening in the world and she spends a lot of time discussing the show outside of work.[1][2]
An early example of this phenomenon was observed in season three's "Lisa the Greek". Airing only days beforeSuper Bowl XXVI on January 23, 1992, the episode correctly predicted the victory of theWashington Redskins over theBuffalo Bills.[3] A repeat of the episode airing thefollowing year redubbed the episode's dialogue to mention theDallas Cowboys, once again against the Bills; the Cowboys would go on to win.
The season 21 episode "Boy Meets Curl", released in 2010, foresaw thefirst American men's curling team winning a gold medal at the2018 Winter Olympics.[4]
The season 25 episode "You Don't Have to Live Like a Referee" would predict the2015 FIFA corruption case.[5]
A scene in the season eleven episode "Bart to the Future" mentions thatDonald Trump became the president of the United States. In response to this, the episode garnered renewed attention, and the chalkboard gag in season 28's "Havana Wild Weekend", released after the2016 election, reads "Being right sucks."[6]
In "Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy", a news clipping reads that "the US President was arrested", which is believed to predict Trump's arrest in 2023;[7] "The Day the Violence Died", aired 1996, reportedly predicted theUnited States Capitol attack;[7] and "Midnight Rx" in 2005, reportedly predicted thelegalization of recreational marijuana in Canada which was made official as of October 17, 2018.[8] Furthermore, the 2015 short "Trumptastic Voyage" predicted Trump’s return to the White House the following year.[9]
A gag featuring in the season ten episode "When You Dish Upon a Star" featured a sign depicting the20th Century Fox logo, with the byline "A Division ofWalt Disney Co" underneath it. This predicted the company'sacquisition of21st Century Fox, over twenty years before it would come to fruition.[10]
"The Ziff Who Came to Dinner", which aired in 2004, teased thatThe Matrix would have a fourth movie, andThe Matrix Resurrections was eventually released in 2021.[7]
“Homerpalooza”, which aired in 1996, featured a joke in whichCypress Hill, while under the influence, accidentally booked theLondon Symphony Orchestra. The joke became a reality when the group performed with the LSO inRoyal Albert Hall in 2024.[11]
Al Jean has commented on the show's purported ability to predict the future, explaining that they are really just "educated guesses" and stating that "if you throw enough darts, you're going to get some bullseyes."[12] ProducerBill Oakley stated, "There are very few cases whereThe Simpsons predicted something. It's mainly just coincidence because the episodes are so old that history repeats itself."[13]
Fact-checking sources such asSnopes have debunked many of the claimed prophecies, explaining that the show's extensive run means "a lot of jokes, and a lot of opportunities for coincidences to appear" and "most of these 'predictions' have rather simple and mundane explanations".[14] Snopes has addressed claims thatThe Simpsons predicted breakthroughs in technology: the device shown on the show with autocorrection is anApple Newton, a real 1993 device notorious for its poorhandwriting recognition,[15] and technologically advanced watches have appeared in numerous works of fiction, decades beforeThe Simpsons.[16]
