Thirty-six years, and counting, over 700 episodes, is quite the legacy. The Simpsons has established itself as one of the most culturally influential and popular shows of all time, although some would argue that its charms have diminished over time. Still, with a show focusing on the lives of an American family, there was sure to be a crossover between the events in the show and real life. The Simpsons, however, has earned some notoriety for the number of predictions they have gotten correct over the course of time, with every year that passes adding a new batch of instances where the iconic animated show seemed oddly prophetic.
Is Matt Groening a time traveler from the future? Probably not, but it has become a running joke due to how often the show has been proven right. More realistically, the show, rooted in pop culture and frequently exploring ‘what if’ scenarios within American life, ensured that the show would prove prophetic at least occasionally. Still, it is fun to speculate that one of the most beloved series of all time has an uncanny ability to predict the future, for better or worse. Here are some of our favorite moments from The Simpsons that have proven prophetic.
10
Cypress Hill and The London Symphony Orchestra Perform Together
Season 7, Episode 21 – “Homerpalooza”
In an effort to prove to his children that he is cool, Homer joins a music festival tour called “Hullabalooza.” The episode features several bands, including The Smashing Pumpkins, Beastie Boys, and Peter Frampton. Notably, Cypress Hill would also make an appearance, setting up a humorous conflict of musical styles with the London Symphony Orchestra. In the episode, the two come together after it is announced backstage, “Somebody ordered the London Symphony Orchestra. Possibly while high? Cypress Hill, I’m looking in your direction.”
It would set up an awkward clash of styles and misunderstandings, with the LSO believing a ‘glock’ to refer to a glockenspiel. Yet, these two worlds would come together decades later, when, on July 10, 2024, Cypress Hill performed a one-night show with the London Symphony Orchestra at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London. What once felt like an impossibility became a celebrated clash of musical styles honoring the legacy of the rap group.
9
‘Matrix 4’ Makes a Christmas Premiere
Season 15, Episode 14 – “The Ziff Who Came To Dinner”
Some of the best predictions from The Simpsons come in brief, little blink-and-you-miss-it moments. “The Ziff Who Came To Dinner” was the second appearance of Artie Ziff (Jon Lovitz), Marge’s self-absorbed former prom date. Here, Artie is hiding out in the Simpsons’ attic after the collapse of his tech company and is being investigated for fraud. Amidst the chaos that sees Homer caught up in the crime, there is a brief flash that shows “Matrix 4” having a Christmas premiere, possibly even being a holiday-themed action film like Die Hard.
At the time of the episode’s release, in 2004, The Matrix Revolutions had already been released, but there was no word of a fourth film. Fast-forward to 2021, and The Matrix Resurrections was released on Christmas week, on December 22nd. It may not have been holiday-themed, but the timing remains as one of the most notable quick gags turned prophetic to come from the show.
8
AI Taking Over the Job Force
Season 23, Episode 17 – “Them, Robot”
Many authors, filmmakers, and artists have long warned about the encroachment of technology into every aspect of our existence. However, even a few years ago, with the early introduction of AI, many held the standpoint that it would not be significant in shaping culture (remember when we all laughed at AI’s inability to generate hands with five fingers?). At the same time, many scoffed at the early instances of robots, whose utility seemed far from viable in modern society. This is why we still give a nod to The Simpsons, in showing the early potential terrors of being replaced by AI Automatons.
The episode in question, “Them, Robot,” sees Mr. Burns fire nearly all of his employees and replace them with robots. The only worker he keeps is Homer Simpson, who eventually tries to teach the robots free will, which leads them to revolt against humanity. While the robot uprising depicted in The Simpsons is violent, reality is a bit more devious in how humans are being uprooted in favor of AI and robots. Notably, SQ Magazine predicted that in 2025, around 3.4 million people would find their jobs replaced by AI, predominantly in manufacturing and logistics. While some aspects of AI, such as its potential takeover of Hollywood, have been exaggerated, The Simpsons certainly tapped into the reality of the working class losing jobs to AI and automation.
7
Trump Wins the Presidency of the United States
Season 11, Episode 17 – “Bart to the Future”
It seems like whenever The Simpsons looks far into the future, they end up making some surprising predictions. Here, fans got one of the “otherworld” type stories from the show, with Bart given a warning look into the future. The episode centers around Lisa running for president, which some compare to Kamala Harris’s own run, and is somewhat prophetic unto itself. Still, the episode, released in 2000, ultimately has one line that many now look back on as shocking: “quite a budget crunch from President Trump.”
What seemed like a parody of the cult of personality around celebrities that would lead to a figure like Trump rising to the role of president became a reality six years later in 2016. The line in the episode is a quick throwaway, but realistically, there could have been any number of then-celebrities. This was even before 2004’s The Apprentice, which would have made Trump a more prominent global TV presence. Why did they not go with the pop icon Britney Spears, or larger-than-life Will Smith, or Tiger Woods, all of whom were more in the public eye at the time? It may just be a prophetic choice.
6
Smartwatches Becoming Common Technology
Season 6, Episode 19 – “Lisa’s Wedding”
Following one episode that aimed to look far into the future with another, 1995’s “Lisa’s Wedding” predicted a few different future technologies that are now commonplace. As per the episode’s title, Lisa gets a chance to see what her first love would look like with a vision of the build-up to her ideal English wedding with the charming Hugh Parkfield. Parkfield, looking down on Lisa’s family, prompts them to reconsider their plans for the wedding, and Lisa learns that she has plenty of heartbreak on the horizon before finding happiness.
It is a heartfelt episode and a great one that highlights Lisa’s honesty and kindness within the dysfunctional family unit. Yet, most people now remember the episode for the numerous future technologies it showcased that eventually became a reality. Notably, Hugh Parkfield is seen with a smartwatch in one scene. There is also the broader world of wireless communication, video calls, self-driving cars, automated ordering at restaurants, and some beefed-up airport security. While none of these were original concepts to The Simpsons, it is striking how much a single episode accurately predicted how we use technology today.
5
A Three-Eyed Fish Emerges That Brings Into Question the Effects of Pollution
Season 2, Episode 4 – “Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish”
We are revisiting a classic Simpsons episode here, with the 1990 episode “Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish,” which raised questions about the environmental impact of nuclear waste. A fish, Blinky, is caught near the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, with its three eyes making it a local sensation. This clashes with Mr. Burns’ run for governor, and he tries to state the fish is harmless, if not healthy, leading to the classic dinner scene where Marge shames him during a PR event by presenting him with the fish as his dinner.
A real-life three-eyed fish was discovered in 2011 near a nuclear power plant in Córdoba, Argentina. Of course, the fish’s bizarre deformity and its discovery near a nuclear power plant caused quite a stir in the news and on social media. While there is some wiggle room, with the exact deformity, the breed of fish, and those more minor details not matching up with The Simpsons’ adorably awkward Blinky, it is a remarkably accurate prediction to have come true.
4
Disney Buys Out 20th Century Fox
Season 10, Episode 5 – “When You Dish Upon a Star”
Homer heads to Hollywood and ends up befriending a bevy of celebrities, including Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, and Ron Howard, after he saves them from the paparazzi. Always one to take things too far, Marge is left worrying about Homer as he embraces his new role of protector to the stars. For film fans, “When You Dish Upon a Star” is an enjoyable, satirical look at the film industry at the time, and one that did not seem poised to make any future predictions. Yet another quick throw-away gag would become oddly prophetic years later.
With Homer navigating Hollywood, he finds himself at one point outside of Fox Studios (which owned The Simpsons). Here, the logo for 20th Century Fox would include a small detail stating the company to be “A Division of Walt Disney Co.” This was all the way back in 1998. While many saw Disney as a force that could come to dominate much of the media ownership landscape, there was no specific reason to believe they would purchase Fox, given that the studio was a powerhouse in its own right. However, in 2017, Disney announced its acquisition of 21st Century Fox, which was finalized in 2019.
3
Predicting the FIFA Corruption Scandal Only a Year Prior
Season 25, Episode 16 – “You Don’t Have to Live Like a Referee”
After impressing bigwigs as a ref at a local match, Homer is tapped to be brought to the big leagues and become a referee at the FIFA World Cup. Homer soon finds himself entangled in a series of bribes from opposing teams, his influence altering the outcome of several matches. Homer is often at his best when faced with a moral dilemma, with many equating this episode to being more in line with the type of morality and comedy of the ‘Golden Age’ of the show.
Made in anticipation of the upcoming World Cup, the 2014 episode would soon become remembered more for a quick turnaround for a Simpsons prophecy. The 2015 World Cup would come, and its legacy would be stained by an investigation by the FBI and Swiss authorities into 14 FIFA officials for corruption. Unveiling decades of corruption, the investigation seemed oddly in tune with the degree of bribery and meddling that Homer had become a part of just a year prior in the episode “You Don’t Have to Live Like a Referee.”
2
Lisa’s Quest for a Feminist Barbie Finally Realized in Greta Gerwig’s Movie
Season 5, Episode 14 – “Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy”
One of the most iconic and quoted Lisa-centric episodes sees her challenging notions of gender roles through a popular toy known as “Malibu Stacy.” Anticipating the release of the new talking version, Lisa’s dismay at finding all the phrases to be derogatory sparks a personal campaign to change the doll, aiming for a more positive, feminist-focused version of the toy.
The writers of The Simpsons would come out and say that Greta Gerwig’s Barbie answered a question the show posed 30 years previously. So, while prophetic is more of a stretch, as The Simpsons did not predict a major motion picture, it did address the need to reassess the toy. Notably, both are tied together by a protagonist who critiques an icon and seeks a new iteration that is more aware. Alternatively, you could argue that The Simpsons anticipated the future need for commercial and cultural critique of how toys influence self-identity and how they shape our adulthood.
1
Auto-Tuning Becoming a Mainstream Music Staple
Season 5, Episode 1 – “Homer’s Barbershop Quartet”
Considered among one of the best episodes of the Golden Era of the show, offering a clever parody of the music industry, particularly the rise of the Beatles, along with catchy songs, and one of the most memorable Homer stories. Homer’s recounting of his success as part of the a cappella group, “The Be Sharps,” offered a hilarious romp through the world of music. Still, there is one scene in particular that offered a glimpse into the future: the use of auto-tune. While not directly mentioning the technology, the episode shows a studio flicking a switch during a recording that fine-tunes the group’s voices to perfection.
Funnily enough, The Simpsons doubled down on this prediction a year later in the episode “Bart Gets Famous,” which saw Krusty use voice-altering technology to fine-tune others’ singing voices for the show. The Simpsons referenced voice-changing techniques in episodes of the show in the 1993 and 1994 seasons. However, it was not until 1997 that producers started using the practice, which then became mainstream when Cher’s hit “Believe” exploded in popularity, marking a career resurgence for the pop idol.
- Release Date
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December 17, 1989
- Network
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FOX
- Directors
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Steven Dean Moore, Mark Kirkland, Rob Oliver, Michael Polcino, Mike B. Anderson, Chris Clements, Wes Archer, Timothy Bailey, Lance Kramer, Nancy Kruse, Matthew Faughnan, Chuck Sheetz, Rich Moore, Jeffrey Lynch, Pete Michels, Susie Dietter, Raymond S. Persi, Carlos Baeza, Dominic Polcino, Lauren MacMullan, Michael Marcantel, Neil Affleck, Swinton O. Scott III, Jennifer Moeller
- Writers
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J. Stewart Burns, Michael Price, Brian Kelley, Bill Odenkirk, Dan Vebber, Kevin Curran, Stephanie Gillis, Dan Castellaneta, Deb Lacusta, Billy Kimball, Jessica Conrad, Cesar Mazariegos, Daniel Chun, Jennifer Crittenden, Conan O’Brien, Valentina Garza, Elisabeth Kiernan Averick, Christine Nangle, Broti Gupta, Loni Steele Sosthand, Megan Amram, Bob Kushell, David Isaacs, David Mandel
- Franchise(s)
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The Simpsons
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Dan Castellaneta
Homer Simpson / Abe Simpson / Barney Gumble / Krusty (voice)
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Julie Kavner
Marge Simpson / Patty Bouvier / Selma Bouvier (voice)
