Even after a staggering 36 seasons, The Simpsons, a TV series blending family dynamics, humour and sharp satire, continues to be the world’s most beloved sitcom. The show has demonstrated an uncanny ability to predict the future.
Here’s a selection of predictions from The Simpsons that eventually came true:
Donald Trump Becomes President
In “Bart to the Future" (2000) Lisa mentions inheriting a budget crisis from "President Trump”. Trump was elected US President in 2016. Note also that her outfit at the time exactly matched one worn by presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Disney Buys 20th Century Fox
In "When You Dish Upon a Star" (1998), a sign outside a building reads “20th Century Fox – A Division of Walt Disney Co”. Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019.
Richard Branson’s Space Flight
In “The War of Art” (2014) Richard Branson appears lounging in a zero-gravity cabin inside a spaceship. In 2021, Branson actually made it to the edge of space on his own spaceflight, VSS Unity.
Smartwatches
In "Lisa’s Wedding" (1995) Lisa’s fiancé uses a watch to make a phone call. Smartwatches became mainstream around 2015.
Siegfried and Roy Tiger Attack
In "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)" (1993) two eerily familiar performers are mauled by their white tiger. Roy Horn was attacked by a white tiger during a show in 2003.
The Shard in London
In "Lisa's Wedding" (1995) the London skyline features a tall, pointy building in the exact current location of The Shard. The Shard opened in 2012 – 17 years later.
Autocorrect Fails
In "Lisa on Ice" (1994) a device changes “Beat up Martin” to “Eat up Martha”. Smartphone users routinely suffer from autocorrect errors. See also Autocorrect [RR3:05].
Video Calls / FaceTime
Once again, in “Lisa’s Wedding” (1995) Lisa video chats with her mother on a wall-mounted screen. Video calls via FaceTime, Zoom and others have become everyday tools.
Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl Halftime Show
In "Lisa Goes Gaga" (2012) Gaga flies over a crowd wearing a silver outfit during a concert. Lady Gaga descended from the stadium roof in a silver suit at the Super Bowl in 2017.
Nobel Prize Winner Prediction
In "Elementary School Musical" (2010) Milhouse bets on MIT economist Bengt R. Holmström to win the Nobel Prize. Holmström won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2016.
FIFA Corruption Scandal
In "You Don’t Have to Live Like a Referee" (2014) a corrupt FIFA official gets arrested, and the organisation is shown as riddled with corruption. FIFA officials were arrested for corruption in 2015.
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PS to those from another planet:
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomised by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. Set in the fictional town of Springfield, in an unspecified location in the United States, it caricatures society, Western culture, television and the human condition.
