The Simpsons has more than 700 episodes, making it the longest-running series ever. This cartoon about the Springfield family is famous for predicting future events decades in advance.

With casual gags referencing major world events like the 2016 U.S. Presidential election or Russia’s ascent to superpower status, the show’s accuracy is astounding. As recent years have become more unpredictable, many have wondered what else this show predicted. Learn about this series’ eerily accurate predictions.

Universe in a Donut

Meeting the universe’s brightest and dimmest minds is magical. Stephen Hawking has appeared in several Simpsons episodes, but one has fans baffled.

Hawking expresses interest in Homer’s doughnut-shaped cosmos in “They Saved Lisa’s Brain” Hawking is likely to have developed this theory, but it does exist.

The Shard

This time, the “Lisa’s Wedding” reference is too unsettling to be accidental. Big Ben is shown with a computerized face and a structure that wasn’t built when the episode first aired.

The 1995 episode shows the Shard being built, but construction didn’t start until 2009. The skyscraper looks like the episode’s mysterious building and is located where Big Ben is.

Unreliable ballots

“Treehouse of Horror” Halloween episodes are a tradition. In season 20’s fourth episode (“Treehouse of Horror XIX”), Homer tries to vote for Barack Obama in 2008. John McCain, his opponent, wins.

After the show aired, automated voting was shown to be flawed. There were reports that Obama’s 2012 votes were counted for Romney.

Hanks’ For America

Another prediction from The Simpsons Movie (2007), not the TV show. The movie’s family sees a Tom Hanks ad on TV. Hanks says in the movie that the US government has lost credibility and is borrowing his.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee released a Tom Hanks-narrated film in January 2022 to commemorate President Biden’s first year in office. The ad highlighted America’s resilience in recent years. Many people compared it to The Simpsons’.

Tiger Attack in Siegfried and Roy

Season 5, Episode 10 (“$pringfield”) features Mr. Burns’ Las Vegas-style casino in Springfield. Gunter and Ernst, showy tigers-handling magicians, were one of his top attractions. At one point, Anastasia attacks them.

In 2003, 10 years after this episode aired, reality imitated art. Roy Horn, one of Siegfried and Roy’s animal handlers, was attacked by a tiger during a show.

Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl show

“Lisa Goes Gaga,” the 22nd episode of the 23rd season, is considered one of the show’s worst. It did, however, foreshadow Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl performance extremely well and would happen only four years later.

2020’s Impact

If we’d listened to Marge in 1993, we might be ready for 2020. In the nearly 30-year-old season 4 episode “Marge in Chains,” a flu virus ravaged Springfield, affecting both young and old.

People rioted while being attacked by a swarm of bees looking for a cure. With so many people becoming ill, 2020 will undoubtedly be regarded as a difficult year. The scene reportedly had “murder hornets.”

H-boson Particle

Homer is inspired by Thomas Edison’s inventions in The Simpsons season 10 episode 2. Homer writes on a whiteboard to reveal a theoretical or mathematical equation.

The Higgs-Boson, called the “God particle,” was discovered 10 years later. Homer writes a formula in “The Wizard of Evergreen Terrace.” This equation is almost exact.

Mutant Tomatoes

Homer’s ludicrous attempt to crossbreed crops on his farm results in the “tomacco” plant (“E-I-E-I-Annoyed Grunt”). Homer’s power station radioactive waste was included. This revolting combination seemed useless.

In 2013, Japanese produce was affected by satire. Near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the site of a 2011 disaster, crops had become hybrid nightmares and were unusable.

The Isotopes of Albuquerque

The Albuquerque Isotopes weren’t a traditional prediction, but they continued the show’s cultural references. In season 12, episode 15 (“Hungry Hungry Homer”), Homer goes on a hunger strike to protest the Springfield Isotopes moving to Albuquerque.

The Albuquerque Tribune asked for a new team name after the Calgary Cannons moved to New Mexico. After a large turnout, they chose the name Albuquerque Isotopes.

Ferrets as Poodles

Fat Tony, a gangster, knows Springfield’s underworld. Throughout the series, he engages in shady behavior and plots evil. One scam made real criminals take notice of the show’s writers.

Season 13’s finale inspired criminals to train ferrets as toy poodles. Cartoonists used cotton balls. Imagine an Argentinian man’s surprise when he thought he was buying a puppy but got a ferret instead.

RedBloody billboard

Many plots use show-within-a-show advertising to convey a secondary plot. In season 4, episode 6 (“Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie”), Itchy and Scratchy advertised their first film with a graphic billboard.

Scratchy’s head is chopped off on the billboard, and he spits blood at moving cars. A Kill Bill Vol. 1 billboard from 2008 featured similar advertising for Beatrix Kiddo’s latest victim.

Punishment Day

The Simpsons’ Season 4, Episode 20 (“Whacking Day”) parodies absurd small-town customs. Whacking Day in Springfield involves killing as many snakes as possible.

Southern Florida hosts an annual Python Challenge. Locals and visitors wade into the Florida Everglades’ murky waters to help reduce Burmese python numbers.

Game of Thrones’ Drogon’s Fiery Rampage

2017’s 29th season began with The Serfsons. The Simpsons lived in Springfieldia, which resembled Game of Thrones’ Westeros in many ways.

In the episode, a dragon that can breathe fire ends up destroying the Serfson family’s hamlet. As Game of Thrones ended in spring 2019, King’s Landing was burned to the ground by Daenerys’ Drogon in “The Bells.”

Lexicon of Phrases and Phrases

The Simpsons has been a source of fun for almost 30 years and has contributed many catchphrases. “D’oh!” is a Homer catchphrase. It has ingrained itself into the language to the point that saying it in a tricky circumstance is now acceptable.

The Oxford English Dictionary now recognizes this famous term from prime-time blunders as a legitimate word in the English language. The terms “embiggen,” “meh,” and “yoink,” as well as others that the authors came up with or that the program popularized, have also been included to certain dictionaries.

Political Objects

When The Simpsons first became popular, some people thought it represented the end of traditional family values. Even though it wasn’t the first program to mock a traditional family, a U.S. President mentioning it helped it gain attention.

George H.W. Bush campaigned on conservative ideals, saying America should return to The Waltons’ wholesome relationships and stop acting like The Simpsons. The comment inspired the seventh season episode “Two Bad Neighbors.” In this episode, Homer and President Bush become enemies.

Countless Primetime Animations

The Simpsons was one of the first animated shows to include mature comedy and situations, while 1970s and 1980s cartoons catered to kids. This gamble paid off, as the program gained teen and adult fans.

King of the Hill, South Park, and Family Guy followed The Simpsons franchise shortly after. Clever humor and shocking situations make for great animated comedies.

No more Laugh Track

Any 1970s or 1980s child should recognize a laugh track. Comedy writers may not have trusted their audiences to laugh at the right times without prompting.

The Simpsons lacked a laugh track, thankfully. Audiences found the prepared response boring, and other shows followed suit. Live-action and animated comedies can be enjoyed without forced laughs.

Culture-changing

Since The Simpsons set the standard for animated humor, other shows have recycled its gags and plotlines. The Simpsons’ influence on TV was also explored.

Already Did South Park episode. The Simpsons writers have created so many jokes and gags that nothing is unique anymore.

Rebranding Fox

The Simpsons’ popularity has put FOX on the entertainment map. Since the blockbuster program’s debut in 1985, the network has grown from its modest beginnings to become one of the most successful in entertainment.

The grounds of the FOX headquarters in New York City are graced by a monument of Bart Simpson as an homage to the eccentric characters that have reshaped animated television culture. Millions of fans will be able to speak to the show’s significance when it ends.