The COVID-19 Pandemic (Episode: "Marge in Chains", 1993)

The Simpsons has earned quite the reputation for seemingly predicting the future. It’s actually a bit of a meme at this point, with fans pointing out how many things in the real world appear to have been "predicted" by the show, sometimes years in advance. While some of these predictions are purely coincidental or the result of broad satire, others do seem oddly prescient.

The COVID-19 Pandemic (Episode: "Marge in Chains", 1993)

• What happened: In this episode, a fictional virus called "Osaka Flu" spreads from Japan to Springfield, causing a widespread health crisis. People are seen wearing masks, and the town goes into quarantine.
• Reality: While the Simpsons episode doesn’t directly predict COVID-19, it seems eerily prescient given the global pandemic that occurred decades later, especially with the idea of people wearing masks and being in quarantine.