The "Discovery of the Internet" (Episode: "Burns, Baby Burns", 1991)

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 "Discovery of the Internet" (Episode: "Burns, Baby Burns", 1991)

• What happened: In this episode, Mr. Burns sets up his own personal website. This was a bizarre gag at the time, as the internet was still mostly in its early days.
• Reality: By the late 1990s and early 2000s, the internet became fully mainstream, with individuals, corporations, and governments establishing a massive online presence. The internet and personal websites became an essential part of modern life.