The United States Debt Crisis (Episode: "The Debt Crisis", 2010)

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 United States Debt Crisis (Episode: "The Debt Crisis", 2010)

• What happened: This episode features a gag where the U.S. government borrows so much money that it starts using its own currency to pay back debts.
• Reality: The 2008 financial crisis and the following debt ceiling crisis in the U.S. led to massive discussions about the country’s debt, deficits, and economic policy. The U.S. did face similar issues around the time this episode aired.