According to Twitter users, “The Simpsons” episode that aired back in 1998 had already predicted the Ukraine invasion by Russia that recently happened on 24 February. The episode titled “Simpson Tide” showed Homer Simpson accidentally firing a submarine captain into Russian waters during a military exercise, prompting a newly resuscitated Soviet Union to deploy troops and tanks to the streets and instantly resurrect the Berlin Wall.
Executive producer of the show Al Jean tweeted, “Very sad to say this was not hard to predict.” In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jean said: “I hate to say it, but I was born in 1961, so 30 years of my life were lived with the spectre of the Soviet Union. So, to me, this is sadly more the norm than it is a prediction. We just figured things were going to go bad.”
“In 1998, when this clip aired, it was maybe the zenith of U.S.-Russia relations. But, ever since [Russian President Vladimir] Putin got in, almost everybody has made it clear that he’s a bad guy and bad things are going to happen,” Jean added.
“The Simpsons” has often been credited with predicting issues and scenarios that later on come true, such as Superbowl outcomes, Donald Trump’s presidency, and even the most recent Covid-19 pandemic.