No, The Simpsons did not predict the Baltimore bridge collapse

What is the claim?

An image from the cartoon series The Simpsons is circulating online with claims that it ‘predicted’ the collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. These claims emerged shortly after the cargo ship Dali experienced a power failure and collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in a significant section of the bridge collapsing into the Patapsco River. 

The viral image featured the overlaid text, "Simpsons was Right Again." Some users also noted that this prediction originated from Episode 8 of Season 35. Archived versions of these posts can be found here, here, and here.

Screenshot of the claim circulating online (Source: Instagram/Facebook/X/Modified by Logically Facts) 

However, it's important to clarify that this image is not from the original series but has been digitally created.

What did we find? 

Logically Facts examined Episode 8 from Season 35 of The Simpsons, available on the streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar, to verify if the image is from that episode, as claimed in the viral posts. After thoroughly reviewing the entire episode, we did not find the now-viral image. The episode does not depict any shipping activity or show a container ship colliding with a bridge. Although the episode does feature the Simpsons characters on board a vessel, there is no mention of a ship crash or accident. Instead, it focuses on the Simpsons family attending a destination wedding they dislike.

Furthermore, there are noticeable discrepancies in the image. Minor details, such as the hairstyle of the character depicted, Homer Simpson, differ from the typical portrayal seen in the show. In the viral image, Homer’s hair appears narrower compared to its usual depiction in the original show. His eyes, nose, and mouth also deviate from their normal appearance.

Another discrepancy arises when referencing Simpsons lore, as the character Lisa is consistently depicted with eight spikes as part of her hairstyle. However, the image circulating online features ten spikes.

Comparison between the features of Homer Simpson from the viral image and the original character from the show (Source: X/The Simpsons/Screenshots)

Moreover, a reverse image search revealed that this image was only shared online within the past six days. The earliest instance of this image was found in a TikTok post uploaded on March 27, 2024, by a user named lilnonax4. The user shared the picture in a video format and utilized hashtags such as #Bridge #Boat #simpsons #disaster #prediction.

Meanwhile, the Baltimore bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024. This suggests that the viral image might have been digitally created only after the ship's collision with the Baltimore Bridge. Had the image originated from the said episode, it would have been available online before the crash.

'Nonsense': Showrunner on viral posts 

Matt Selman, Executive Producer of The Simpsons, labeled the viral image "obviously fake."

Taking to X, he said: "Sadly, #TheSimpsons 'predictions' are now meaningless. People so desperately want to believe in the show's 'magic powers' (or are just very lazy) that they ignore obviously fake images of the so-called predictions, which cannot be traced to any actual episode — like this nonsense."

This isn't the first time such claims have been made. Numerous such Simpsons 'predictions' have been alleged in the past, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to Donald Trump becoming the President of the U.S. Here is an analysis by Logically Facts from 2021, where we delved into why such 'predictions' go viral and how, more often than not, digitally created images are shared as frames from the show.

The verdict

The Simpsons show did not predict the collapse of the Baltimore Bridge. Episode 8 of Season 35 does not contain any such prediction or incident, and the showrunner has confirmed the same. Therefore, we have marked this claim as fake.