"The Simpsons" has long been known for its uncanny ability to seemingly predict future events. However, fans who speculated that the show foretold the recent destruction of the OceanGate submersible have been proven wrong. In fact, the inspiration for the show's submersible episode came from the 1995 movie "Crimson Tide," according to Mike Reiss, a veteran writer-producer for "The Simpsons."
Reiss, who himself descended 13,000 feet in a submersible to explore the wreckage of the Titanic, clarified that the episode titled "Simpson Tide," which aired in March 1998, was not a prediction of the future.
The episode follows Homer Simpson, who, after being fired as a nuclear safety inspector, joins the Naval Reserve and embarks on a deep-sea adventure with his long-lost father.
“That’s my show,” 63-year-old Reiss told The Washington Post. “Even I forgot about that.”
While some fans pointed out similarities between the episode and the real-life submersible search, Reiss emphasized that the episode was simply inspired by the movie "Crimson Tide". He explained that the writers created the storyline based on the film's release and that any similarities to actual events that occurred 20 years later were purely coincidental.
“We did that episode because the movie ‘Crimson Tide’ had just come out,” he said of the 1995 film starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. “We didn’t predict the future, we just did it off that movie and 20 years later, something like that happened.”
In the episode (season 9, episode 19), Homer and his father stumble upon a sunken ship filled with treasure, which they attempt to retrieve using robotic arms. However, the situation takes a potentially tragic turn when Homer gets lost and trapped in a coral reef. He struggles to free himself as he calls for his father, eventually passing out and waking up from a coma several days later.
Interestingly, Reiss's wife, Denise, noted another uncanny similarity between the episode and Reiss's own submersible experience. She pointed out that the "Simpsons" character falls asleep on the sub, just as her husband did during his descent.
Reiss confirmed to The Post that the journey in the 22-foot submersible was surprisingly peaceful, allowing him to take a nap despite the potential dangers involved.
“People talk about the excitement, the thrills, and ‘Were you scared?'” Reiss continued. “And it’s like, ‘I feel asleep.'”
Before undertaking the risky expedition, Reiss was well aware of the dangers associated with exploring the depths of the ocean. He signed multiple waivers acknowledging the risks, and even brought extra paper with him to jot down his last jokes in case of an emergency.
Reiss and his wife flew from New York to St. John's, Newfoundland, before boarding the MV Polar Prince, which transported them to the wreckage site located 400 miles away. The experience last July, as Reiss described it, was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
“Death is always lurking, it’s always in the back of your mind,” Reiss said of the experience. “Before you even get on the boat, there’s a long, long waiver that mentions death three times on page one.”
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