12 Times TV Shows Predicted the Future and Got It Eerily Right

Tomorrow's World's prediction that every home would have a robot by 1976 may not have come to pass.

But some shows have been eerily close to the truth with their visions of the future:

1. The Jetsons (1962-1963)

The kind of tech we have today was nothing more than a pipe dream in the 60s. But from flat screen TVs to smart devices and robot vacuum cleaners, it had the 2020s down to a tee. Of course, The Jetsons didn't predict the way in which video calls would become such a popular way of communicating, but it was only a cartoon.

2. Max Headroom (1987-1988)

With all the talk about the threat of AI and the way in which technology can be used for nefarious purposes, it's easy to forget that it's something people have had in the back of their minds for a long time. Max Headroom was played by an actor, but the character was said to be computer-generated, and many people believed it. Ironically, one of the main reasons people thought the character might actually be generated by what we now call AI was that it glitched and stuttered.

3. Quantum Leap (1989-1993)

Quantum Leap was pure fantasy… wasn't it? In one episode, Sam Beckett leapt into the body of a veteran who had lost both his legs in Vietnam. Then, using virtual reality therapy he helped him manage the trauma. Back then, it was simply a dream of what might one day be possible. Today, VR therapy is at the forefront of PTSD support.

4. The Simpsons (1989-Present)

The Simpsons always had a penchant for the almost ridiculous. But nobody could have predicted that Donald Trump would actually go on to become US President. Bart's vision was surely more of a commentary on the growing circus around politics. In 2016, it came true. Other stories such as corruption at the heart of sport and major companies buying each other out were less of a shock.

5. SeaQuest DSV (1993-1996)

In this little-known series, an intrepid crew used futuristic concepts such as AI and VR to explore the deep sea. Even in the mid-nineties, we knew some of this tech was on its way, even if we didn't know quite how quickly it would be universally available. In one episode, though, the crew discovered a virus that could threaten the entire world. Surely not?

6. Early Edition (1996-2000)

This comedy-drama featured a protagonist who always received his copy of the Chicago Sun-Times a day early. He used his knowledge of future events to prevent bad things from happening. Not a completely new concept, but it foreshadowed our desire for immediate up-to-the-minute news and asked what we do when we know what's unfolding in front of us.

7. Futurama (1999-2013)

Futurama was released late enough for its predictions to seem more in reach than those of The Jetsons. But when it raised the issue of rubbish being dumped on Mars, that did seem a little far-fetched. But just a few years later, we had entrepreneurs vying to be the first in space and Elon Musk talking about colonising the Red Planet.

8. Dark Angel (2000-2002)

Fortunately, the 2019 apocalypse in Dark Angel didn't come true. However, the main focus of the show was the threat of cyber warfare and playing with gene editing. Both of these fields have advanced in recent years and remain a threat to the future of the planet. Let's just hope that the apocalypse isn't on its way any time soon.

9. The Lone Gunmen (2001)

Check the date. The pilot episode of this X-Files spin-off, which saw a plane crash into the World Trade Centre, aired in March 2001. This means that it was produced at the same time as the 9/11 attack was probably being planned. In the show, the whole thing was a government conspiracy – cue the conspiracy theorists and their crazy ideas!

10. Dead Zone (2002-2007)

Dead Zone followed the story of a man who woke from a coma to find he could see into the future. In one early episode, what he saw was a massive outbreak of the deadly SARS virus. His solution? Strict quarantine procedures that are now known all around the world as 'lockdown'.

11. Person of Interest (2011-2016)

AI was an established part of public and political discourse when Person of Interest first aired in 2011. The show examined the ethics of the new technology, with a focus on how AI could predict crimes and then prevent them from happening. The debate about just how much AI should be used in law enforcement is one that continues to rage, and this is arguably the most relevant of all shows on this list in 2023.

12. Black Mirror (2011-Present)

Charlie Brooker is a man who understands how to shine a light on aspects of the world we really should be looking more closely at. In one episode of Black Mirror, people were encouraged to rate each other out of 5 based on every social interaction. This has been by some as a form of social credit much like an idea rolled out by the Chinese government's attempt to rate organisations and individuals for their 'trustworthiness'. But it's also a reflection of how important digital profiles and personas have become across the globe.