YORK, Pa. — "The Simpsons" will open their 34th season on the air next month on FOX. The animated comedy is the longest-running television show of all time, having debuted all the way back in 1989.
After more than three decades and more than 700 episodes, "The Simpsons" has developed a reputation for its uncanny ability to predict the future.
Over the course of its run, the show has appeared to predict (among other things) the Donald Trump presidency, the COVID-19 outbreak, the rise of murder hornets, the ending of "The Game of Thrones" TV series, Disney's purchase of FOX, and the Siegfried & Roy tiger attack.
In a recent interview with Deadline, showrunner Matt Selman said the upcoming season, which premieres on Sept. 25, will include an episode that explains just how the show does it.
"We have another crazy conceptual episode that explains how 'The Simpsons' know the future," Selman said. "It’s a conceptual episode with lots of crazy stuff in it, but it does an explanation of how 'The Simpsons' can predict the future."
That's just one of the highlights for Season 34, Selman said. There will be two Halloween "Treehouse of Horror" special episodes -- including a recreation of Stephen King's "It" featuring Krusty the Clown as Pennywise.
In the season premiere, Homer will join a conspiracy cabal while hunting down a missing turtle, Selman said. In another episode, Krusty the Clown will switch to a daytime talk show format, similar to that of Ellen DeGeneres.
Guest stars this season will include Melissa McCarthy and Simu Liu from the Marvel movie "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings."
"The Simpsons" was picked up for two additional seasons last year, meaning the show will remain on the air through at least 2023, bringing its total number of episodes to a whopping 757.
What other future events will Homer and his family forsee?
You'll have to tune in to find out.