Did ‘The Simpsons’ Predict Toys R Us Closing?

For once, we get to say it: No, The Simpsons did not predict this.

Yes, we know, the beloved animated sitcom predicted Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox, the Trump presidency, Elon Musk’s space car, the US Gold Medal in Curling, and so much more.

And, yes, they successfully made up a word that gained enough popularity to be added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

But, no, The Simpsons did not predict the Toys “R” Us bankruptcy.

A tweet from @JWepp claimed as much going so far as to share a video of Moe removing the backwards “R” from a Toys “R” Us and replacing it the “right” way, causing a cascade of tears from Springfield children.

The video is legit, but the scenario has nothing to do with the store closing. Instead, it comes from a season 15 episode titled “Marge vs Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens and Gays.” In it, Lindsey Naegle arrives to form an anti-youth group named “Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples And Teens And Gays Against Parasitic Parents” (SSCCATAGAPP) to lobby and deprive Springfield of all child-friendly things.

In typical Springfield style, an unruly mob is easily led and storms through town, making fundamental changes to the fabric of day-to-day life which will never be reflected in future episodes and for which no one will be held accountable.

Along the way, the sense of childlike wonder lent to the Toys “R” Us signage by its signature backwards R is a sticking point, and the sign is altered. The store, however, remains open and the children are crying by a parade of seemingly arbitrary series of attacks on childhood institutions from adult power, not the loss of the store.

I mean — even for Springfield this is a little crazy. How much could the woman who was so passionate about Poochie know about much of anything?

Anyway, that bad news is, we can’t add this to the ever-growing list of The Simpsons‘ predictions. The good news? If The Simpsons didn’t predict it, maybe it won’t happen?

The Simpsons airs on Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX (soon to be a division of the Walt Disney Company).