Hello Kindertrauma! I have a very vivid memory of a terrifying TV moment that I experienced in the late 90s that I am hoping to finally resolve. It probably goes without saying that while this scene is seared in my mind, my recollections of it may not be entirely accurate. It's very likely my imagination has filled in the blanks over the years, so take all details with a grain of salt!
From what I recall, there are two adult women (one younger and blonde, the other closer to middle age and in a blue sweater – I think her name is Melanie) sitting in a darkened living room watching TV. They're watching old home movies of a young girl dancing, and it seems like the girl is Melanie's daughter. This isn't a happy scene, however, as Melanie seems to be depressed, and is watching the tapes to relive better times. Maybe she's become estranged from her daughter, or perhaps her daughter has even passed away. The younger woman tries to comfort her, telling her that everything will be alright, and she may even try to encourage Melanie to turn off the tapes. At one point, the younger woman gets up to go into the kitchen, as Melanie lights a cigarette. While she's in the kitchen, the younger woman hears a loud noise coming from the living room. She walks back in and it's clear that something weird has happened. She finds the TV playing nothing but static, and sees Melanie just sitting there in the shadows, cigarette between her fingers, staring off into nothing. The young woman tries to get her attention, but she's unresponsive, and after a moment, she disintegrates into dust. The scene ends with the younger woman screaming.
I suspect this was a cold open to a TV show, as not only is it very likely that it came on after something else I had been watching, but I also remember it cutting into opening credits (though I don't remember the details of this at all). I'm fairly positive I saw this on my local (Canadian) station, and for years I've thought it might be an episode of either the Outer Limits revival series, or an episode of Da Vinci's Inquest, just because I remember seeing ads for those constantly at the time. However, I've done a bit of digging into the Outer Limits and haven't found anything, and Da Vinci's Inquest seems like more of a cop drama than a supernatural one, so honestly I'm not sure how viable either of these leads are. Still, of all the weird, unsettling things I saw on TV as a kid that stuck with me, this is the one that I remember most clearly (probably due as much to its emotional intensity as its outwardly creepy climax), and I'm hoping that this will be enough to spur someone else's memory. I'd love to finally put this near-lifelong curiosity to rest.
-Sebastian L.
Although I don't recognize the scene itself, it could be an opening of an episode of the Canadian show Poltergeist:The Legacy. It ran from 96-99. Or maybe Psi Factor or Beyond Reality?
It's a slim chance… But there was a movie called Night of the Comet. People who were full exposed to the comet turned to dust but people who only breathed in the dust when it initially fell would be like infected and turn into a sort of zombie or mutant..or something.. they'd look normal but have their eyes burned out. Anyway..In one of the scenes when the 2 main characters first find out..the tv is just static and closer to the end I have a vague memory of someone smoking a cigarette in a dark room.. But that part in not 100 percent on.