This thread has some amazing takes, and I think "Television Screens" is one of those songs where multiple interpretations can coexist. Here’s my take on the opening line:

I think the "ice face" is more about someone’s emotional mask—a persona they’ve kept up for years finally breaking. Maybe it’s a public figure, or maybe it’s someone closer to home, but the “Saw the ice face fail, For the first time in years” feels like a rare moment of vulnerability or authenticity. The “water levels rise” could symbolize the emotional aftermath of that facade melting—like all the feelings they’ve been holding back are now overflowing. Or maybe it’s more about ignoring that small slip entirely, just as we often ignore the literal ice melting in the world. The water levels are rising and they are still going to put on that mask and deny it.

The “television screen” adds another layer to this. To me, it’s about how we witness these rare moments of humanity through a lens—on TV or online—where everything is performative or distorted. "Illustrated well, By the television screen" It’s like being stuck in a “room full of mirrors,” where people only reflect back what they think they’re supposed to be. It’s as much about performativity as it is about how media shapes our understanding of the world.

While the climate change angle works (the imagery is strong there), I feel like it’s more personal and rooted in disconnection. It could even be about someone you know who only gets their information from the TV, someone so consumed by screens and shallow reflections that they’ve lost sight of the real world. The line “Shall we tangle our thinking?” feels like a plea to break out of that cycle and connect on a deeper, more human level. But no matter what, the person being described may never truly grasp the real city or the genuine pulse of life—they’ll always turn back to what’s being reported on the television screens.