Matt Parkman
| Matt Parkman | |
|---|---|
| |
| Portrayed by | Greg Grunberg |
| First appearance | Don't Look Back |
| In-story stats | |
| Known ability | Telepathy |
| Gender | |
| Age | 35 |
| Residence | Matt Parkman's home |
| Occupation | LAPD police officer |
| Significant other | Janice Parkman (wife) |
Character history
Don't Look Back
Matt Parkman is a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department. He would like to become a detective, but has flunked the test three times, due to his dyslexia. Matt is helping to secure a crime scene, a suspected serial killing/abduction, when he begins to "hear" the thoughts of the missing girl, Molly Walker. He locates her in a secret room under the stairs, and immediately draws suspicion from the investigating FBI agents. When he mentions the name "Sylar", which he picked up from the agents' thoughts, Audrey Hanson arrests him on the spot.
One Giant Leap
After proving his ability by reading Audrey's mind in the interrogation room, he is offered a position to assist in the investigation. Things turn dangerous when a man who appears to be Sylar shows up. Stopping the mysterious man harming Molly Walker in the building, Matt tries to comfort the girl while Audrey gives chase. Ultimately, the man escapes, but not before displaying apparent telekinesis and almost forcing Audrey to shoot herself in the head. Matt shoots the suspect, knocking him down. The suspect soon stands back up and disappears. Later, he came home to his wife, Janice, with whom he is in couple's counseling. Though he apologizes for missing the day's session and tries to tell her about his amazing day, she is still upset with him and doesn't want to hear it. Janice also comments about how, when she got promoted, he seemed to resent her for it. Matt tells her he didn't mean to, but she just further shuts off to him. Hearing Janice think she wants him to leave, Matt responds "I will" verbally and then storms out.
At a bar, Matt hears most, if not all, the thoughts of the various patrons. However, when he comes across a patron whose mind he cannot read, he begins to hear the other voices fade out. The mysterious other man sits and stares at Matt until Matt finally collapses on the floor, unconscious.