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
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. Parkman boasts the ability of telepathy; he can hear the thoughts of people around him, such as a little girl that was hiding from a serial killer named Sylar. When he found the girl, suspicion of how he knew her location as well as his knowledge of the name Sylar, which was confidential, led to his arrest.
After proving his ability by reading an FBI agent'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 a little girl in the building, Matt tries to comfort the girl while Audrey, the FBI agent, 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, who he is going to couple's therapy with. 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 told 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.