Matt Praeger

Matthew Praeger was a human from an Undefined Multiverse; a mechanical engineer, who, following a stint with a counter terrorism division in Interpol, became a Case Manager for the Office of Scientific Investigation and Research.
== Biography ==
=== Youth ===
The son of a faithful Catholic mother, Praeger was raised in the faith and served as an altar boy. After his parent's divorce, he chose to live with his father. During Christmas holidays, Praeger's aunt dropped him off at his mother's home. He found her dead on the floor in her room, having committed suicide via pill overdose. At the funeral, the priest refused to answer the young boy when he asked whether he'd meet his mother in Heaven. Decades later, he would state his faith in Christianity lapsed as it all became "empty theatricality" for him. (TV: Frozen Faith)
Praeger spent time travelling in Asia; he learned how to play Go while there. (TV: Y2K)
=== FAA Career ===
==== Johannesburg ====
Flight 669 was shot out of the sky over South Africa. Praeger was involved in searching for the bodies, and was among those placing flags at the location of each body or body part found in a large field. Handkerchiefs doused in gasoline were worn in order to suppress the smell of the rotting corpses. The South African Army looked on as Praeger and the others carried out their morbid work, occasionally firing on and killing civilians who attempted to loot the remains. In total, there were 181 flags. The experience left Praeger with lasting trauma. (TV: The Grey Men)
Praeger also met with Michael Kelly while in Johannesburg. (TV: The Grey Men)
=== New Case Manager ===
After a mysterious explosion at the Victorine Building, Praeger arrived to investigate. (TV: Threads)
== Weapons and Abilities ==
=== Technology ===
* Silver disk shard: Praeger kept a shard from one of the silver disks used by the Grey Men as a keepsake from his time searching for remains in South Africa. After finding out what it was and about the Grey Men's telepathic connections, Praeger was able to use it to deny them the information and emotions they sought from his mind. (TV: The Grey Men)
== Personality ==
Praeger had an aversion to dress shirts, which was why he frequently wore sweaters. (TV: The Warrior)
Praeger's anti-social personality extended to a dislike of birthdays; he found it frustrating that others cared more about his birthday than he did and in doing so made him feel both guilty and beholden. (TV: Happy Birthday, Matt Praeger)
== Notes==
=== Behind the Scenes ===
*Praeger was portrayed by actor Matt Frewer from the opening episode of the second season through to the opening episodes of the fourth.PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal - IMDB - Retrieved 8 March 2021Matt Frewer - IMDB - Retrieved 8 March 2021 Frewer originally turned down the role several times, as he had seen the first season of the series and hadn't cared for its style or the name. After scenes for his character were faxed to him, and he read them, he decided to take a gamble and take the part.The Max Factor - Joe Nazarro - Starlog Volume 1 #258 - January 1999 - Retrieved 29 March 2021 Frewer was ultimately dismissed from the show because of budget reductions imposed on the series by Alliance Atlantis.Science Fiction Television Series, 1990-2004 Histories, Casts and Credits for 58 Shows - Frank Garcia & Mark Phillips - McFarland Incorporated - Published 2013 - Page 186 - Retrieved 11 October 2021
*Despite having left the show, actor Matt Frewer continued to serve as associate producer for one more episode, "Once Upon a Time in the West", but was thereafter replaced by Caird Urquhart.
*In the episode "John Doe", Praeger was stated to have played hockey. Frewer himself had once hoped to play professional hockey, following in the footsteps of his father who had played for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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=== Continuity ===
* After the fifth episode of season 4, "883", Praeger is never seen, referred to, or even indirectly mentioned again. Later episodes featuring flashbacks are very obviously cut around him. Despite this, Praeger would continue to be featured for the rest of the show, in the explosion footage at the end of the show's intro.
* The official "Psi Factor" website's character page stated that Praeger had worked for both the FAA and the FBI, and that he'd had given damning testimony during the World Trade Center bombing case.Matt Praeger - Psi Factor - Wayback Machine - Archived 24 May 1998 - Retrieved 8 March 2021
==Quotes==
*"What a view." - Praeger's first line, looking down from the giant hole cut into the building into the city. (TV: Threads)
*"The trick is, like on any construction site, wear your hard hat, keep your toolbelt slung low, and never, ever, take a step backwards." - Praeger's second line, while he happens to be ignoring all of his own advice. (TV: Threads)
==Appearances ==
*Psi Factor
**Threads (first appearance)
**The Grey Men
**Little People
**Tribunal
**Forever and a Day
**883 (final appearance)
==References ==
Category:Humans
Category:Heroes
Category:Office of Scientific Investigation and Research
Category:Law Enforcement
Category:Interpol
Category:OSIR Case Managers
Category:Paranormal investigators
Category:Allies of Michael Kelly
Category:Characters played by Matt Frewer
Category:Television characters
Category:Characters that were abducted by aliens
Category:Subjects of investigation by the OSIR
Category:Interstellar travellers
Category:Hockey players
Category:Lapsed Catholics
Category:Alien abductees
Category:Go players
Category:Science fiction heroes
Category:Science fiction characters
Category:1997 debut