(Angel's apartment, Doyle comes out of the shadows)

DOYLE: Well, I like the place. Not much with the view, but it's got a nice Batcave sort of an air to it.

ANGEL: Who are you?

DOYLE: Doyle.

ANGEL: You don't smell human.

DOYLE: Well, that's a bit rude. As it happens I'm very much human. (sneezes, demons out for a second) On my mother's side. Well, I come in uninvited, so you know I'm not a vampire like yourself.

ANGEL: What do you want?

DOYLE: I've been sent. By the Powers That Be.

ANGEL: The powers that be what?

DOYLE: Let me tell you a little bedtime story.

ANGEL: But I'm not sleepy.

DOYLE: Once upon a time there was a vampire. And he was the meanest vampire in all the land. I mean, other vampires were afraid of him, he was such a bastard. Then one day he's cursed, by gypsies. They restore his human soul. And all of a sudden he's mad with guilt. You know: 'What have I done?' You know, he's freaked.

ANGEL: Oh. Okay. Now I'm sleepy.

DOYLE: Yeah, well, it's a fairly dull tale. It needs a little sex, is my feeling. So sure enough: enter the girl. Pretty little blonde thing. Vampire Slayer by trade. And our vampire falls madly in love with her. Eventually the two of them, well, they get fleshy with one another. And the moment he -- Well, I guess the technical term is 'perfect happiness'. But when our boy gets there, he goes bad again. He kills again. It's ugly. So when he gets his soul back for the second time, he figures hey, he can't be anywhere near Young Miss Puppy Thighs without endangering them both. So what does he do? He takes off. Goes to LA. To fight evil and atone for his crimes. He's a shadow, a faceless champion of the hapless human race. Say, you wouldn't have a beer of any kind in here, would you?

ANGEL: No.

DOYLE: Come on, you must have something besides pig's blood!

ANGEL: Okay. You've told me the story of my life, which since I was there, I already knew. Why aren't I kicking you out?

DOYLE: 'Cause now I'm gonna to tell you what happens next. You see this vampire, he thinks he's helping. Fighting the demons. Staying away from the humans so as not to be tempted. Doing penance in his little cell. But he's cut off. From everything. From the people he's trying to help.

ANGEL: I still save 'em. Who cares if I don't stop to chat.

DOYLE: When was the last time you drank blood?

ANGEL: Buffy.

DOYLE: Left you with a bit of a craving, didn't it? Let me tell you something, pal, that craving's gonna grow and one day soon one of those helpless victims that you don't really care about is going to look way too appetizing to turn down. And you'll figure hey! what's one against all I've saved? Might as well eat them. I'm still ahead by the numbers! You know I'm parched from all this yakking, man. Let's go treat me to a Billy D.

(... walking down the street...)

DOYLE: It's not all about fighting and gadgets and such. It's about reaching out to people, showing them that there's love and hope still left in this world.

HOMELESS WOMAN: Spare change?

DOYLE: Get a job, you lazy sow. (back to Angel, without skipping a beat) You know, it's about letting 'em into your heart. It's not just saving live, it's saving souls. Hey, possibly your own in the process.

ANGEL: I want to know who sent you.

DOYLE: I'm honestly not sure who sent me. You know, they don't speak to me direct. I get visions. Which is to say great splitting migraines that come with pictures. A name, a face. I don't know who sends them. I just know whoever sends them is more powerful than me or you, and they're just trying to make things right.

ANGEL: Well, why me?

DOYLE: Well, because you've got potential. And the balance sheet isn't exactly in your favor yet.

ANGEL: Well why you?

DOYLE: We all got something to atone for. Had a vision this morning. When the blinding pain stopped I wrote this down.

ANGEL: Tina.

DOYLE: Nice looking girl, needs help.

ANGEL: Help with what?

DOYLE: Well, that's your business man. You now, I just take the names.

ANGEL: I don't get it. How am I supposed to know...

DOYLE: You're supposed to get into her life, remember? Get involved. Look, High School's over, boy. You gotta make with the grown up talk now.

ANGEL: Why would a woman I've never met even talk to me?

DOYLE: Have you looked into a mirror lately? No, I guess you really haven't, no.

ANGEL: I'm not good with people.

DOYLE: Well that's the whole point of this little exercise, isn't it? You game?

• Angel & Doyle
• Angel's batman-ness
• Angel's Mission

written by: David Greenwalt & Joss Whedon; Originally transcribed by anonymous. Edited and formatted for this site by ros_fod. Checked against source by me.. Full transcript at:
http://www.buffyworld.com/angel/season1/transcripts/01_tran.shtml