'Gotham' Season 2 Episode 1 Recap: Are Robin Lord Taylor, Ben McKenzie "Damned If You Do?"

Fox premieres Season 2 of the Batman prequel series, Gotham. In Episode 1, will detective Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and mob boss Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) learn they are "Damned If You Do" from their rival Theo Galavan (James Frain)?

At Wayne Manor, Bruce (David Mazouz) and Alfred (Sean Pertwee) walk down the stairs to the cave. Unfortunately, Bruce is unable to break the code of the security door. Penguin is making his prescence known as Zsasz murders his rivals. All eyes are on Barbara (Erin Richards) as she enters Arkham Asylum. 

After drinking a drug from Theo Galavan, a costumed freak gets handcuffed by Jim. After pushing a cop and pulling out his gun on civilians, Jim is warned that dark days are coming. Edward Nygma (Corey Michael Smith) is unable to deal with his split personality. While being chewed out by his superiors, Jim discovers Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) has called it quits.

After handing in his badge and gun, Jim promises Loeb he will break him. Leslie (Morena Baccarin) isn't too happy that Jim got fired and is willing to bend the rules. Jerome (Cameron Monaghan) tries to hit on Barbara but she turns him down. She then manages to seduce another inmate.

Gordon then pays a visit to Penguin, asking for his job back. Jim though isn't too happy that Penguin knows about Leslie. Penguin asks Jim for a favor; to prove their friendship is real. At Harvey's bar, Jim is drinking too much. Since leaving, Harvey has been sober for at least 32 days and has been dating.

Jim then pays a visit to Bruce to tell him that he is off the force. Jim reveals he has to do something for Penguin to return to the job. Bruce then asks Jim, is the right way also the ugly way? After Jim leaves, Bruce uses a hammer to break down the security door. 

Jim tells Penguin's rival that he owes the King of Gotham his money. After taking the gun away, Jim fights everyone in the room and steals the money. After running from the cops, Jim ends up shooting and killing Penguin's rival.

Alfred is worried that Bruce is too young to find out his father's secret. Bruce though wants to make his own bomb to blow the door down. Penguin is happy Jim brought back the money, just like he planned. Barbara then makes a call to Jim, but he hangs up on her. Barbara then leaves a message for Leslie, promising to kill her. 

As Jim confesses to Leslie that he did a bad thing, the Penguin pays a visit to Loeb. Threatening his life, Penguin wants Loeb to reinstate Jim as detective. After Loeb announces his retirement, Theo takes the stage and gives a rousing speech. As Sarah Essen is announced the new commissioner, Barbara and the other inmates are knocked out by a gas.

Theo introduces himself and Tigress (Jessica Lucas) to the kidnapped inmates. After being refused, Tigress then stabs one of the inmates to death. With the homemade bomb in place, Bruce sets off the detonator. Bruce then finds a letter marked specifically for him. Bruce's father warms him that he cannot have both truth and happiness; there is a true calling for him.

Jim stares at himself in the mirror wondering who he has become.  

Readers, what did you think of Damned If You Do?