Doctor Who: The Harvest

Big Finish: Monthly Range #58

by Dan Abnett, Sylvester McCoy (Narrator), Sophie Aldred (Narrator)

On the morning of 12 October 2021, Hex woke up. He was expecting to go to work at St Gart's in London as normal and, that evening, have a great time in the bar of the White Rabbit, celebrating his 23rd birthday.

But after his ex-flatmate is wheeled into A&E following a bike accident, and the strange young woman from Human Resources tries to chat him up and an eight-foot-tall guy in a Merc tries to run him down, Hex realises things are not going quite as he expected.

Then in a Shoreditch car park he meets the enigmatic Doctor, who explains that he's an extra-terrestrial investigator and something very strange is going on up on the thirty-first floor of St Gart's.

Therefore, aided and abetted by the Doctor, and his other new friend, 'Just McShane', Hex decides to investigate. Trouble is, everything that goes on at the hospital is being observed and noted by the occupants of the thirty-first floor; occupants who are none too pleased that people are poking their noses into business that doesn't concern them; occupants who will go to extraordinary lengths to ensure that no one discovers the truth...

Genres: Doctor Who, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Fiction

2 pages, Audio CD

First published June 1, 2004

Reviews

[Frank Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. Seven and Ace are great and the supporting cast are also very good. The story is both fun and interesting.

I was about to make a comment about the author and I looked up to see Dan Abnett mentioned in the little review window on the mobile app... well, no wonder I loved it (I'm a big fan of his work in the WH40K universe)... but anyway the comment was going to be that the author chucked a few sneakies in that you wouldn't typically find in a Doctor story, (eg. "Numb Nuts" and "arse over tit".)

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this one so much! so exciting, creepy, atmospheric, well paced and engaging - plus it introduces yet another really great, well rounded, big finish original companion - hex is immediately such a good addition to ace and the doctor, (and I say that as someone who’s a huge fan of the ace/seven paring) having great chemistry with both of them - I love the doctor’s introduction scene with him (“oh my god.. oh my god!!”)

and I love his liverpudlian accent *so* much.

[April Mccaffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how both Hex and Lucie Miller first-ever meeting of the Doctor both include human resources with the Daleks or the Cybermen literally behind the idea of humans being resources for their plans.

[Kelly McCubbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The real joy here is that Dan (2000 AD/Marvel's Annihilations) Abnett really nails the Seventh Doctor/Ace relationship in a way that Big Finish has really struggled with thus far. This feels like a true extension of their TV relationship, just a bit down the line.
One has to wonder if Big Finish saw how Peri was becoming so much stronger of a character by becoming a mentor to Erimem and decided to do the same thing with (Just)McShane and her new friend Hex. The two of them are a delight together.
As far as the overarching plot. it starts off quite strong with Ace and The Doctor working a sort of Mission Impossible-esque gambit while an interesting Frankenstein variant is being put together. By the end it does spin out into a standard Cyber-runaround, but a good one. Still, you may start to feel like you've heard it all before by the end of episode two.
Still, The Doctor, Ace and Hex really shine.

"You appear to live in something the size of a public toilet, that's actually bigger than my gran's house on the inside!"

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part1
看護師のヘックスは自分の誕生日に緊急救命室に以前のルームメイトが瀕死の重症で運びこまれてきてショックを受ける。病院一外科医フェラーが途中から処置を引き継ぐことになるがヘックスが様子を聞きに行くと友人は助からず既に家族が遺体を引き取りにきたときかされショックを受ける。上司のマティアスがバーで誕生日を祝ってくれる予定だったが行く気になれず帰ろうとすると人事部を名乗るマクシェーンという女性が声をかけてくる。Cプロジェクトについてきいた途端巨大な男が乗ったスクーターに轢かれそうになるが怪我はなくマクシェーンは去ろうとするが気になってヘックスは後を追いかける。マクシェースはエースでヘックスをターディスの中に招きいれる。

Part2
ターディスやドクター、さらには２人がCプロジェクトを調査しているなど驚くことばかりでなかなかすんなりと目の前の現実を受けいれられないもののエースと共に調査を手伝うことにしたヘックス。しかしエースがCプロジェクトを調べていることがバレており翌日病院に行って調査の続きを再開したもののサイバーマンと遭遇する

Part3
エースが捕まってしまう。無事に逃れたヘックスはドクターと合流。エースを救うためにCプロジェクトが行われている施設にターディスで潜入。そこで死んだ人々の遺体が保管されているのをみつけ、ヘックスはショックを受ける。サイバーリーダーと対峙したことでドクターはサイバーマンが有機体を取り戻そうとしていると知り驚く

Part4
サイバーリーダーは有機体になったものの拒否反応に苦しんでいでいた。ドクターを脅し直させようとするがドクターは断りサイバーリーダーは命を落とす。
ヘックスはキャリアを変えたいとドクターとエースについていくことにする


ヘックスがすごくよいキャラと思ったら新たに旅友に加わるキャラだった。エースともドクターとも相性がいいようなのでこれから楽しみ。有機体戻りたいサイバーマンはその方が強くなれるという理由によるものだったようなので気の毒に思う必要はないのかな。メカの調子で増産するつもりだったら結局変わらないし🙄
7とエースは相変わらずカッコよかった！

[Finlay O'Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction for Hex and I can only imagine how nice a surprise it would be to not know the Cybermen were in this one, which unfortunately, I did. But still, a very good story which kicks off/continues (depending on if you follow Six or Seven's adventures, or both) one of the best BF arcs. William Boyde also clearly channels his inner Wilmott-Brown and I loved the idea of a rehumanised Cyberleader.

It was hard to get an image of the Cybermen because they aren't described as any familiar variant, but I can get past that

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Annett might be better known for his Warhammer 40K novels but here he not only creates the perfect companion introduction but also a wonderful body horror twist to the Cybermen. Aside from the weird "McShane" business with "Ace" this is pretty perfect in every way. The links to previous adventures would not be revealed until later in the monthly releases making this one of the best arcs in Big Finish's history.

[Gabriel Mero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great adventure with the Seventh Doctor and Ace.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I did wait until October 12, 2021 to listen to this. A nice introduction for Hex, though it took a bit to get going.

[Tabitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really liking this duo, and tacking in Hex in this particular manor made everything more fun.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A strong Cyberman story for the 7th Doctor and Ace. Well, anything is better than Silver Nemesis. While also being a great introduction to the new companion of Hex

[Lewis Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Good setting, good villains, good stuff :)

[Danny Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly this used to be one of those stories I didn't like from Big Finish, but maybe I just didn't get it? So I've been meaning to re-listen to this for a while and last night I did and what did I think? I loved it!

A fantastic introduction story for Hex played by the fantastic Philip Olivier, who even in his first story, Hex feels like a really well realized and realistic character. The story itself was incredibly strong, slow paced but it allowed the story to have good world building and build upon some really good ideas. It's nice to see a returning foe in this (Everyone probably knows what foe it is but if anyone doesn't know then your in for a surprise.) but they don't quite return in the way you'd think. ;)

Overall an incredibly strong story with great ideas by Dan Abnett with strong performances from the cast. 9/10

[Nicholas Whyte]

a Big Finish production in the standard sequence, with the Seventh Doctor and Ace visiting a near-future hospital and coming away with a new companion, Hex. The interesting thing about the Cybermen here is that they are in league with the fiendish shadowy forces of authority, in collusion with Brussels (a detail which made me giggle but also reflect on the extent to which knee-jerk Europhobia has infiltrated everywhere in the UK). Normally the Cybermen are invaders, infiltrators from outside; to see them converting and corrupting society from within was new and interesting. Also the story sounds intriguingly as if it is heading in the direction of The Evil of the Daleks, though then takes a different turn.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021. Thomas Hector Schofield (or "Hex" as he prefers to be called) is a nurse at St Gart's Hospital, where things are getting a little strange. The new hire, an attractive girl who insists on being called "McShane", is asking too many questions, and unexplained deaths are happening. What exactly is the mysterious C-Programme… and why does McShane seem to be living in a police box in Totter's Lane?

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another really good story. Vaguely futuristic but not overwhelmingly so. It was a very slow moving story which I really liked. More emphasis was put on world building and character building which I thought was really good for the introduction of a new companion. Dan Abnett did a good job of making things bleak and horrifying without going too over the top for the near-future world. Another one I really enjoyed.

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good outing for Seven and Ace (that's McShane to you) who are vastly improved in characterisation and performance. A new companion is at hand: Staff Nurse Hex. Good to see a male companion, the Big Finish audios are a lot more varied in this department than NewWho. An interesting twist on the Cybermen, a well paced drama and oddly the Doc really doesn't seem to do much, with McShane and Hex saving the say.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doctor and Ace are investigating something strange at a hospital in the near future. There they meet up with Hex, a nurse who has started asking questions. Bodies are going missing, and there is a secret lab in the hospital. A great introduction to a new companion, and the baddies are very well done. There is a tension throughout this story and some genuinely unpredictable moments. A very good listen.

[Anne Barwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first 7th Doctor BF I've listened to and I was not disappointed. I also like Hex as a character, this being his first story with the Doctor. It's an interesting storyline with the Cybermen with a good twist in the tale.

I also liked the soundtrack; it was nicely futuristic to mesh in with the year in which this was set.

[Michael Holloway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable listen. I was genuinely surprised by the reveal of the enemy, and the gradual introduction of the Doctor and Ace into the story was inspired.
The only downside is one of the episodes has a lot of filler, including a lengthy explanation on how the TARDIS works and a complete backstory of the enemy.

[Debra Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Doctor and Ace investigate a hospital the has a high number of deaths. While investigating they meet Hex and the trio stumble on Cybermen and Cybermen that want to be human again. What happens. You will have to listen to find out.

[Sidney McKidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was LIT, a really unique take on the Cybermen.

[Charles Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent and at times very creepy.