 Chibnall suggested including a " bonkers " gang of characters picked from around time and space . He felt that Doctor Who could have " collisions of characters that no other show in the world can do " , and that it was about finding a " disparate " group of characters who would " bounce " off each other . Nefertiti 's decision not to return to her own time fits in with the historical record , as the date and cause of her death are unknown . Chibnall asked to introduce Rory 's father , as Amy and Rory would be leaving in four episodes and Rory 's family life had not been explored yet . Mark Williams who played Rory 's father previously appeared in the Fifth Doctor audio adventure The Eternal Summer . Rupert Graves , who played an Edwardian hunter in this episode , previously worked with Moffat on the BBC series Sherlock . David Bradley 's character , Solomon , was modelled on a " well @-@ known nightclub owner with long hair " . Chibnall described him as " half businessman , half Somali pirate " . Bradley and Williams had previously worked together on the Harry Potter film franchise . Bradley was later cast as the First Doctor William Hartnell for the 50th anniversary documentary drama An Adventure in Space and Time . Comedy duo Mitchell and Webb provided the voices of Solomon 's two robots ; executive producer Caroline Skinner called the casting choice " perfect " . Richard Hope , who played the Silurian Bleytal , previously appeared as Malohkeh in the episodes " The Hungry Earth " , " Cold Blood " and " The Wedding of River Song " . 
