Although the Autons only appeared in two serials during the original television series run, they remain one of the more memorable monsters associated with the Jon Pertwee years as well as "Doctor Who" as a whole. The image of store mannequins coming to life in "Spearhead from Space", in full colour and shooting people down in the street, is one of the series' iconic moments and is often cited as an example of the series' ability to make everyday things terrifying. The use of even more ordinary objects in "Terror of the Autons"  — including the unmasking of a police officer as an Auton  — caused public controversy about whether the programme was too frightening for children. The story also featured in a discussion in the House of Lords, where Baroness Bacon expressed worries about it being too frightening even for older children.