The series caused outrage in Russia, and the Russian ambassador to Norway claimed it was an outrage that the Russian Federation was painted as an aggressor. Even though the series producers emphasised that the plot was all based on fiction, the ambassador claimed in September 2015 that this could damage Russian-Norwegian relations in real life.
The building used as the Government Building is actually the headquarters of Statoil's international operations, Norway's, and one of the world's, largest oil companies. It's placed using CGI in the center of Oslo, next to the opera, but in reality is some 10 km (6 miles) away, at the location of the former main airport of Oslo, Fornebu. The use of the building is an intended joke from the producers, as the government party is green and anti-oil.
With a budget of 90 million kr (USD 11 million), the series is the most expensive Norwegian production to date.
The series has been sold to the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Serbia, Estonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, and Portugal.
Sivert Hoyem's mother Jørun Drevland is a deputy representative to the Norwegian Parliament. Hoyem sings the series' opening theme song Black and Gold.