The painting "De Bedreigde Zwaan" (or "The Threatened Swan" from Jan Asselijn, prominently shown and discussed in the show, Only had the texts of "Holland", "Grand pensionary" and "Enemy of the state" added to it about a hundred years after it was made. At the time historical allegories where seen as having more importance, so it was retroactively changed into a allegory of Grand pensionary Johan de Witt.
Two important Dutch museums were used as film locations for the first season: the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), and Teylers Museum (Haarlem). The former Royal Palace Soestdijk was used as mansion of the Zwanenburg family.