There are many elements that must converge in order for a TV show to become a success that keeps the audience on their toes. There must be a plot that catches the viewers' attention, and the actors in charge of bringing the characters of that story to life must be correctly chosen and play their parts to perfection. But that is not enough, as the audiences of TV shows have become increasingly demanding thanks to the great offer of content available on many streaming platforms, raising the bar day by day. That is why a quality production must pay attention to every detail: a correct setting, costumes that suit the period, a talented makeup team, appropriate special effects, an attractive soundtrack, and a director who can balance all these elements.
In order to live up to all these requirements, one thing is needed: money. By themselves, TV productions usually cost a lot of money since the higher the quality, the larger the number of people who will watch and recommend the show. However, throughout the history of TV shows, there have been some that stood out because of their gigantic budget per episode, which has translated into views and fans all over the world. In many cases, an episode has an even bigger budget than a feature film. The massive inflation of budgets has generated quite a bit of news, as recently, Marvel's Secret Invasion reportedly cost $212 million, meaning each episode cost $35 million. With budgets getting bigger, streaming services and networks are looking to scale back some projects. With that in mind, here are the most expensive television series ever produced.
Updated August 10th, 2023: If you love high-budget TV shows, you'll be happy to know we've updated this article with additional content and entries.
21
20 Altered Carbon — $7M Per Episode
Set in a future where consciousness transfer is possible, Altered Carbon delves into dark cyberpunk themes. This thriller explores human nature, morality, and identity, delivering a narrative resonant with modern issues. Used extensively in the show were cutting-edge CGI and VFX, enhancing the visual appeal significantly. Adding to the already high production costs were top-tier actors' substantial compensations. Yet all of it paid off, with the show carving a unique space among cyberpunk enthusiasts and becoming a prominent show in the sci-fi genre.
19 Sense8 — $9M Per Episode
Innovatively brilliant Sense8 showcases eight interconnected minds across continents. The show explores profound themes such as love and identity. Bridging cultural gaps, the narrative delves deep into human connections. Intricate settings in numerous countries elevated production costs. Dramatic action sequences and state-of-the-art visuals amplified the budget further. Despite its premature end, a fervent fan base passionately embraces Sense8 for the classic tale it is.
18 Rome — $9M Per Episode
BBC Two
Chronicling Ancient Rome's rise and fall, Rome provides a captivating historical exploration. The show focuses on social dynamics, politics, and war, offering a comprehensive view of the ancient civilization. The premature cancellation was caused due to the high production costs, despite critical acclaim for its writing and performances. This TV show remains a landmark historical drama, setting standards for authenticity and scope. Filming in authentic locations like Italy, the script demanded recreation of the ancient world, and this contributed to the show's high value, making it an ideal choice for fans of historically accurate TV shows.
17 Westworld — $9M Per Episode
Imaginative world-building has defined Westworld's captivating vision of the future, featuring jaw-dropping architecture and the beautiful landscapes of its central robot theme park(s). This drama adapted the classic 70s James Brolin flick using modern technology and set design, backing up its sci-fi premise with strong visual effects and sleek cinematography.
The wonders only grew as the story branched out to include more than the initial Wild West park, the story of robot revolution spilling into the real world and other Delos parks — even a "Westeros" one. The series' stunning version of 2058 gave us a technologically advanced (albeit morally corrupt) Los Angeles. It's no surprise, then, that the budget for HBO's acclaimed series is through the roof. Sources have revealed, per The Hollywood Reporter, the budget for each episode is roughly $9 million on average.
16 Friends — $10M Per Episode
1994 saw the arrival of the TV series that would eventually become the ultimate sitcom: Friends. The show, which for ten seasons followed the adventures of Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey and Ross, has a tremendous fan base and is still, to this day, attracting viewers who enjoy the episodes on digital platforms in modern times.
The show created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman has become, over the course of the seasons, a cultural and television icon. While locations and sets remained almost unaltered throughout the show, something that did change was the salaries of the main characters, particularly in the 10th and final season, who began to make $1 million each episode, raising the show's budget to $10 million per episode.
15 Halo - $10M Per Episode
The highly anticipated adaptation of the popular video game series certainly was not cheap to make. Originally developed for Showtime before it was decided to be a Paramount+ title, Halo cost about $10 million per episode. Season one ran for nine episodes, meaning the season could cost about $90 million to produce. The series was criticized upon release, and now all eyes are on it to see if Halo will rebound with season 2.
14 Band of Brothers — $12.5 Million Per Episode
This gripping and intriguing show delivers ten poignant episodes. The miniseries portrays Easy company's valorous tales. The series set high benchmarks for historical precision. Realistic event recreations significantly pushed production costs higher.
To ensure maximum authenticity, the show necessitated intricate sets and props. Breathtaking battle sequences demanded expansive stages and intricate effects. Spiraling expenses accompanied such dedication to the craft. The show mustered up a sense of solidarity in the audience and makes viewers feel they are part of the regiment of soldiers that were fighting on the battlefield, the tension feels real, and the harrowing sense of doom and death is rampant from the first episode itself. All these elements make Band of Brothers not only one of the most expensive shows ever made but also one of the greatest shows to ever be produced!
13 ER — $13M Per Episode
This TV show, created by Jurassic Park writer Michael Crichton and produced by Warner Bros., was one of the most influential of the 1990s and brought a number of actors to fame, George Clooney being the best known. The series about Chicago's County General Hospital doctors premiered in 1994 and ended in 2009 with its 15th season.
When the series was at its peak of popularity, in 1998, NBC renegotiated with Warner Bros. a budget for ER that had never been seen before, far from the $2 million they had been allocating to each episode: $13 million per episode! This contract was extended from season four to season nine. Eventually, this amount was renegotiated, and the remaining seasons were carried out with a budget of $8 million per episode.
12 The Crown — $13M Per Episode
The Crown is a Netflix production created by Peter Morgan that centers around the life of Queen Elizabeth II and the history and events that took place throughout her extensive reign. The series is approaching it's final run and has been a massive hit for Netflix. This production that blends fiction and real events is extremely expensive to undertake, considering the sets, the costumes worn by the characters, and the cost of recreating historical events using a realistic aesthetic. Each episode has a cost of $13 million painstakingly invested, earning the series its excellent reputation.
11 The Morning Show — $15M Per Episode
The Morning Show is a program that illustrates the complexity of today's mainstream media, where major networks and their productions do their best to get the highest ratings. Starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carell, the series follows the free fall of a morning newscast due to a scandal with one of its anchors and how the rest of the staff struggles to keep the show afloat. The Apple TV+ show, which already boasts two seasons and whose third season will premiere in September 2023, has a large per-episode budget: $15 million, out of which a large part goes to pay the salary of the world-renowned leading actors.
10 The Sandman - $15M Per Episode
Netflix's adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel series of the same name was a breathtaking television experience and one that certainly matched its price. The Sandman, which follows the Lord of Dreams, Morpheus, cost about $15 million. This certainly explains why Netflix took so long to decide on a second-season renewal, but they finally did, and audiences are eagerly anticipating the second season.
9 Game of Thrones — $15M Per Episode
Premiering on HBO in 2011, Game of Thrones is one of the most popular shows in recent years. Based on the novel series by George R.R. Martin, it follows different storylines involving a group of characters from different noble houses who share a common goal of controlling the Iron Throne and ruling the Seven Kingdoms that make up the land.
During its earlier seasons, the production had a budget of $6 million per episode, which went up as the seasons went on and more and more fans became part of the audience. For the final season, each episode had a budget of $15 million, covering not only the main characters' salaries, who were largely responsible for the show's success but also the investment in realistic sets and scenery, a good film crew, costumes, stuntmen and other expenses that made Game of Thrones a great success despite its controversial ending.
8 The Mandalorian / The Book of Boba Fett/ Obi-Wan Kenobi — $15M Per Episode
The Mandalorian became a global hit in the hands of director Jon Favreau, who is well known for his great contribution to the MCU. With this new TV series, Favreau contributed to broadening the Star Wars universe even further by recounting the story of a Mandalorian warrior set sometime after the fall of the Empire and prior to the emergence of the First Order. This Disney+ series was extremely well received by the audience, and the production of a third season is already well underway. The trailer even leaked online, further adding to our anticipation of the future installment.
A large part of its success was due to its excellence in every episode, its performances, and its special effects. In order to achieve this, the production allocated a budget of $15 million per episode, which certainly paid off. For The Book of Boba Fett, the spin-off of The Mandalorian, they allocated the same budget per episode, achieving similar success, although lower than the first series. Obi-Wan Kenobi also reportedly cost $15 million per episode, so it is safe to say Ahsoka will also have the same price.
7 The Pacific — $20M Per Episode
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
This was a television miniseries produced by HBO and set around World War II. It premiered in March 2010 and was based mainly on the memoirs of two American soldiers: With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge and Helmet for My Pillow by Robert Leckie, in which both narrate their experiences during the battles against the Japanese Empire. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks participated in this project as producers and spared no budget to recreate the war scenes with outstanding visual effects. As a result, The Pacific ended up having a budget of $20 million per episode and earning a very good score on Rotten Tomatoes.
6 House of the Dragon - $20M Per Episode
Game of Thrones was such a massive hit for HBO there was no way they would let it be the end of the story. In 2022 they premiered House of the Dragon, a prequel series that cost more than the original series. Each episode reportedly cost $20 million. Why the show is so much more expensive than its predecessor is unknown, but inflation likely plays a big part in it. The cost has paid off, as House of the Dragon has scored some of HBO's biggest ratings ever.
5 Marvel/Disney Shows — $25M Per Episode
The undeniable success of the MCU films keeps on rising, bringing in more fans by the day. With the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel shattered previous records, grossing over $1 billion in worldwide box offices in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. No wonder they decided to jump into producing TV shows to further develop their already successful characters. And when doing so, they spared no expense: for each episode of WandaVision, Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye, $25 million per episode was spent.
4 Stranger Things - $30M Per Episode
Stranger Things is, without a doubt, Netflix's biggest series. Starting in 2016, the series took everyone by surprise and became a cultural phenomenon. With each season, the scope becomes bigger, and expectations are higher. To price of each season has increased, both to match the epic story they are telling and also to pay the stars who become more famous each year. Season 4, which aired in 2022, cost about $30 million per episode. No word on when season 5 will air, but it will likely be another expensive entry, but it is doubtful it will top the number one most expensive series.
3 Secret Invasion - $35M Per Episode
While most of the Marvel series average about $25 million, Secret Invasion gets its own section for being such an outlier. The series reportedly cost $35 million per episode, $10 million more than popular series like WandaVision or even more VFX-heavy series like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Reportedly the reason the series cost so much was due to massive reshoots, which, as is the case on any project, will inflate the budget. This is one case where spending more money did not save the series and instead might have hurt it, as Secret Invasion is regarded as one of the worst entries in the MCU.
2 Citadel - $50M Per Episode
Amazon Prime spends a lot of money on television series, as the top two entries belong to them. First is Citadel, an action spy series from producers Joe and Anthony Russo, most famous for their MCU films like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. The spy series features an impressive cast that includes Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Stanley Tucci, and Lesley Manville. Combine that with a global setting that sees lots of location shooting; the series first season had a massive $300 million budget, which averaged $50 million over the first six episodes.