17 Most Expensive TV Series Ever Made, Ranked

With advances in media distribution technology and a world saturated by streaming services, we are living in the Golden Age of Television. What was once considered a casual pastime – consisting largely of 20-minute sitcoms and single-location small-scale studio productions – has gradually evolved into high-quality productions with budgets more akin to the cinematic scale.

This era of Prestige TV establishes television as a true rival to the cinema. Characterized by its increased production values, notable movie directors and actors, as well as spin-offs of well-known franchises, this era of TV marks an age where quality television becomes indistinguishable from its movie counterparts. With that being said, it is no wonder that more money is invested in television, with some of the most successful shows expending over 10 million dollars per episode. From Friends to The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, these are the most expensive television shows to date considering the number of episodes.

17 ‘Band of Brothers’ (2001)

$12.5 million per episode (10 episodes)

Band of Brothers is a highly regarded, historically accurate TV series. It counts on an immensely talented cast, ranging from DamianLewis to MichaelFassbender, and chronicles the history of “Easy” Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. It is based on interviews with survivors and soldiers’ journals and letters.

Created by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, this astounding and immersive series entertained many who enjoy the genre, also thanks to its impressive average budget of $12.5 million per episode. Although many aspects contributed to this, the massive budget was mostly due to significant special effects and pyrotechnics as well as, of course, its impeccable ensemble cast. Fortunately, there is no doubt that the end result was well worth the expense.

16 ‘One Piece’ (2023 – )

$17 million per episode (8 episodes)

It is only natural that OnePiece is now one of the most-watched series on Netflix — after all, all fans of the anime seem to be loving its live-action adaptation so far. The show revolves around a young pirate captain (Iñaki Godoy) who sets out on an adventure with his crew of pirates (MackenyuArata, EmilyRudd, TazSkylar, JacobGibson) to discover the mythical titular treasure and ultimately attain the title of Pirate King.

Even if one is not familiar with its source material, this pirate series is certainly a good enough introduction to its fantastical world, especially for those who are looking to stream something fun and lighthearted. The Netflix series allegedly sat at around a whopping $17.27 million per episode.

Watch on Netflix

15 ‘The Last of Us’ (2023 – )

$15 million per episode (9 episodes)

A pop culture phenomenon since its release, this critically acclaimed show based on the videogame of the same name sees the talented, Emmy-nominated Pedro Pascal in the lead role as an introverted, hardened survivor. In a terrifying scenario where a global pandemic destroys civilization, Joel takes charge of a 14-year-old girl (Bella Ramsey) who may be humanity’s last hope.

Fans of post-apocalyptic television — say, The Walking Dead enthusiasts — are guaranteed to enjoy the highly expensive The Last of Us, which reportedly costs over $15 million per episode. As it would turn out later, its expensive budget was very much worth it, as the show has appealed to critics and general audiences alike and rapidly become one of the most popular series of last year.

Watch on Max

14 ‘Halo’ (2022 – )

$10 million per episode (17 episodes)

Based on the iconic Microsoft video game, Halo saw the beloved franchise adapted for television in the Paramount+ series. Following the war between the United Nations Space Command and the alien alliance known as the Covenant, Halo brings the science fiction tale to the small screen in a big way.

As one of the most critically acclaimed and successful video game franchises, the Halo TV series could easily rely on its existing fanbase for support. However, many fans agree that considering the $10 million per episode budget, the CGI could have been better. Although season one’s production was impacted by the pandemic, with big names attached and executive producer Steven Spielberg involved, it ended up falling a bit short of expectations. However, fans are waiting for season two to be bigger and better than ever.

Watch on Paramount+

13 ‘The Sandman’ (2022 – )

$15 million per episode (12 episodes)

The Sandman was one of the most pleasant surprises to come out of 2022. The absorbing fantasy series, which is based on Neil Gaiman‘s comic book series of the same name, centers on the king of dreams (Tom Sturridge) as he escapes after being captured and held captive for 105 years and attempts to restore everything he once had in his possession, including his realm.

From the moment it premiered, Netflix’s The Sandman became one of the most talked-about series globally, and its budget was one of the main reasons why there were doubts surrounding whether the streaming service would eventually renew it. “Sandman is a really expensive show. And for Netflix to release the money to let us make another season we have to perform incredibly well,” Neil Gaiman commented. Fortunately for viewers, The Sandman is getting a second season (even though it seemingly counts on a $15 million budget per episode).

12 ‘The Pacific’ (2010)

$20 million per episode (10 episodes)

Revolving around the historical events of the World War II battle between Japanese and American soldiers on the island of Peleliu, The Pacific was the most expensive miniseries at the time. Thanks to its remarkable premise and memorable characters, it is regarded as one of the best series of its genre.

At a $20 million budget per episode, the expensive HBO miniseries reached critical acclaim for its historical accuracy and depiction of epic World War II Pacific Ocean fight scenes. With big names like Spielberg and Tom Hanks behind the production and iconic film composer Hans Zimmer behind the war drama’s score, The Pacific truly feels like a TV show on a grand cinematic scale, and its budget reflects its quality.

11 ‘House of the Dragon’ (2022 – )

$20 million per episode (20 episodes)

The prequel to Game of Thrones shattered viewership records for HBO with nearly 10 million people tuning in to watch the first episode of House of the Dragon. Building off the success of its predecessor, the series is set two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones and centers around the House of Targaryen and the civil war that led to the family’s downfall and the disappearance of dragons from Westeros.

With plenty more CGI dragons as well as the expected success that comes from being a Game of Thrones prequel, the $20 million per episode budget has given House of the Dragons the chance to expand the tale of Westeros three years after the controversial, terrible finale of Game of Thrones.

10 ‘WandaVision’ (2021)

$25 million per episode (9 episodes)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has built one of the most popular film franchises of the 21st century. With a $400 million budget for Avengers: Endgame, Marvel’s venture into television after the epic conclusion to the Infinity Saga came with equally expensive budgets in order to continue expanding the MCU.

Before the launch of Disney+ in 2019, each of the MCU television titles reportedly cost $25 million, including WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye. Continuing a steady flow of content throughout the year, most recently with the release of Secret Invasion, it’s clear that Marvel is dominating both the big screen and the small screen (and thus is able to afford the most expensive shows).

9 ‘Citadel’ (2023 – )

$50 million per episode (7 episodes)

As it turns out, Citadel being one of the most expensive TV shows of all time does not save it from bad reviews. With a Rotten Tomatometer score of 50%, the divisive show follows Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra), two spies who are presumed killed during a mission in Italy.

At $50 million per episode, the action-adventure series fell short of expectations and cost more to Amazon than viewers probably thought. While it is not remarkable and often favors style over substance, Citadel is still worth checking for fans of the genre. The great chemistry between the two leads and its fun bits are two of the show’s strongest assets.

8 ‘See’ (2019 – 2022)

$15 million per episode (24 episodes)

With great acting performances and an interesting message about mankind’s connection with Earth, See is set in a dystopian future where humanity has lost the ability to see. Apple TV+’s at times even overlooked series follows the story of the impact the birth of two children who are capable of seeing has on a world where this gift is considered heresy.

Although the significant $15 million per episode budget of See may be attributed to the big names behind the show such as Jason Momoa and director/producer Francis Lawrence, the show’s big budget is largely due to its filming location in Vancouver. To assist with the creation of the dystopian world, the production team drained an actual lake in Vancouver, built a village, and then filled the lake up after filming concluded.

7 ‘The Mandalorian’ (2019 – )

$15 million per episode (25 episodes)

One of the earliest original series on Disney+, The Mandalorian embarked on a new chapter in the Star Wars franchise with its first live-action TV series. Set after the events of Return of the Jedi, this epic space adventure follows a bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal in one of his most memorable performances) who has rescued a young infant belonging to the same species as Yoda who is on a journey to be reunited with his own kind.

The Mandalorian‘s highly expensive $15 million per episode budget is largely due to the inventive filming techniques used throughout production. While the green screen has traditionally been used to superimpose actors onto a digital environment, The Mandalorian utilized StageCraft instead – a way of immersing the actor within the digital environment through large LED video screens that can be rendered in real-time. Like The Mandalorian, other Star Wars shows such as Andor have similar budgets.

6 ‘The Morning Show’ (2019 – )

$15 million per episode (31 episodes)

Considering that it features two extremely popular stars at its center — Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon — The Morning Show is naturally one of the highest-grossing series of the bunch. As the title suggests, the show provides viewers with a look inside a network broadcast morning news program, examining the characters and culture behind the whole production.

This workplace drama may not be everyone’s cup of tea (nor is it a groundbreaking piece of television). Still, it is an interesting, well-crafted show that sheds light on what the backstage of a news show is like and that may appeal to anyone curious. Furthermore, it also sheds light on the #MeToo movement. It is reported to cost around $15 million per episode.

Watch on Apple TV+

5 ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ (2022 – )

$58 million per episode (16 episodes)

At $58 million per episode — a total budget of $465 million — Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power has become one of most expensive TV shows ever made, and surpasses the combined $281 million budget of The Lord of the Rings film series.

Exploring the world of Middle Earth thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit, the ensemble cast of Rings of Power takes audiences through the Elven stronghold of Eregion to the underground Dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dûm. With lavish sets, costumes, and a grand tale, it is understandable that the beloved fantasy franchise’s venture to the small screen would be met with an equally lavish budget.

4 ‘The Crown’ (2016 – 2023)

$13 million per episode (60 episodes)

Period dramas are inherently expensive productions. From crafting historically accurate sets, costumes, hair, and makeup, as well as casting actors who both look and sound like their real-life counterparts, Netflix’s prestigious drama seriesThe Crown has spared no expense when it comes to bringing the story of the British royal family to television screens.

At $13 million per episode, the high budget for The Crown shines in the show’s meticulous attention to detail. Having won countless awards for costuming alone, and with its cast praised for the accuracy in which they portray the mannerisms of their real-life counterparts, it’s easy to understand how such a fantastic and well-crafted period series depended on a high budget.

Watch on Netflix

3 ‘Stranger Things’ (2016 – )

$30 million per episode (42 episodes)

As one of the most successful long-running series on Netflix, over its four-season run Stranger Things has gone from being a small-town tale about a missing boy and ’80s references to a much darker and action-packed horror sci-fi show involving secret government facilities, Russian conspiracies, and military involvement.

Along with the ambitious storylines and production of season four came Stranger Things‘ ambitious budget of $30 million per episode. With much of season four taking place outside the small town of Hawkins, the bigger budget allowed for more action, more thrills, and 90-minute episodes that truly felt like movies. No doubt, Stranger Things is up there as one of the most expensive TV series (as well as one of the most anticipated).

2 ‘Game of Thrones’ (2011 – 2019)

$15 million per episode (74 episodes)

HBO’s pop culture phenomenonGame of Thrones faced the challenge of adapting George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy novels for TV. Starring Emilia Clarke and Kit Harrington among other talented stars, the series depicts the struggle for power between several noble families. The story comes with a large cast of recurring characters spanning different locations within Westeros.

From the archipelago of the Iron Islands to the wintry North, Game of Thrones is also known for its visually stunning filming locations shot all around the globe. The initial budget for Season 1 was around $5-6 million per episode. By the final season, this rose to $15 million per episode, as the HBO series saw the cast and crew traveling between the United Kingdom, Croatia, Iceland, Spain, Malta, and Morocco.

Watch on Max

1 ‘Friends’ (1994 – 2004)

$10 million per episode (234 episodes)

A very beloved TV sitcom that counts on many fans even today, Friends centers on the lives of a group of distinctive twenty-something friends (Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, Courtney Cox, and Matt LeBlanc) as they navigate through life in New York, each with their own ambitions and goals.

Friends‘ high budget may come as a surprise to some, as it does not look like that much of an expensive series visually-wise. However, at $10 million per episode (and considering that it has 236 episodes), the beloved comedy seriesFriends is the most expensive TV show. Furthermore, thanks to its huge popularity increase (worldwide viewers still find themselves reaching toward it every so often), each cast member made more than $1 million in Friends‘ final season.

NEXT: The Highest-Grossing Television Shows of All Time