they may be made for the small screen
but they’ve got big screen budgets yeah
I guess you can say that welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 most
expensive TV shows ever made right you
son of a bitch
before we begin we’ve got something big
in the works so be sure to tune in to
watch mojo live on may 31st for special
musical performances and much more for
this list we’re looking at shows that
were made for TV and streaming services
that had huge budgets we’re considering
the total production budget the reported
salaries of the actors and any costly
rumored production issues as well as the
overall quality of the series what do
you want just a moment of your time
number 10 Boardwalk Empire never let the
truth get in the way of a good story
period pieces tend to have higher
budgets than their contemporary
counterparts and that’s especially true
when your show is on a prestigious
network like HBO this prohibition-era
gangsters series executive produced by
Martin Scorsese and starring Steve
Buscemi is a prime example
HBO reportedly spent 18 million dollars
for the pilot of the series and then an
estimated 5 million per episode after
that to recreate 1920s Atlantic City and
Nucky Thompson’s bootlegging Empire if
there really isn’t God what do you have
given me this mug not only that the
titular boardwalk cost anywhere from two
to five million dollars to build in an
abandoned Brooklyn parking garage we’d
say that’s worth a drink or two
looking for a good time number nine
terranova each one of you has taken a
first step just as I did seven years ago
toward a new beginning period pieces are
one thing but how do you properly budget
for a show that takes place in both the
future and the prehistoric past this
short-lived but high cost Fox sci-fi
show answered that question the pilot in
which humans in the 22nd century travel
back to the Cretaceous period to start
new lives cost 20 million dollars an
unheard-of amount for a network TV
production each additional episode
reportedly cost four million a full
million more per episode than your
average Network drama
what did these funds went to the sets
and the extravagant dinosaur effects hey
you guys think
unfortunately Fox’s gamble did not pay
off and the overly ambitious series only
lasted one 13-episode season didn’t
think you had any think again
number 8 The Walking Dead what you know
about the dead people right yeah I saw a
lot of that you think all that zombie
makeup comes cheap the budget of AMC’s
smash hit has actually been a subject of
contention with the production crew
specifically show developer Frank
Darabont left due to am see cutting the
budget from three point four to three
million in episode during season two
still The Walking Dead remains one of
the slickest produced shows on TV with
the money going to create some of the
most creative undead effects ever seen
as well as retaining its cast like lead
Andrew Lincoln who makes one point four
four million each season how should we
you the new world number seven Rome I’m
a Roman citizen of noble birth and I
order you to cut these ropes this was
one of the first shows to prove that
historical epics could work on the small
screen as long as networks are willing
to spend accordingly not only did the
show feature a massive cast it also
required incredibly detailed set
recreations of ancient Roman locations
including Roman villas plums and the
forum today janitor the daunting
production costs resulted in HBO and the
BBC splitting the budget of the show
which ended up costing 9 million dollars
an episode Rome was a pioneer in putting
epic stories on television
something that HBO would go on to
explore with future shows you look
swearing now come to destroy me
number 6 friends big budgets aren’t just
the standard for sprawling prestige
dramas sometimes if a show has a
talented enough cast much of its cash
winds up committed to keeping them
around this was the predicament NBC
found themselves in with this must-see
TV staple why why do bad things happen
to good people
as the six leads rose to popularity with
the show the cast maintained equal
salaries which towards the end of the
series was a substantial sum for the
final two seasons Aniston Cox Kudrow
LeBlanc
Perry and Schwimmer were all getting
paid 1 million dollars per episode
jacking up the show’s otherwise modest
budget and making friends one of the
most expensive sitcoms ever produced
ok should we get some coffee sure we’re
number 5 but get down thank you so much
a garli brief I like you so much
feel like I got done the enlightening
assignment with a visual wonder like Baz
Luhrmann at the helm of the show you
know it’s going to be settled with a
Hollywood level budget indeed his
Netflix project is one of the most
expensive shows ever made especially for
a streaming service and you the magic
the mystery the opening grasshopper the
shows recreation of 1970s New York as
well as lavish musical numbers have
given the show a price tag of 10 million
dollars an episode resulting in 120
million dollars for the 12 episode first
season which is just 10 million less
than Luhrmann’s most expensive film
Australia the world’s dying a thousand
heart attacks we seal them up three
minutes at a time although unconfirmed
it’s been rumored that it frequently
went over-budget with sources claiming
that it climbed to 16 million per
episode or roughly 192 million dollars
total yeah what you’re trying to be
cheap yeah Teddy I’m trying to be king
number four Marco Polo holy oil from the
pontiff who wishes to spread
Christianity throughout my lands just
not the same Pope who has called me the
spawn of Satan here’s another Netflix
original though not one successful
enough to justify the huge amounts of
cash spent on the historical drama about
its titular Explorer required lavish
sets and costumes to recreate the period
setting of late 13th century China which
resulted in Netflix paying ninety
million dollars for the entire series a
huge number
for any TV show unfortunately the series
debuted to middling reviews and while it
made it to a second season Marco Polo’s
journey ended shortly after that
thankfully for Netflix this poor
investment is more an exception than the
rule
number three er we thought oh he’s
asleep tonight let’s get on that a
medical drama seems like an unlikely
candidate for such a list but then again
few series have held the title of
most-watched series in the country or
included a young George Clooney like
being disappointed in me mark validates
the fact that you are the adult and I’m
a screw-up in order to maintain high
ratings and to keep their star player on
board
NBC bumped the per episode budget from
two million dollars to a whopping 13
million for seasons four through six the
investment was later known by some as
the half a billion dollar blunder
costing NBC a whopping 440 million
dollars alright squeezing their own egg
as fast as you can still er stayed in
the top five in ratings during that time
though Clooney checked out at the end of
the fifth sir I’m a doctor I’m here to
help you can you talk okay I’ll take
that as a yes number two the crown my
name is Lizbeth
long live Queen Elizabeth it’s only
fitting that a show about the royal
family ends up being jaw-droppingly
expensive another Netflix period drama
the crown had a budget estimated to be
in the ballpark of one hundred and
thirty million dollars just for the
first season of ten episodes if accurate
that makes it the most expensive TV show
in history it’s mad
once again the massive budget comes as a
result of incredible period detail which
includes such things as a realistic
recreation of Buckingham Palace and
roughly 20,000 costumes lucky for
Netflix the gamble paid off as the show
received strong reviews and viewership
earning itself the greenlight for season
two it’s a notice that we both may age
in that we intend to keep before we
unveil our number one pick here are some
honorable mentions it’s going to work
it’s happening we’re going after the
silent
we’ll celebrate when we’re home sir I’m
having a majestic crisis and must focus
on suppressing its expression God was
not only known for her producing prowess
but also for her warmth but kindness and
her gentle spirit number one Game of
Thrones
other shows may cost more but there’s no
show on television that gets a better
bang for its buck than HBO’s epic
fantasy drama in season one it may do
with a total estimated budget of between
fifty and sixty million dollars but
after receiving a budget increase for
season two’s epic battle episode
Blackwater the price tag for the show
steadily grew with seasons two through
five costing anywhere from six to eight
million dollars an episode my season six
it was ten million the high costs are
put to good use though as the show
features incredible effect for elements
like the White Walkers dragons and huge
battle scenes as well as a stellar cast
I believe in second chances
some believe in third chances do you
agree with our picks check out these
other great clips from WatchMojo and
subscribe for new videos every day
but they’ve got big screen budgets yeah
I guess you can say that welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 most
expensive TV shows ever made right you
son of a bitch
before we begin we’ve got something big
in the works so be sure to tune in to
watch mojo live on may 31st for special
musical performances and much more for
this list we’re looking at shows that
were made for TV and streaming services
that had huge budgets we’re considering
the total production budget the reported
salaries of the actors and any costly
rumored production issues as well as the
overall quality of the series what do
you want just a moment of your time
number 10 Boardwalk Empire never let the
truth get in the way of a good story
period pieces tend to have higher
budgets than their contemporary
counterparts and that’s especially true
when your show is on a prestigious
network like HBO this prohibition-era
gangsters series executive produced by
Martin Scorsese and starring Steve
Buscemi is a prime example
HBO reportedly spent 18 million dollars
for the pilot of the series and then an
estimated 5 million per episode after
that to recreate 1920s Atlantic City and
Nucky Thompson’s bootlegging Empire if
there really isn’t God what do you have
given me this mug not only that the
titular boardwalk cost anywhere from two
to five million dollars to build in an
abandoned Brooklyn parking garage we’d
say that’s worth a drink or two
looking for a good time number nine
terranova each one of you has taken a
first step just as I did seven years ago
toward a new beginning period pieces are
one thing but how do you properly budget
for a show that takes place in both the
future and the prehistoric past this
short-lived but high cost Fox sci-fi
show answered that question the pilot in
which humans in the 22nd century travel
back to the Cretaceous period to start
new lives cost 20 million dollars an
unheard-of amount for a network TV
production each additional episode
reportedly cost four million a full
million more per episode than your
average Network drama
what did these funds went to the sets
and the extravagant dinosaur effects hey
you guys think
unfortunately Fox’s gamble did not pay
off and the overly ambitious series only
lasted one 13-episode season didn’t
think you had any think again
number 8 The Walking Dead what you know
about the dead people right yeah I saw a
lot of that you think all that zombie
makeup comes cheap the budget of AMC’s
smash hit has actually been a subject of
contention with the production crew
specifically show developer Frank
Darabont left due to am see cutting the
budget from three point four to three
million in episode during season two
still The Walking Dead remains one of
the slickest produced shows on TV with
the money going to create some of the
most creative undead effects ever seen
as well as retaining its cast like lead
Andrew Lincoln who makes one point four
four million each season how should we
you the new world number seven Rome I’m
a Roman citizen of noble birth and I
order you to cut these ropes this was
one of the first shows to prove that
historical epics could work on the small
screen as long as networks are willing
to spend accordingly not only did the
show feature a massive cast it also
required incredibly detailed set
recreations of ancient Roman locations
including Roman villas plums and the
forum today janitor the daunting
production costs resulted in HBO and the
BBC splitting the budget of the show
which ended up costing 9 million dollars
an episode Rome was a pioneer in putting
epic stories on television
something that HBO would go on to
explore with future shows you look
swearing now come to destroy me
number 6 friends big budgets aren’t just
the standard for sprawling prestige
dramas sometimes if a show has a
talented enough cast much of its cash
winds up committed to keeping them
around this was the predicament NBC
found themselves in with this must-see
TV staple why why do bad things happen
to good people
as the six leads rose to popularity with
the show the cast maintained equal
salaries which towards the end of the
series was a substantial sum for the
final two seasons Aniston Cox Kudrow
LeBlanc
Perry and Schwimmer were all getting
paid 1 million dollars per episode
jacking up the show’s otherwise modest
budget and making friends one of the
most expensive sitcoms ever produced
ok should we get some coffee sure we’re
number 5 but get down thank you so much
a garli brief I like you so much
feel like I got done the enlightening
assignment with a visual wonder like Baz
Luhrmann at the helm of the show you
know it’s going to be settled with a
Hollywood level budget indeed his
Netflix project is one of the most
expensive shows ever made especially for
a streaming service and you the magic
the mystery the opening grasshopper the
shows recreation of 1970s New York as
well as lavish musical numbers have
given the show a price tag of 10 million
dollars an episode resulting in 120
million dollars for the 12 episode first
season which is just 10 million less
than Luhrmann’s most expensive film
Australia the world’s dying a thousand
heart attacks we seal them up three
minutes at a time although unconfirmed
it’s been rumored that it frequently
went over-budget with sources claiming
that it climbed to 16 million per
episode or roughly 192 million dollars
total yeah what you’re trying to be
cheap yeah Teddy I’m trying to be king
number four Marco Polo holy oil from the
pontiff who wishes to spread
Christianity throughout my lands just
not the same Pope who has called me the
spawn of Satan here’s another Netflix
original though not one successful
enough to justify the huge amounts of
cash spent on the historical drama about
its titular Explorer required lavish
sets and costumes to recreate the period
setting of late 13th century China which
resulted in Netflix paying ninety
million dollars for the entire series a
huge number
for any TV show unfortunately the series
debuted to middling reviews and while it
made it to a second season Marco Polo’s
journey ended shortly after that
thankfully for Netflix this poor
investment is more an exception than the
rule
number three er we thought oh he’s
asleep tonight let’s get on that a
medical drama seems like an unlikely
candidate for such a list but then again
few series have held the title of
most-watched series in the country or
included a young George Clooney like
being disappointed in me mark validates
the fact that you are the adult and I’m
a screw-up in order to maintain high
ratings and to keep their star player on
board
NBC bumped the per episode budget from
two million dollars to a whopping 13
million for seasons four through six the
investment was later known by some as
the half a billion dollar blunder
costing NBC a whopping 440 million
dollars alright squeezing their own egg
as fast as you can still er stayed in
the top five in ratings during that time
though Clooney checked out at the end of
the fifth sir I’m a doctor I’m here to
help you can you talk okay I’ll take
that as a yes number two the crown my
name is Lizbeth
long live Queen Elizabeth it’s only
fitting that a show about the royal
family ends up being jaw-droppingly
expensive another Netflix period drama
the crown had a budget estimated to be
in the ballpark of one hundred and
thirty million dollars just for the
first season of ten episodes if accurate
that makes it the most expensive TV show
in history it’s mad
once again the massive budget comes as a
result of incredible period detail which
includes such things as a realistic
recreation of Buckingham Palace and
roughly 20,000 costumes lucky for
Netflix the gamble paid off as the show
received strong reviews and viewership
earning itself the greenlight for season
two it’s a notice that we both may age
in that we intend to keep before we
unveil our number one pick here are some
honorable mentions it’s going to work
it’s happening we’re going after the
silent
we’ll celebrate when we’re home sir I’m
having a majestic crisis and must focus
on suppressing its expression God was
not only known for her producing prowess
but also for her warmth but kindness and
her gentle spirit number one Game of
Thrones
other shows may cost more but there’s no
show on television that gets a better
bang for its buck than HBO’s epic
fantasy drama in season one it may do
with a total estimated budget of between
fifty and sixty million dollars but
after receiving a budget increase for
season two’s epic battle episode
Blackwater the price tag for the show
steadily grew with seasons two through
five costing anywhere from six to eight
million dollars an episode my season six
it was ten million the high costs are
put to good use though as the show
features incredible effect for elements
like the White Walkers dragons and huge
battle scenes as well as a stellar cast
I believe in second chances
some believe in third chances do you
agree with our picks check out these
other great clips from WatchMojo and
subscribe for new videos every day
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