List of most expensive television series

Last updated

This is a list of most expensive television series.

Contents

Over US$10 million

Most expensive television series (cost per episode)
TitleYear(s)Est. costs (million US$)Ref.
Unadjusted2023 inflation
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (season 1)20225860 [1] [2]
Stranger Things (season 4)20223031 [3]
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law 20222526 [4]
Andor 202220.822 [5]
WandaVision 20212528 [6]
Loki (season 1)20212528 [7]
Loki (season 2)202323.524 [8]
Severance (season 2)20252020 [9] [10]
House of the Dragon (season 1)2022<20<21 [2]
The Mandalorian (season 1)20191518 [11]
See (season 1)20191518 [11]
Game of Thrones (season 8)20191518 [12]
The Sandman (season 1)20221516 [13]
ER (seasons 6 and 7)1999–20011328 [14]
Game of Thrones (season 6)20161013 [15]
The Last of Us (season 1)20231010 [16]

Over US$1 million

Most expensive television series (cost per episode)
TitleYear(s)Est. costs (million US$)Ref.
Unadjusted2023 inflation
Game of Thrones (season 2)201268 [17]
The Night Manager (season 1)201656 [18]
Boardwalk Empire (season 1 201057 [17]
House of Cards (season 1)20134.56 [11]
House of Cards (seasons 2 and 3)2014–20154.235 [19]
Hemlock Grove (season 1)201345 [20]
Orange Is the New Black (season 1)201345 [20]
Now and Again 1999–20002.44 [21]
Cheers (season 10)1991–19922.25 [22]
Nash Bridges (seasons 3 to 6)1996–200123 [23] [24]
Miami Vice (season 2)1985–198626 [25]
Stargate SG-1 (season 10)2006–200723 [26]
Stargate SG-1 (season 8)2004–20051.73 [27]
The Flash 1990–19911.64 [28]
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (season 1)19921.53 [29]
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (season 1)19931.53 [29]
The Untouchables (season 1)19931.53 [29]
Stargate Atlantis (season 1)2004–20051.52 [27]
The Simpsons (season 7)1995–19961.53 [30]
Stargate SG-1 (season 1)1997–19981.32 [31]
Dallas (1978 TV series) 1978–19911.23 [32]
Dynasty (season 9 1988–19891.23 [32]
Falcon Crest (season 6)1986–198713 [33]
Farscape 1999–200312 [34]
Afro Samurai 200712 [35]
Da Vinci's Inquest (season 4)2001–200212 [36]
Space: Above and Beyond 1995–199612 [23]

Below US$1 million

Most expensive television series (cost per episode)
TitleYear(s)Est. costs (million US$)Ref.
Unadjusted2023 inflation
The Equalizer (season 4)1988–1989900,0002,318,627 [32]
Matlock (season 3)1988–1989900,0002,318,627 [32]
Murder, She Wrote 1988–1989900,0002,318,627 [32]
MacGyver (season 5)1988–1989850,0002,189,814 [32]
Simon & Simon (season 8)1988–1989850,0002,189,814 [32]
Almost Grown 1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Beauty and the Beast 1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
China Beach (season 1)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
In the Heat of the Night (season 2)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
L.A. Law (season 3)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Midnight Caller (season 1)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Mission: Impossible (season 1)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Murphy's Law 1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Paradise (season 1)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Tattingers 1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Thirtysomething (season 2)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Wiseguy (season 2)1988–1989800,0002,061,002 [32]
Baywatch (season 2)1991–1992750,0001,628,409 [29]
The Cosby Show (season 5)1988–1989575,0001,481,345 [32]
Family Ties (season 7)1988–1989575,0001,481,345 [32]
60 Minutes (season 21)1988–1989575,0001,481,345 [32]
Dora the Explorer (season 4)2004–2008505,000780,031 [37]
Mr. Belvedere (season 5)1988–1989475,0001,223,720 [32]
Full House (season 2)1988–1989400,0001,030,501 [32]
One World (season 1)1998400,000731,602 [38]
Just the Ten of Us (season 2)1988–1989375,000966,095 [32]
Raising Miranda 1988375,000966,095 [32]
Astro Boy 2003–2004250,000403,277 [39]
Rex the Runt (series 1)1998–1999166,000303,615 [38]
Pokémon (season 4)2000–2001100,000172,073 [40]
Cardcaptor Sakura 1998–2000100,000176,928 [41]

Total cost (over $1 billion)

Most expensive television series (total cost)
TitleYear(s)Est. costs (billion US$)Ref.
Unadjusted2023 inflation
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power 2022-Present11 [42]

Total cost (below $1 billion)

Most expensive television series (total cost)
TitleYear(s)Est. costs (million US$)Ref.
Unadjusted2023 inflation
Andor 2022–2024645645 [43]
Citadel (season 1)2023300300 [44]
Arcane 2021–2024250250 [45]
The Acolyte 2024230230 [46]
The Pacific 2010200279 [47]
3 Body Problem (season 1)2024160160 [48]
Fallout (season 1)2024153153 [49]
Game of Thrones (season 6)2016100127 [15]
The Last of Us (season 1)2023100100 [50]
Game of Thrones (season 1)201150–6068–81 [51]
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles 1992–19962759 [52]
Amazon 1999–20002648 [53]
Tiny Toon Adventures (season 1)1990–19912556 [54]
BraveStarr 1987–19882056 [55]
Water Rats (season 1)1996–20011631 [56]
ThunderCats (season 1)19851542 [57]
The Puzzle Place (season 1)199510.321 [58]
Atomic Betty (season 1)2004–2005915 [59]
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage 1980–19818.227 [58]
WMAC Masters (season 1)1995–19975.511 [60]
Van-Pires 19975.210 [61]
Cubix 2001–20044.58 [62]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ash, Janelle (July 22, 2022). "Amazon spends $465 million for first season of 'Lord of the Rings' spinoff series". Fox Business . Archived from the original on July 23, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Maas, Jennifer (April 22, 2022). "How HBO Kept 'House of the Dragon' Costs Under $20 Million per Episode (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  3. ↑ Flint, Joe (April 21, 2022). "Netflix, Facing Reality Check, Vows to Curb Its Profligate Ways" . The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  4. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (November 1, 2023). "Crisis at Marvel: Jonathan Majors Back-Up Plans, 'The Marvels' Reshoots, Reviving Original Avengers and More Issues Revealed". Variety . Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Star Wars Ain't Cheap: Why Andor Season 1 Had a Massive $250 Million Budget". Screen Rant . June 14, 2023. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  6. ↑ Jarvey, Natalie (October 16, 2019). "Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  7. ↑ Jarvey, Natalie (October 16, 2019). "Disney Over the Top: Bob Iger Bets the Company (and Hollywood's Future) on Streaming". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  8. ↑ Reid, Caroline. "'Loki' Season 2 Packs A Punch With $140 Million Budget". Forbes. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  9. ↑ Shaw, Lucas (July 21, 2024). "Apple Tries to Rein In Hollywood Spending After Years of Losses". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  10. ↑ Belloni, Matthew (April 28, 2023). "A 'Severance' Salvage Job and Hollywood's Executive Amnesia". Puck. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 Schwartzel, Erich (July 10, 2019). "Coming to a Streaming Service Near You: Shows Costing as Much as Big-Budget Movies" . The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
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  15. 1 2 Hibberd, James (March 2015). "'Game of Thrones': EW spends 240 hours in Westeros". Entertainment Weekly . Meredith Corporation. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
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  17. 1 2 Gornstein, Leslie (May 28, 2012). "Holy Flaming Warships! How Expensive Is Game of Thrones, Anyway?". E! . NBCUniversal Television Group. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
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  20. 1 2 Wallenstein, Andrew (March 8, 2013). "Netflix Series Spending Revealed". Variety . Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
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  23. 1 2 Lowry, Brian (August 13, 1997). "Hercules and Xena : Conquer the World". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
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  27. 1 2 McNamara, Lynne (June 12, 2004). "The Backlot". Vancouver Sun . p. 33. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ King, Susan (September 19, 1990). "Flash' Suits Up for a Sizzling TV Ratings Race". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  29. 1 2 3 4 Lippman, John (March 22, 1992). "Too Costly for Prime Time : Television: Plunging profits are forcing Hollywood to chop paychecks and rein in production costs". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
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  58. 1 2 Michaelson, Judith (March 22, 1995). "KCET Shoots 'Puzzle' With Short Funds : Television: Children's series 'The Puzzle Place' is still short $2 million of its $6.5-million budget. Station executives hope underwriting, product licensing will make up deficit". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
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