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7 OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE TV SHOWS EVER MADE

By Kendall Jenkins on 2021-08-20 14:24:00

TV Shows took centre stage and rose in popularity between 2001 and 2010. According to Nielsen Data, the highest numbers on record are between 2009 and 2010, with the average period for TV watching in an American household averaged 8 hours and 55 minutes a day. It was a rise with around an hour and 23 minutes at the end of the decade. 

TV channels and online streaming giants began to concentrate and build on their TV film reputation. As a result, big-budget films entered the market similar to high rollers in an online casino 2021. 2021 is the year to unveil the most expensive TV shows ever made!

  1. The Pacific 

  2. Games of Thrones 

  3. The Crown 

  4. ER 

  5. Band of Brothers 

  6. The Get Down 

  7. Friends 

1. The Pacific 

The Hollywood Reporter indicates that HBO had an expenditure of at least $200 million to produce this action TV series. Marketing campaigns in various platforms consumed over $10 million, and rebates for the shooting locations in Australia took another 20 million. The costs included salaries for over 300 actors in a single scene, "The Ledge,” at the cost of $5 million and more. The armoury alone and the detailed costumes indicate no sparse expenditures. 

The miniseries, according to Yahoo, consumed a total of 21.7 million for every World War II episode produced and aired. It was a recreation of the bloodiest battles and most violent scenes of that period. However, the most astonishing factor is that the miniseries has only ten episodes. The budget went above and beyond the initial $100 million, increasing the costs to around 200 million.

2. Games of Thrones

Statista indicates that HBO's movie series producers spent at least $15 million per episode in the last season of this unique, epic, and fantasy series. At the premiere of the series, the movie only cost a reported $5m per episode, with producers and film directors complaining of the elimination of most battle scenes and their replacements with more dialogue to adhere to the budget. However, the timeline changed, the show gained popularity, and in season two, the budget increased to around $8million for the Blackwater episode, according to the Guardian. 

The returns and revenues generated from the show fueled the designers to create and revel in more realistic creatures, exotic shoot locations, and the popularization of unknown characters, turning them into popular household names. However, the plan meant more costs in production and higher salaries for the cast, and thus, the rise in production amount to $15 million and a total of $650 million for the entire series. 

3. The Mandalorian 

The Mandalorian depicts the most advanced space stories ever told. The show aired on Disney+ and created Jon Favreau, who designed the popular movie and action hero "Iron Man and The Lion King." Rumours had it that Disney+ invested at least $10 million an episode for two seasons of The Mandalorian. But, similar to every other movie or TV show Jon directs, the public took on The Mandalorian. "His skill at creating quality effects, amazing storylines, and creative digital creations help Jon command a huge production fee,' according to The Guardian.

However, the show ended up with a budget of $15 million for a single episode, but it was "Worth It!" the puppet playing "Baby Yoda" creation cost was $2 million. The baby was an instant hit, and it became viral online after the launch of the series. We all marvel at the flexibility of the series in terms of plot. Plus, character development was simply fantastic.

4. The Morning Show 

Apple is known for providing quality and long-lasting products to the market. However, the tech giant took a step further and produced a fantastic show with famous actors for a breakfast show. The TV show aired on Apple TV+, with the actors demanding more pay due to the high profile status of the show. The demand paid off as the Guardian reports each actor received $1.25million in salaries for each episode. The show ended up ranking costs, and the final amount was around $12 and $15 million for an episode.

5. The Crown

The Crown description is often the "Most Expensive" Netflix TV show investment. After its launch back in 2016, the show's budget reached $13 million for every episode in the season. As a result, Netflix invested approximately $130 million for the two seasons. At the start, the show consumed $6.5 million, with each season spotting more seasons than HBO's Game of Thrones. The best highlights of the series include a redesign of the wedding dress that Queen Elizabeth wore to her ceremony, estimated at around $37,000.

The show had a replica of the most elegant locations in the UK, including the Buckingham Palace, Ely Cathedral, the Lancaster House, the Goldsmith Hall and many more. It's impossible to get filming rights in these fantastic and historical buildings, thus the replicas. Also, the show required 7,000 costumes for use during production, adding to the costs incurred. The show consumed a whopping $260 million, according to the Guardian.

6. ER 

Considered a "force of change," the ER TV show and medical drama brought to the forefront of society as we see it today. The show said to be a "Cultural Force" was an investment by NBC and aired 15 seasons from 1994 to 2009. According to the insider, notable characters George Clooney and Julianna Marguiles became reputable individuals and successful stars. 

The show had a wide range of actors, most weren't famous or identifiable names, and production costs were always above average. Also, keeping some of the cast, including Clooney, on the show led to increased expenditures.  Each episode cost around $13 million. Many still ask whether it was a wise decision or not? But the numbers show it wasn't!

7. Band of Brothers 

The TV show retains one of the highest TV show ranks in history. The popular show provided entertainment similar to pokies online real money Australia but was more expensive. The movie storyline was the tribulations incurred by a battalion during World War II while carrying out missions in Europe. The show made a name as the "Most Expensive" back in 2001, but HBO took the leap, and big names in the film industry popped out with the series, including Tom Hanks. In addition, Steven Spielberg also participated in creating the show! 

Summary 

There are many TV Shows ever made, but many do not rank up costs as indicated above. However, the listed shows are also some of the most popular public and brought in significant revenues. Therefore, you can say that the show's investment paid off in most instances with the most expensive TV shows ever made. 

 

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