The Most Expensive TV Shows
A lot goes into producing a TV show. It costs a lot of money to produce a top-quality show as you need a masterpiece in writing, the best of the costumes, directing and locations. Better still, for assured success, there is always the call to bring in a big name in the industry. Names sell in the industry, and the acts with the pedigree draw the fans. However, this comes with the paycheck as well.
Still, some TV shows have taken it a little over the top and broke the bank to produce their shows. The movies cost so much that you could only afford to produce them if you won the lottery if you are not a big company with the budget.
Some of the most expensive TV shows include;
1. The Lord of Rings ($1Billion)
The Lord of Rings is one of the most commercially and critically successful movie franchises of the modern media. This JRR Tolkien’s series has built on the success of the creator’s other movies like LOTR and the Hobbit trilogy.
Amazon is building on the earlier success of the series to commission a prequel series. They have already committed a $250million budget to produce five assured seasons of the series. The whole production will hit $1Billion, which is the biggest for any series ever. At the same time, the investment is projected to be one of the most successful book adaptations in history.
2. Game of Thrones ($15million per episode)
When you read this list you were most likely already looking where this series clocks. As one of the most ambitious and successful series in modern media, GOT costs such huge amounts.
Every episode is shot on exotic locations, and it also takes so much money to make the dragons, and other aspects look real. Also, given the series success, most of its actors who at the start were generally unknown suddenly became household names. As a result, their salaries had to increase to reflect the newfound status. This explains why the last season cost the most at $15million.
3. The Morning Show ($15million per episode)
One thing about the tech giant, Apple is that it never compromises on quality. It is currently in quality gadgets whether the iPhone, MacBooks and any other gadget it produces. It is this same quality that it approaches movie production with, through its movie services Apple TV+. The company reportedly has over $6B it is investing in TV shows and movies production for its streaming service.
The Morning Show is currently one of the most expensive productions on its lineup. It comes with a lineup including Steve Carel, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Anniston. These are household names who command high salaries. There were reports they get paid around $2m per episode.
4. The Crown ($13million per episode)
Netflix is always looking to improve its catalogue of original productions and is willing to pay what it costs. One of the movies that has cost it so much is The Crown. This series follows the life of the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II from childhood until now.
The reason behind the high cost of producing this series is the recreation of the various historical events and royal aesthetics. Most of the royal cladding is expensive and it is only right that a series replacing them doesn’t compromise. For example, the wedding scene between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip had the actress wear a replica dress that reportedly cost $37,000. While such attention works for the quality of the production, they come at a cost.
5. ER ($13million per episode)
While ER might seem like a typical medical drama television show, it is one of the most influential series. It has given rise to some of the current world’s biggest movie stars like George Clooney.
Created by Michael Crichton, the Jurassic Park writer, the show remains one of the most expensive in TV history. At the start, the show was relatively affordable. However, as it became popular, the production became desperate to keep top stars like Clooney. Given at the time NBC was willing to pay anything, they ended up spending so much on the acts.
6. Friends ($10million per episode)
Friends remains one of the most successful yet also the most expensive sitcom in TV history. The series is all about a group of friends living together and going through their lives in New York City. The show was produced for 10 seasons running from its launch in 1994.
The main reason for the high cost of production of the series is the popularity it garnered. In the start, it was relatively cheaper compared to other shows. However, as the show progressed it became a massive hit. The cast of the show were now household names and certified top acts. Their salaries had to increase to reflect this newfound status.
While producing a TV series is expensive, you can do it when you win a lottery. Join Lotto to get the chance of winning big. You might have your TV series if you wish with the money.
