With streaming platforms (such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime) getting more and more competitive by the day, it comes as no surprise that streaming services are creating increasingly expensive TV series.
There used to be a time when TV shows were considered a cheaper alternative to blockbuster movies. Whilst that is still true to a certain extent, many companies and streaming services now are pouring millions of dollars into the production of high-quality shows due to them lasting longer over a period of time. So you don’t have to browse the internet looking for your answer, here’s the official ‘Top Ten Most Expensive TV Shows 2022’.
1. The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power – $58 Million Per Episode
Amazon Studios
It comes to no surprise that the prequel series to J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy The Lord Of The Rings takes the top spot on this list of the top ten most expensive tv shows 2022. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies. The show will cover the Second Age of Middle-earth, featuring the forging of the Rings of Power and the rise of the dark lord Sauron.
The series will not be a remake or reimagining of the film trilogy, but will instead borrow from different aspects of many of Tolkien’s Middle-earth stories.
The first season reportedly cost an astonishing $465 million (£343.6m), and that doesn’t even factor in the $250 million (£184.9m) Amazon paid to secure the rights to J. R. R. The show was funded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos – the richest man in the world – and it shows. The results are well worth the cost, with the show featuring phenomenal cinematography, staggering sets, photography, costumes, and state-of-the-art special effects.
2. Stranger Things – $30 Million Per Episode
Netflix
The supernatural series Stranger Things stole everyone’s hearts when it first aired in 2016, and has become a staple series of Netflix ever since. it boasted a $6 million (£4.4m) per episode budget in season one, which reportedly doubled to $12 million (£8.9m) for seasons two and three.
The fourth volume of Stranger Things released in May 2022 and had an astonishing budget of $30 million per episode, making it the second most expensive TV show of all time. At nine episodes in the fourth season, all together Netflix spent around $270 million alone.
3. Disney+ Marvel TV Shows – $25 Million Per Episode
Marvel Studios
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become one of the most successful superhero-inspired franchises in the history of cinema, and in Phase Four, we finally got to see the MCU step into the world of TV.
The budgets speak to Disney’s ambitions as well as the popularity of the shows, with shows like MoonKnight, She-Hulk. Loki, The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, Ms. Marvel, WandaVision, and Hawkeye topping the list. Many of these series are all said to cost a remarkable $25 million (£18.5m) per episode. That means that in total, the shows are costing up to $200 million (£147.9m) per season, making these series on par with what Marvel Studios spends on its superhero movies.
4. The Pacific – $20 – $21 Million Per Episode
HBO
The Band of Brothers spin-off The Pacific hit screens in 2010 and was based mainly on the memoirs of two American soldiers: Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie. Both narrate their experiences on the battlefield against the Japanese Empire and highlight the gritty and gruesome details that occurred in World War II.
Producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks went above and beyond to make sure that this mini-series looked as realistic as possible with their total budget of $217 million ($20 – $21 million per episode). It’s easy to understand why the budget for the series is so high; just take one glance at the recreation of the violent battles and you can see why.
5. House Of The Dragon – $20 Million Per Episode
HBO
Game Of Thrones at one time was the most costly TV show in the world. Of course, it didn’t stay like that forever, as The Rings Of Power eventually took the crown of the most expensive TV show.
House Of The Dragon, which was released in 2022, does come reasonably close to the top spot (but just misses out on being number one). The Game Of Thrones prequel show does in fact surpass its predecessor (Game Of Thrones) with each episode costing around $20 – $21 million.
Although this is expensive, it makes relative sense due to the fact that House Of The Dragon will heavily feature dragons, meaning it will need the large budget for their prodigious appetites.
6. Game Of Thrones – $15 Million Per Episode
HBO
A show many viewers will be familiar with is Game Of Thrones, a high-fantasy HBO series, which has become one of the most popular series of all time. Based on the novel series by George R.R. Martin, it follows various storylines throughout the show involving a different noble houses who share one common goal of controlling the Iron Throne and ruling the Seven Kingdoms.
During the earlier seasons, the production already had a budget of $6 million per episode, and in the final season, the budget increased to $15 million per episode. A large percentage of this budget went into creating some of the most realistic sets on TV, as well as some of the best CGI you can find!
7. The Mandalorian / The Book Of Boba Fett – $15 Million Per Episode
Disney+
Created by director Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian (released in 2019) from Disney+ was an instant sci-fi hit upon the release of the first season. The story takes place 5 years after Return Of The Jedi (9 ABY) and follows a Mandalorian in his line of work.
This Disney+ series was extremely well received by the audience, with each episode costing $15 million! The Book of Boba Fett, a spin-off series of The Mandalorian, follows another bounty hunter looking to make his wealth in the Galaxy’s underworld. Disney allocated the same budget per episode and achieved similar success to The Mandalorian.
8. See – $15 Million Per Episode
Apple TV+
In 2019, Apple TV+ released See, a series set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian future and stars Jason Momoa (Aquaman) as the lead role. Apple TV+ made a huge investment on the TV show, dropping a jaw-dropping $15 million per episode.
9. The Morning Show – $15 Million Per Episode
Apple TV+
Released in 2019 on Apple TV+, AAPL dropped $300 million to produce two seasons (20 episodes) of The Morning Show, meaning each episode costs $15 million. Not only that, but the main stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon pull $1.25 million per episode.
10. The Crown – $13 Million Per Episode
Netflix
The Crown is one of Netflix’s most expensive series they’ve ever made, so it comes to no ones surprise that this made the list. A large amount of the budget goes to constructing lavish recreations of historical events, replicating royal sets, and producing replica clothing items.
Each episode has a cost of $13 million painstakingly invested, earning the series its excellent reputation.
Runner Ups:
Since there are so many TV shows that could’ve appeared on out Top Ten list, we have created a runners up section so you can also see who nearly appeared on our ‘top ten most expensive TV shows 2022’
ER – $13 Million Per Episode
Band Of Brothers – $12 Million Per Episode
The Boys – $11.2 Million Per Episode
The Witcher – $10 Million Per Episode
Friends – $10 Million Per Episode
The Get Down – $10 Million Per Episode
The Big Bang Theory – $9 Million Per Episode
The Walking Dead – $2.75 Million Per Episode
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