Over the years, the portrayal of fictional and non-fictional worlds in TV shows and films is getting better and better. Hiring popular actors has also become more common these days. Both of these things obviously mean the budget for providing the audience with a well-portrayed on-screen narrative is also increasing. It’s interesting to note that these days, it’s not hard to compare a well-produced TV show to a well-produced film, which historically speaking, was not possible. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most expensive TV show episodes ever made!

6 The Crown ($13 Million Per Episode)

The Crown
Netflix

There’s no denying that period dramas are expensive to produce, especially in order to accurately portray the sets, costumes, hair, etc. Netflix’s The Crown is one example of a period drama that spared no expense in order to accurately portray the British royal family. The Crown follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, with each season covering a specific time period in her life. One can imagine that portraying the extravagant lifestyle of the royal family, in addition to ensuring that all the actors were well-trained to accurately portray the manner of the royal family, would have cost quite a lot of expenses.

According to reports, the show cost around $13 million per episode. For a while, The Crown reigned as the most expensive TV series ever made. The hard work of the cast and crew probably paid off as the TV series has won several awards for costuming and accurate historical portrayal of character mannerisms by the actors. In fact, the costumes from The Crown were displayed by the Brooklyn Museum in their virtual exhibition, The Queen and the Crown.

5 Game of Thrones ($15 Million Per Episode)

Game of Thrones
Warner Bros. Television Distribution

This one probably doesn’t come off as a surprise, especially considering the impressive sets and costumes. Not only is Game of Thrones in time with medieval staples, but it's also a fantasy TV series, which just adds to the budget. From knights to witches to dragons, Game of Thrones has it all. The show initially started with $5 to $6 million per episode, which wasn’t really cheap for the time, but as the story progressed, the budget for producing the show also increased. By the final season, each episode of Game of Thrones cost around $15 million. Given the extravagant costumes and the outdoor sets, which range from sunny Mediterranean locations to snow-deep frozen forests of the North, it's no surprise that the budget increased. In addition, with the display of magic and mythical creatures, the SFX on the show is no joke.

Related: House of the Dragon: Was Viserys a Good King?

4 House of Dragon ($20 Million Per Episode)

House of Dragon

HBO

One would have expected House of Dragon to make it to the list of most expensive TV episodes eventually, but considering that the series just started airing in mid-2022, it’s rather surprising for the show to already cost $20 million per episode. Much like Game of Thrones, the prequel show is a historical fantasy with elaborate costumes, awe-inspiring sets, and its fair share of magical and fantastical elements. Set two decades prior to the events of Game of Thrones, the series centers around the House of Targaryen, which obviously means more CGI dragons and quite a lot of war and blood. The series has just begun, so it’s expected that the per episode might rise with the release of future seasons. So far, the show has already received the green light for season two, so only time will tell about what the future holds.

3 WandaVision ($25 Million Per Episode)

The Cast of WandaVision
Walt Disney Television
Disney+

One of the popular film franchises of the 21st century is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Avengers: Endgame costing around a $400 million budget, it's not really surprising that Marvel’s television series can also bag quite a hefty budget. Marvel spent around $25 million on WandaVision, and given that the series blends a variety of cinematic styles along with the typical superhero CGI, it’s not surprising that the budget per episode is so high. It was also revealed that WandaVision wasn't the only show that Marvel and Disney+ poured in so much money. According to reports, other MCU titles like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye also had a similar budget. However, since the other MCU titles have yet to be released there’s a chance that the budget might go up.

Related: What's Next For Wanda Maximoff After Multiverse of Madness?

2 Stranger Things ($30 Million Per Episode)

Stranger Things
Netflix

There’s no arguing that Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s most iconic shows, if not the most iconic Netflix show. The initial seasons of the show were visually impressive and had a decent budget, but nothing too big to brag about. However, as the show gained more popularity, Netflix really went all out with the show’s budget. According to reports, Season four of Stranger Things costs around $30 million per episode. Given that the show has a considerable amount of CGI, one can see where the budget is going into. It seems pretty clear that Netflix intends on nurturing the growth of its hit show, despite the fact that the streaming platform has gained a reputation for canceling shows after a few seasons.

1 The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power ($58 Million Per Episode)

The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power
Amazon Studios

Reigning as the TV show with the most expensive per episode budget is Amazon Prime’s The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power. With a budget of almost half a billion dollars per episode, this TV series has surpassed the combined $281 billion budget of The Lord of the Rings film series. The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, is a historical fantasy and is set prior to the events of The Hobbit. In this series, the audience is able to witness the stronghold of the Elven in Eregion and the underground Dwarven kingdom of Khazad-dum. In addition, the series is full to the brim with lavish costumes, elaborate sets, and a bunch of magical and fantastical elements, justifying the lavish $58 million per episode budget.