Big budgets used to be exclusive to major Hollywood films. But that was before the
current Golden Age of Television started in the late 1990s. TV has never been this
good — or this pricey. Here are some of the most expensive scenes ever shot for the small screen.
At $217 million, "The Pacific" was the most expensive miniseries ever made when
it was released in 2010. Its depiction of the Peleliu beach landings in World War 2 alone
cost $5 million, a figure that becomes even more staggering when you read The Hollywood Reporter's
invoice breakdown. Some 300 actors worked on the four-day shoot. The leads' daily rate was $700,
stunt extras' $150, and regular extras' $70. This was economical according to the producers,
who avoided big stars to offset the show's real money burners,
which included uniforms, visual effects, and a whole arsenal of guns, explosives, and tanks.
Then there was the CGI. Even simple effects, such as adding a muzzle flash to a gunshot, cost
about $700. More complicated adjustments, such as removing or "masking" features in the image, ran
about $40,000 per shot. Three-and-a-half-seconds of a landing craft, for example, cost almost
$30,000. And these are just the post production expenses. Each standard take during principal
photography cost $13,500. The wide shots, of which there were four per day, could add up to $70,000.
Spectacle costs money. That's why the pilot episode for "Lost," which famously depicts a
plane crash, cost ABC between $10 and 14 million – the most expensive pilot in history at the time.
The scene was constructed in multiple locations. It began aboard a mocked up plane interior in a
California sound stage, where director J.J. Abrams used a skillful blend of practical ingenuity
and CGI to capture the horrifying panic as the aircraft drops out of the sky.
The CGI takes over as we see the plane break apart and scatter across the ocean.
Some additional disturbing moments were filmed on the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. It was here that the
most expensive prop was used: a decommissioned airliner. The passenger plane was bought in the
Mojave Desert and then transported to Hawaii, where it was staged in catastrophic fashion.
Fortunately, ABC's investment would reap major dividends, "Lost" became one
of the biggest shows of the 2000s – and, occasionally, one of its most confusing.
"Alright dude, we're from the future."
"Game of Thrones" is a big show. A very big show. Everything about it is massive,
including the budget. Metro reports that the notorious eighth season cost $90 million,
which means $15 million for each of the season's six episodes. Of these,
it's likely that the Battle of Winterfell cost the most.
All of the pricey ingredients are here – a sweeping cast with established fame and
hefty salaries, scores of extras decked in unique costumes, towering set design,
and seamless integration of CGI. However, this huge battle split opinion among viewers.
Many bemoaned how dimly lit the cinematography was, complaining that they had to adjust the
brightness on their TVs because it was simply too dark to watch.
"I can't see."
"That's your problem. Not mine."
Other viewers loved it, with a headline at GamesRadar quoting a claim that it was
"the most intense episode in television history."
The $18 million pilot of "Boardwalk Empire" is effectively one big piece of world-building that
displays the show's glitz and glamour, including the lavish boardwalk set that cost $5 million.
"That's a lot."
"That's quite a lot."
The boardwalk set was staged in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and took
months to build. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, set designer Bob Shaw said
that it was the biggest outdoor set built in New York City in almost a hundred years.
Then there were the small details. The storefronts were based closely
on the Atlantic City boardwalk circa 1920. That's just one part of the
exhaustive research that went into the project, which covered everything from
key moments of World War I and prohibition to the wider popular culture of the era.
Budgets tend to bulge when warfare and, especially, fire-breathing dragons are involved.
(dragon looking up, purr, squeak!)
"The Crown" has neither of those things, but 70 years of royal history doesn't come
cheap. In fact, "The Crown" is one of the most expensive shows ever made,
with the first season costing $130 million.
The priciest scene in the 10-episode run is Queen Elizabeth II's ["the Second's"] wedding.
It features a replica dress that, according to Harper's Bazaar, cost $37,000 to make.
This stand-out piece of wardrobe was just one part of the show's ornate grandeur.
In a conversation on the red carpet, actor Claire Foy said…
"Every single penny was spent on screen. [...] All the locations are appropriate but extraordinary.
The costumes were hand made and designed. Also we were shooting in London. [...] It's so rare
that you're able to shoot in London. [...] We shut down the Mall for an entire morning!"
Matt Smith, who played Prince Phillip, added…
"We had great costumes, great locations [...] so I think all the money went on screen."
"Sense8" was always going to be an expensive show because its eight main characters are
from every corner of the earth. According to Wired, this globetrotting extravaganza was
costing Netflix $9 million per episode when it was cancelled in June 2017. Of the show's 24 episodes,
Season 2's Christmas special was likely the most expensive — in particular,
an underwater scene that took the cast and crew all the way to Malta.
Filming underwater is far more complex than filming on dry land
and it often requires up to three times as many crew members. Then there are creative concerns,
namely the complications affecting light and color, which means waiting for the opportune
time period on the open sea or using elaborate lighting equipment if working in a tank.
Either way, it's a matter of crew, time, and technology, all of which costs plenty of money.
"Jack Ryan" is one of Amazon's proudest exhibits. It announced the company's intention to spend big
money on big drama –- $8 million per episode, to be exact. Every action scene is an explosive
testament to Amazon's deep pockets. Pinpointing a certain scene isn't easy because there are so
many to choose from, but the subway shootout in Season 1, Episode 8 is definitely a highlight.
As with so much of contemporary TV, the lines between reality and CGI are
blurred as Jack Ryan edges down the subway tunnel, gun in hand. After a brief shootout,
a train barrels along the tracks, obliterating one of the men Ryan's just shot. And it's exactly that
type of CGI-driven moment that can take a big bite out of an episode's budget.
"It was totally worth it."
Most fans like to see their protagonists kick ass, especially when they're dealing with zombies.
Depicting this is usually a rather modest affair, at least in the scheme of mega-budget TV. But
which "Walking Dead" scene took the biggest chunk out of the show's budget? Well, Season 7's ninth
episode saw prices go up when it featured two old cars, a line of wire, and a whole lotta walkers.
The bulk of the cost was likely incurred during post-production — processing all
of those CGI flying limbs does not come cheap. Even the walkers' moans
and groans were added by audio specialists; the undead extras are asked to remain silent.
As usual, this scene was an amplification of a budget that was already full of expensive details.
For example, Yahoo reports that AMC paid the families of Senoia,
Georgia — where the majority of the series is filmed — $400 a month to compensate for the
hassle of production and to discourage locals from sharing any spoilers they might have seen.
"Shhhhh…”
[dramatic music]
When "Friends" started in 1994, the budget was so tight that producers
had to use the "bottle episode" format, which required the crew
to use as few sets as possible and not even think of having special guests.
Well, as everyone on the face of the earth knows,
"Friends" would become one of the biggest shows in the history of American television,
earning Warner Brothers a yearly syndication revenue of $1 billion.
This success saw the modestly-staged show end up costing a pretty penny for NBC. By the eighth
season, each main cast member was earning $750,000 for every 30-minute episode. That's
$25,000 a minute. So, when Brad Pitt turned up for Thanksgiving dinner, it couldn't have been cheap.
Still, it's a no-brainer when the choice is between money and an unforgettable episode.
"What's more important? Your friends or Money?"
(cross talk) "Friends." "Money!" "Friends."
Just like with "Lost" back in 2004, showrunner J.J. Abrams wanted "Fringe" to make a strong first
impression. Unfortunately for Fox executives, a sequence that included scores of extras,
face-melting special effects, and a custom-built set would contribute to a $10 million budget.
The cost breakdown would have shared much in common with "Lost" — a mocked-up plane interior,
a soundstage, and detailed CGI. Only this time, there was a strong serving of gory makeup
applied to about a dozen extras aboard the doomed plane. "Fringe," like other entries on this list,
would see the budget fall after its pilot, plateauing at a rate of $4 million per episode.
Yet another case of pilot extravagance, the costumes, period sets, and star power of "Vinyl"
is said to have cost $30 million. However, despite the collaboration of Mick Jagger
and Martin Scorsese, "Vinyl" landed with neither critics nor audiences.
So why did it cost so much money? Well, much like 70s rock, too much is never enough.
"That's what I'm talking about."
The pilot episode was effectively one big scene crammed with everything viewers could
expect from the rest of the season. In the case of "Vinyl," this manifested in a large ensemble cast,
a sweeping wardrobe of authentic '70s garb, and a catalog of licensed music.
The pilot's $30 million price tag was just 33% of the first season's $100 million budget,
which would ultimately sink the show before it could take off.
The Big Bang Theory: Wedding vows with Mark Hamill
"The Big Bang Theory" had become a massive show by its 11th season. Its 250 + episodes brimmed with
the affectionate geekiness that fans around the world identified with. So for the season's final
episode, which featured the marriage of Amy and Sheldon, the show needed an extra special guest.
That guest, of course, was Mark Hamill, the iconic "Star Wars" actor.
"It’s Mark Hamill."
Hamill was the perfect choice to officiate the wedding of two super geeks and he also brought
some extra star power to the show. Although, this wedding episode already boasted a bevy
of high-profile cameos, including Kathy Bates, Jerry O'Connell, Laurie Metcalf, Wil Wheaton, plus
many more. And that's, basically, how a simple sitcom can cost $9 million for a single episode
"Rome" is another lavish production that was overwhelmed by its budget.
In many ways, "Rome" set the stage for "Game of Thrones," which would reach
a far bigger audience using a similar brew of power, politics, and violence.
The budgetary peak for "Rome" came with the depiction of the Battle of Philippi,
which occurred in 42 B.C. during the Liberator's civil war. It's a huge scene that mixes dozens
of extras clad in full suits of armor and carrying a variety of weapons. Also,
everything we see is supplemented by CGI that multiplies the scene's scope many times over.
TV had never been staged like this before — a towering blend
of sword-and-sandal grandeur mixed with modern grit and violence.
"Game of Thrones" is a show that's too big to mention just once. Of all the chaos and
majesty that we witness, the dragon attack in Season 7's fourth episode
is perhaps the most awesome — and the most expensive. The execution
of this remarkable sequence was detailed in a short HBO documentary.
When director of photography Rob McLachlan learned about the scene,
he had an understandable response...
"Oh boy, that is going to be a lot of work."
McLachlan's team operated at least four cameras, sometimes seven or eight. They
also used three different tracking vehicles to capture the huge Dothraki charges, which were
also filmed on cameras hoisted on industrial cranes. Then there were the helicopter drones,
which were supplied by a third party to add further dynamic shots to this complex sequence.
The zenith of the episode occurs when the dragon focuses his deadly attack on the loot train,
which we see from several perspectives. The practical effects team worked tirelessly to
create a seamless line of explosions that would not only look authentic but
also push an already epic depiction of a dragon in battle to the next level.
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