10 Most Expensive To Produce HBO Original Series (& How Much They Cost To Make) - Screen Rant

One of the longest-running television networks in the world that is still booming in business to this day, HBO has been an active participant in the production of hundreds of TV shows throughout its 47-year-old history. With timeless classics like The Wire and The Sopranos under their belt, it is hard to argue that HBO has produced some of the most celebrated and iconic TV series in recent years.

TV productions with budgets that rival Hollywood blockbusters are a dime a dozen nowadays. Simply speaking, high-level production quality and CGI (which is becoming more common every day) costs money, and HBO has never been stingy when it comes to producing content. Over the years they have shelled out hundreds of millions for their original shows, and these are some of their most expensive productions.

10 Deadwood (2004) - $4.5 Million Per Episode

hbo series deadwood Ian McShane standing with group of men with surprised expression

The wild west has always been rather expensive to portray in media, and 2004's Deadwood, with its accurate and brutal depiction of the American frontier, is no different.

Recreating the titular town of Deadwood was one of the major costs, as it included intricately made costumes, set pieces, horses, wagons, and a million other things. Over the course of its 3 seasons, the show's viewership dropped steadily, which, coupled with a plethora of other problems, led to HBO ultimately canceling the show.

9 True Detective (2014) - $5 Million Per Episode

Big-name movie stars appearing in TV shows might not be a rare occurrence now, but 2014 was a different landscape. And when it comes to True Detective, it's the riveting performance of its lead actors that truly make it work.

The duo of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson kicked off the first and most critically acclaimed season, and they were followed by the likes of Fantastic Beasts actor Colin Farrell and House of Cards starrer Mahershala Ali in later seasons.

8 True Blood (2008) – $5 Million Per Episode

HBO struck gold with True Blood in 2008 at a time when vampire-related media was starting to pick up the pace. Such expensive TV shows are rarely continued for this long, owing to how costly they are, but a strong fanbase made it possible for True Blood to run for 7 long seasons across 80 episodes.

This story about the romance between a telepathic waitress and a vampire eventually became one of HBO's most-watched shows on par with the likes of The Sopranos.

7 Boardwalk Empire (2010) - $5 Million Per Episode

Set during the Prohibition Era Atlantic City of the 1920s, Boardwalk Empire was created by The Sopranos and The Wolf of Wall Street writer Terence Winter, and was a heavily fictionalized account of the life of the political and criminal figure Enoch L. Johnson.

While the $5 million per episode price tag already makes it an immensely expensive venture, the show's pilot episode boasts an even further impressive number at $18 million. Just the 300-foot-long boardwalk set itself costed north of $2 million.

6 Vinyl (2016) - $7.5 Million Per Episode

Even prominent Hollywood directors show a passionate interest in TV shows sometimes, and the one involved with the creation of HBO's Vinyl was none other than Martin Scorsese.

Expensive TV shows having an even crazier cost for their pilot episode is becoming a common phenomenon, and the first episode of Vinyl cost a whopping $30 million, with the whole season costing around $100 million. But despite all the resources expended behind it, the ratings were poor from the very start, not even reaching 1 million viewers once.

5 Rome (2005) - $9 Million Per Episode

Period dramas almost always cost a pretty penny to make, as the timeline-accurate set pieces, costumes, and other props certainly don't come cheap. 2005's Rome wasn't BBC's first or last time producing a period drama, but it certainly was one of their most expensive.

Co-produced by BBC and HBO, the latter financed around 85% of the $100 million budget for the first season. Despite the good ratings, critical acclaim the series received, and plans for 5 whole seasons, it was canceled after two due to the sky-high costs.

4 Westworld (2016) - $10 Million Per Episode

It was clear at first glance that Westworld was shaping up to be HBO's next flagship product after Game of Thrones, or at least, they were investing in it like it was. The show centers around a futuristic wild-west themed park where guests can come and take part in a variety of activities, no matter how adventurous (or illicit even), with the A.I. run android "hosts".

The show uses hundreds of wild west-oriented and detailed props, set pieces, and costumes, and it has a pretty large cast, so it isn't difficult to see where all of the $10 million was spent per episode.

3 Band of Brothers (2001)- $12.5 Million Per Episode

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, 1998's Saving Private Ryan is considered one of the greatest war drama's ever made.

The duo collaborated again in 2001 to produce the mini-series Band of Brothers, which told a dramatized story of the members of the "Easy Company" during World War 2. It was one of the most expensive TV shows ever created during its time, only to be superseded by its own spin-off show The Pacific in 2010.

2 Game of Thrones (2011) - $15 Million Per Episode For The Last Season

HBO has seen massive success with several of its TV shows over the years, but Game of Thrones was an astronomical hit and money-making machine for them. Although they did end up butchering it with a universally criticized ending that ruined its reputation, the show's cultural impact is undeniable.

Season 8 reportedly cost $15 million per episode, and while the previous seasons were not nearly as expensive, all those CGI dragons and a big enough cast to fill half a stadium can cost a pretty penny.

1 The Pacific (2010) - $20 Million Per Episode

The spiritual sequel to 2001's Band of Brothers, The Pacific remains the most expensive mini-series ever created in television history. Considering that it had only a limited number of episodes (10), its final costs might not be the highest ever for a TV series, but on a per-episode basis, it certainly is the most expensive.

Depictions of war in media almost always come with extensive use of practical effects such as firearms and ammunition, as well as hundreds of extras, which can drive up the costs significantly.

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Mahir Wasif (33 Articles Published)

Mahir Wasif is a college student with an ever growing passion and interest for all things entertainment related such as movies, tv shows and video games. Although ScreenRant is his first time writing for a professional medium, he is hopeful that the time and effort he invests here will prove to be beneficial for all the parties involved, the readers and he himself. Always having had a natural knack for internet gossip and news, Mahir now spends his time better by sharing his skills and knowledge with a wider audience.