TV shows that consistently deliver heart-pumpingactionhave become a dominant force in the modern entertainment industry. A consequence of this massive popularity is thatproduction companies and streaming services are now more likely to invest massive budgetsinto these shows to enhance their production quality. Expansive set designs, CGI, impressive stunt work, and A-list casting all contribute to these massive budgets (viaMedia C-Suite).
While a big budget is no guarantee of a good TV show, it is hard to deny that a lot of these shows are incredible. Fromexploring the worlds of Westerosand Middle-earth, to a galaxy far, far, away, these shows have left an indelible mark on the TV industry and have set the bar for other action TV shows to aspire to.These shows have revolutionized contemporary television, and often boast budgets per episode that rival even thebiggest blockbuster movies.
10Halo (2022-2024)
Budget: $10.4 Million Per Episode
Based on the extremely popular video game franchise of the same name,Haloisa sci-fi epic set in the 26th century. It brings the futuristic military world of Master Chief to life as the UNSC fight the Covenant. With an estimated budget of around $200 million financed by Paramount+,Haloquickly became one of the most expensive TV shows ever made.
Halo
Cast
A live-action adaptation of the video game franchise of the same name, Halo follows Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 (Pablo Schrieber) as he fights his part in a war between humanity’s United Nations Space Command (UNSC) and the Covenant, an alliance of multiple hostile races of aliens intent on destroying the human race. The Master Chief is supported by Cortana (Jen Taylor) - an AI construct based on the personality of Dr. Catherine Halsey, who created the Spartan supersoldier program - implanted in his brain.
This massive production cost was driven by the need to bring the video game world to life, matching the expectations of audiences while also being sure to immerse them in the futuristic setting.Incredible CGI and set design setHaloapartand gave the producers the ability to bring true depth to this fictional world. WhileHalowas sadly canceled after just two seasons, it remains one of the most ambitious action TV projects and video game adaptations of all time.
9See (2019-2022)
Budget: $15 Million Per Episode
Set in a post-apocalyptic world over 600 years in the future, Apple TV+‘sSeetellsthe story of a humanity who have lost the sense of sight. The ability to see is nothing more than a myth.Jason Momoa stars as Baba Voss, a fearless tribe leader whose world is turned upside down when two babies who can see are born in his tribe.
See
Set in a not-too-distant future in which the sighted are hunted down like seventeenth-century witches, See centers around a fearless warrior named Baba Voss and his family. Three eight-episode seasons were produced in total, with the last one coming to Apple TV in mid-2022. The show was reasonably well-received by both viewers and critics and has numerous awards and nominations to its name.
See’s production budget ballooned, not just because of the expansive sets that were being used, but because of the actor’s dedication to the roles they were playing. Sighted actors underwent weeks of intense training and choreography to bring a sense of authenticity to this world of blindness.
Innovative and impressive,Seemay not be as popular as other big budget TV shows on this list, but it told a compelling story in a highly unique way.
These makeSeeone of the most unique TV productions of modern years, and the set design was intricately detailed in order to make it feel like this world truly was only inhabited by blind people. Innovative and impressive,Seemay not be as popular as other big budget TV shows on this list, but it tells a compelling story in a highly unique way.
8The Witcher (2019-Ongoing)
Budget: $10.1 Million Per Episode
When Netflix’sThe Witcherfirst released, it quickly became one of the streaming giant’s flagship series, with a budget of around $10 million per episode.Based off of the popular books and video games,The Witcher’s earlier seasons starred Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. The dedication to the fight scenes that Cavill brought to this role was astounding, and his character was often seen as a standout while he was on the show.
The Witcher
The Witcher, released in 2019, follows Geralt of Rivia, a mutated monster hunter navigating a turbulent world where humanity’s darker nature often eclipses the monstrous.
The Witcherhad a massive budget, much of which went into elaborate special effects, detailed set designs and costumes, and fast-paced action set pieces. It has becomeone of Netflix’s most successful and popular shows of all time, and while only time will tellwhat Liam Hemsworth will bring to the role of Geralt, there is no denying the legacy thatThe Witcherhas left on fantasy and action TV shows. Its high production value, blend of practical effects and CGI, and engaging storytelling all prove that the budget was well spent here.
7WandaVision (2021)
Budget: $25 Million Per Episode
WandaVisionwas the first example of the Marvel Cinematic Universe dipping its toes into the TV industry, and certainlyset an impressive standard for future shows to match.WandaVisiontells the story of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) in the aftermath ofAvengers: Endgame, and explores how she puts an entire town under her spell to cope with the loss of Vision (Paul Bettany).
WandaVision
WandaVision, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first TV show on Disney+, first aired in 2021. The series kicked off the MCU’s Phase 4 and brought back Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch, and Paul Bettany as Vision. WandaVision strayed away from Marvel’s typical formula, this time formatting itself more like a classic sitcom as Wanda struggles to cope with the death of Vision.
The MCU is known for its big budget movies, so it came as no surprise thatWandaVisionhad an eye-watering budget of $25 million per episode.This massive budget was heavily invested in production design and CGI. The set constantly changed, with every episode telling Wanda’s story from a different sitcom perspective across different decades.
Coupling this with ambitious CGI and the salaries of its two main stars,WandaVisionhad a total budget of roughly $225 million. However, the show still remains one of the most unique and compelling MCU projects out there, telling an emotional story about grief and loss, justifying the incredibly large budget.
6Stranger Things (2016-Ongoing)
Budget: $30 Million Per Episode
Netflix’sStranger Thingshas become more than just a TV show, it’s a cultural phenomenon. First premiering on the streaming service in 2016,Stranger Thingstells the story of a small town, Hawkins, in Indiana, and the strange occurrences that consistently happen there.It was first released to instant critical and commercial success, with its major popularity likely contributing to the ever-increasing production value of its seasons.
Stranger Things
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
Season 4 was released in 2022, and was estimated to have a budget per episode of roughly $30 million. This was primarily down tothe CGI monsters such as Vecna and the Demogorgon, as well as the incredible set design, particularly in the Upside Down, the parallel universe with a gateway to Hawkins.
As well as this,the cast salaries ofStranger Thingshave only increasedsince the beginning, contributing to the ever-increasing budget of the show. Despite this massive investment,Stranger Thingsremains one of the biggest TV shows in recent years, proving that this was a worthwhile investment.
5The Last Of Us (2023-Ongoing)
HBO’sThe Last of Us, based on the critically acclaimed video game franchise of the same name, was one of the most expensive shows of 2023. With an estimated total production budget of over $100 million,The Last of Usbecamethe manifestation of HBO’s incredible production value.
From the incredible makeup and CGI of the Infected, to the post-apocalyptic landscape and set design, to the star-studded cast, no expense was spared in bringing the world ofThe Last of Usto life for TV.
It faithfully retells the story of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsay) as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world overrun with Infected, and isone of the most ambitious TV projects of recent years. When watchingThe Last of Us, it is easy to see that the production budget was very well spent.
The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
From the incredible makeup and CGI of the Infected, to the post-apocalyptic landscape and set design, to the star-studded cast, no expense was spared in bringing the world ofThe Last of Usto life for TV. Compelling, heartbreaking, and soul-crushing,The Last of Usis a very special piece of media, and HBO was able to bring it to TV in an excellent way.
4House Of The Dragon (2022-Ongoing)
Budget: $20 Million Per Episode
There was one key way in which HBO wished to echo the success ofGame of Thronesin its prequel,House of the Dragon, and that was with fantastic production value. Reportedly costing the company around $20 million per episode to make,House of the Dragontellsthe story of Westeros over two centuries before the events ofGame of Thrones, recalling the events of the Targaryen Civil War, also known as the Dance of the Dragons. Based off of George R.R. Martin’s book,Fire and Blood,House of the Dragoncertainly needed this budget to be a success.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
The show’sbudget went into making Westeros come to life yet again. From epic, large-scale action sequences, to the grand set pieces, immersive costume designs, and, of course, the CGI dragons themselves, no expense was spared acrossHouse of the Dragon’s first two seasons. WhileMartin himself wasn’t particularly thrilled withHouse of the Dragon’s second season, this hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the most popular shows of the last decade.
3The Mandalorian (2019-Ongoing)
Budget: $12.6 Million Per Episode
The Mandalorianis one of the most compelling projects to come out of theStar Warsfranchise since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, and some of this success may be attributed to its massive budget. It tells the story of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal),a bounty hunter from Mandalore who meets the young Grogu. Across three seasons, Din becomes attached to Grogu and fights to protect him against a galaxy that wants him dead.
The Mandalorian
Released on July 18, 2025 The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter navigating the galaxy’s outer reaches after the Galactic Empire’s fall. As a skilled bounty hunter, he operates in a lawless universe, undertaking various missions on the fringes of the New Republic’s territories.
The Mandalorian’s budget helped contribute to the show’s revolution in TV production, with its use of the “volume” stage being highly praised. The volume is a state-of-the-art digital set that uses LED screens to create immersive environments and set pieces, from the dusty, Western atmosphere of Tattooine to the interior of Din’s ship. This massive feat in CGI madeThe Mandalorianone of the biggest budget TV shows ever when it was first released,but it has since become one of the most heartfelt and popular entries in theStar Warsfranchise, proving that this was well spent.
2Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
Game of Thronesis perhaps the most impactful TV show of all time with regard to production quality. It was an unprecedented feat of ambition for HBO to attempt to bring Westeros to the small screen in this way, but, for the most part, it was incredibly successful. In the later seasons, the budget was estimated to be roughly $15 million per episode, withthe show producing some of the largest scale action set pieces in TV history.
Game Of Thrones
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
From the Battle of the Bastards, to the wildfire at the Sept of Baelor, and of course, the iconic sets,Game of Thronesset an incredibly high standard of television production that had never been seen before. WhileGame of Thrones’ final season was lacklusterin how it wrapped up the narrative, this did not take away from the seven seasons of incredible action, storytelling, and intrigue that HBO provided audiences with.Game of Thrones' budget proved that TV shows could rival cinema in terms of both scope and ambition.
1The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power (2022-Ongoing)
Budget: $58.1 Million Per Episode
Prime Video’s take on J.R.R Tolkien’s Middle-earth is, by a long stretch,the most expensive TV series of all time so far.With the inclusion of rights acquisition and production, the budget for the first two seasons ofRings of Poweralone comes to an eye-watering and game-changing $1 billion. This is unprecedented, and more than the budget of all threeLord of the Ringsmovies put together.
10 Best Historical Fantasy TV Shows, Ranked
Fantasy shows often introduce entirely new and magical worlds, but sometimes, a series can be even more exciting when it takes place in real history.
It tells the story of the forging of the rings of power, and explores the backstory of iconic characters such as Sauron, Galadriel, and Elrond. Of course, much of the production budget went onvast amounts of CGI and set designto bring Middle-earth to the screen once more.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
Set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power explores the forging of the iconic rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, and the epic events leading up to the stories in J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novels. The series chronicles the creation of legendary characters and the historic alliances and rivalries that shape the fate of Middle-earth.
A combination of CGI and practical effects are used for the various fight scenes within the first two seasons, creating some truly visually stunning moments. Thevisuals and ambitious storytellingon display in theRings of Powerare a testament to the immense scale of the project and Amazon’s unprecedented financial investment.
