Game of Thrones is a massive money-maker for HBO, but it’s a very expensive show to produce. Those fur coats and CGI dragons don’t pay for themselves. Next Sunday’s episode, “The Watchers on the Wall,” should prove to be one of the show’s priciest — it’s no wonder the skillful Neil Marshall, the man behind “Blackwater,” was brought in to direct. But how does the average Game of Thrones compare against some of the other most expensive shows in TV history? Let’s have a look and keep in mind these numbers, which aren’t official because networks hate discussing money as much as Netflix does its viewership figures, also have not been adjusted for inflation. Otherwise, NBC would still be struggling to pay for Father of the Pride.
Terra Nova: $4 million (money well spent)
Boardwalk Empire: $5 million ($18 million for the pilot)
Deadwood: $5 million
Game of Thrones: $6 million ($8 million for “Blackwater”)
Camelot: $7 million
Rome: $9-$10 million
Friends: $10 million (in the final season)
Band of Brothers: $12.5 million
E.R.: $13 million (for seasons 4-6)
The Pacific: $20-$27 million
