The Most Expensive Television Shows of All Time, Ranked

10. The Big Bang Theory – $9 Million per Episode

One of the most popular sitcoms of all time is Chuck Lorre's The Big Bang Theory. The finale viewing numbers of the series rivaled those of Friends and Seinfeld when it ended. It's therefore no surprise that as the show gained more and more viewers, the cast had to negotiate their contracts. The Big Bang Theory's budget inflated rapidly as a result. Its cast became one of the highest-paid of any sitcom. It was reported that the show's budget for its final season was around $9 million per episode. The reason for this is that each cast member received between $750,000 and $1 million for each episode. This year was the final season of The Big Bang Theory.