Summary
- Many of Netflix's original series have hefty budgets, with some shows costing millions of dollars per episode.
- The budgets for these shows are often justified by the success and popularity they achieve, as well as the need for high production values.
- Shows like Stranger Things and The Witcher have some of the highest budgets in Netflix's lineup, reflecting their status as popular flagship series.
It might seem hard to believe, but the most expensive Netflix shows rival that of regular cable television even though the chance for return is very different in the streaming world. Despite only just now adding a tier with ads to its service, Netflix has yet to let up on investing in their network, to give the audience more of what they want. They are spending more and more every year on their original movies and series, and although not all of them perform as per expectations with the audience and critics what is of most importance is that new content is being created.
Over the years Netflix has taken up the production of many original series that cost millions to produce, and only a handful of them turn out to be worth the investment. The more that is spent on a single show, the higher the chances of it inflicting losses. But that hasn't stopped Netflix from taking chances, and in some cases, the streaming service invests tens of millions of dollars into a project, just hoping to see a jump in subscribers to make the money worth the investment. Netflix isn't exactly open about sharing exact budgets for their original series, but there is still information out there about several of its biggest shows.
25 On My Block (2018) - $2 Million Per Episode
Although $2 million per episode for a Netflix series isn't a relatively big budget (via THR), it's still a decent budget for a show that doesn't utilize special effects and isn't set in a different time period. On My Block follows a group of close-knit friends growing up in a predominantly Hispanic and black neighborhood in Los Angeles. The series ran for four seasons and ended just shy of 40 episodes total, making it just about an $80 million show overall.
24 Cobra Kai (2018) - $2-$3 Million Per Episode
Cobra Kai didn't start its life on Netflix, as it was part of the short-lived YouTube Red streaming service. When YouTube shut that down, Cobra Kai was a popular show without a home. Netflix picked up Cobra Kai and let it play out for four more seasons, with the sixth being the end of the series. Netflix was able to put more money into it than YouTube and carried out the story for an estimated $2 to $3 million per episode (via What's On Netflix), which allowed the streaming giant to bring back several stars from the Karate Kid franchise along the way.
23 The Night Agent (2023) - $2-$3 Million Per Episode
Based on the book by Matthew Quirk and created by Shawn Ryan (The Shield), The Night Agent tells the story of an FBI agent who works as a telephone operator at the White House. However, when he discovers there is a mole in the highest levels of the United States government, he sets out to discover the truth while also trying to protect a woman from the people who killed her family. This was a globe-trotting series, so a lot of money went into different filming locations for the first season, at an estimated $2 to $3 million per episode (via What's on Netflix).
22 Squid Game (2021) - $2.3 Million Per Episode
When Squid Game was a surprise hit in 2021, it opened up the door for Netflix to bring it back for a second season which might see a higher budget based on the popularity. However, just looking at the first season, Squid Game cost $2.3 million per episode. This is really low given how well it succeeded, but it all paid off for Netflix in the end. Netflix paid a total of $21.4 million for Squid Game, and it ended up being worth an estimated $891 million in "impact value" to the streaming service (via Variety). Expect Netflix to put a lot more into the second season.
21 Narcos (2015) - $2.5 Million Per Episode
Netflix's Narcos followed the real-life story of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar and the agents attempting to capture him in a gritty crime drama that ran for 3 seasons and continued in a spin-off called Narcos: Mexico. The series had recognizable actors, period costumes, and several filming locations that brought in a decent-sized budget. The first season of Netflix's Narcos was estimated to cost about $25 million dollars making the ten-episode season cost about $2.5 million per episode.
20 Never Have I Ever (2020) - $2.5 Million Per Episode
Another smaller series that still had a big budget was the comedy-drama Never Have I Ever. What really helped this series gets its budget bumped up was the success it found in the first season, as written by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher. The Netflix series is based on Kaling's childhood in Boston and follows an Indian-American high school student whose dad died and then has to maneuver her way through high school. Never Have I Ever ended after four seasons of the series, and the budget ended up as a healthy $2.5 million per episode by the end.
19 Daredevil (2015) - $3.3 Million Per Episode
In 2015, Netflix got a chance to make its own Marvel television shows. While the MCU movies had the big guns from the Marvel Comics world, Netflix got what is known as the street-level heroes. This all started with Daredevil, before moving on to Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Punisher. To show that they meant business, Netflix paid $3.3 million per episode for Daredevil (via TV Line), which is also around what it paid for all the other shows other than the team-up Defenders series. It was well worth the money because Daredevil picked up great reviews and proved Netflix knew what it was doing with these unique superheroes.
18 Hemlock Grove (2013) - $4 Million Per Episode
Hemlock Grove was one of Netflix's first original series on the streaming service, and it cost around $4 million per episode to make. The horror series centered on a run-down former steel town with quirky residents and killer creatures lurking in the shadows. The series used a decent amount of special effects which is where most of the budget probably would have been spent on, with some also being allotted for the costumes. This was a total of $50 million that Netflix paid for 13 episodes, which was a good way to kick off its original series slate of shows.
17 Orange Is The New Black (2013) - $4 Million Per Episode
Both Orange Is the New Black and Hemlock Grove are two of Netflix's very first original series, and they both came with a cost of around $4 million per episode.
But while Hemlock Grove ran for only three seasons consisting of 33 episodes, OITNB continued for 91 episodes across seven seasons, so evidently it cost a lot more, as budgets for a series can be expected to rise thoroughly as more seasons are produced. The female-centric comedy-drama revolves around the inmates of a woman's federal prison and the happenings of their daily lives.
16 Outer Banks (2020) - $5 Million Per Episode
Outer Banks was a 2020 mystery teen drama that had a mostly unknown cast while following two groups of teens searching for a lost treasure in North Carolina. That doesn't sound like the template for one of the most expensive Netflix shows, but it ended up costing an estimated $5 million per episode (via a third season of Outer Banks as well.
