10 TV shows that were canceled despite huge budgets

Many big-budget TV shows were eventually canceled, with networks cutting their losses after one or two seasons. Theoretically, the higher the budget, the higher the standard for the TV series, as it must at least be well-rounded and have a talented cast. In reality, there are so many factors involved in producing a television show that no amount of money can guarantee success. Recently, Amazon Prime developed his two most expensive shows to date. citadel and ring of powerwhich received mixed critical responses; Questions have arisen about how the huge budget will be used.

Many of the most expensive television shows ever produced are game of thrones to mandalorian, has been a critical and commercial success. Big budgets became more common on television, as blockbuster shows with extensive CGI and well-known series became increasingly common. But more often than not, these big-ticket shows didn’t turn out as expected. Many high-budget television series have been canceled, either because they were critically shunned or because they simply didn’t have the viewership to justify such costs.

Ten Rome

Canceled after season 2.

One of the most expensive shows ever produced, especially on HBO at the time. Rome often cited as an important inspiration for game of thrones. The series demonstrates that immersive costume dramas with high production values ​​are possible on television, and that the medium may be ideally suited to fantasy and historical novel adaptations, as opposed to film. I have proven that. Rome It aired for two critically acclaimed and beloved seasons before being cancelled.

The show’s cancellation led to many parts of the main storyline being rushed to a close. Given the ratings, the network decided it would be too expensive to continue.meanwhile Rome It may have laid the foundation for the scale of modern television, but it also set the precedent that even large, prestigious productions could be canceled. still, Rome ‘ is one of the best historical television series ever made, and despite its rushed ending, it’s still worth watching.

9 mindhunter

Canceled after season 2.

Netflix mindhunter I don’t think it’s a program that costs an exorbitant amount of money, but historical dramas do cost money. eventually, David Fincher’s psychological thriller series was deemed too expensive for its viewership., ended after two seasons. The cancellation was not as definitive as other shows, and questions about a third season had been raised for years. Despite the immense talent in front of and behind the camera, Netflix has shelved the series for the time being. That’s not surprising given the streaming service’s recent trend of canceling shows.

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8 camelot

Canceled after season 1.

of camelot Starz series had the potential to become one of the biggest shows of all time even before it was born game of thrones As a big-budget fantasy series with top-notch acting talent. With a budget of approximately $7 million per episode, the stars just gave camelot We have one chance before we cut our losses and cancel the series.. Bad reviews are camelot It has a score of 44% on Rotten Tomatoes and 6.5/10 on IMDb, which may have contributed to it being a critical and commercial disaster.

7 inhumans

Canceled after season 1.

Marvel’s inhumans The TV series was also a critical disaster, becoming one of the first Marvel projects to suffer poor ratings. It has an 11% on Rotten Tomatoes. inhumans It was canceled after just one season and was cut from the MCU canon. Despite the budget, the series title, and the excitement of taking on a new role that Iwan Rheon had just taken; game of thrones, ABC’s show wasn’t very good, with cheap visual effects and design that stood out among the better Marvel films.

6 Marco Polo

Canceled after season 2.

Another big historical blockbuster is Netflix’s Marco Polo, which saw its title character interact with Benedict Wong’s portrayal of Kublai Khan. As one of his early releases on Netflix, Marco Polo Testing the limits of a streaming platform’s capabilities was a big risk. Ultimately, the series was canceled after his second season, costing the service his $200 million loss (via THR). Again, the show’s biggest problem was that it received mixed reviews, but it had a loyal audience and the second season saw significant improvement.

Five jupiter’s legacy

Canceled after season 1.

jupiter’s legacy This is one of the many canceled Netflix shows that ended on a massive cliffhanger And one of the many shows the streaming service has canceled after just one season. In recent years, Netflix seems to be looking for what’s next. stranger things, attempts a show with sci-fi or supernatural elements and hopes for lightning in a bottle. Many of these series did not yield the desired immediate results and were quickly canceled. jupiter’s legacy It had a huge budget of $200 million and was one of Netflix’s biggest failures.

Four terra nova

Canceled after season 1.

Fox ventured into a dystopian dinosaur sci-fi series in 2011, with Steven Spielberg involved behind the scenes. terra nova It seemed like a promising business. With high production costs of $4 million per episode, the series was difficult to sustain. terra nova It was ultimately canceled after one season. The show received mixed reviews during its limited run, but at least it was clear how much money had been spent on it. Mr. Terranova The CGI wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly ahead of its time for television, and it brought real dinosaurs to life.

3 Vinyl (2016)

Canceled after season 1.

HBO started in 2016 vinyl, I hope it becomes their next big ticket prestige drama, with Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger involved in production. Despite having so much potential, this show received mediocre reviews, which was a huge disappointment. vinyl It had an outrageous $100 million budget for a period drama about the music industry, and HBO canceled the series after one season.according to THRthe premiere episode drew just 764,000 viewers, the worst viewership for an HBO debut.

2 Super Train (1979)

Canceled after season 1.

Experimenting with big-budget TV shows isn’t just a recent endeavor. In 1979, NBC produced his science fiction series: super train, has since been called one of the worst television shows ever made.One of the many big-budget shows that didn’t live up to its value. super train The first episode alone cost $7 million. Adjusted for inflation, he’ll be worth $31 million in 2024, an exorbitant amount for a show whose biggest draw is that it takes place on high-speed rail.

1 Winning time (2022-2023)

Canceled after season 2.

Another HBO historical drama that was deemed not worth the cost was Era of Victory: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. The Adam McKay-produced show, which explored the vibrant world of ’80s NBA basketball, was canceled after two seasons. This series has consistently received high praise. It is known for its script and the performances of stars such as Adrien Brody and John C. Reilly.an abrupt ending winning time Season 2 was a disappointing ending to the series, but it’s still a must-watch for basketball lovers.

source: THR