Through the years, many tv reveals and sitcoms have been made for our leisure. Whereas some have garnered a distinct segment fan base, others have changed into money-making engines. The reveals that often generate essentially the most income are these with a broader viewers and accessible to an individual of any age.
Whereas many of those reveals have ended, their networks and actors are nonetheless making plenty of cash by way of reruns and syndication revenues. And different reveals, resembling The Simpsons and Grey’s Anatomy, are nonetheless working and making tens of millions. These reveals are the highest-grossing in tv historical past.
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The Strolling Lifeless (2010-2022)
Created by Frank Darabont
AMC’s The Walking Dead is an intense horror drama based mostly on the favored comedian guide collection written by Robert Kirkman. Initially premiering in 2010, The Strolling Lifeless was an in a single day hit that correlated with the abundance of post-apocalyptic content material on the time. The huge success of the present has led to a number of spin-off reveals, together with Worry the Strolling Lifeless and The Strolling Lifeless: Daryl Dixon starring Norman Reedus.
The Strolling Lifeless was a significant monetary win for AMC and primarily skyrocketed the community’s home income, accumulating over two billion {dollars} by 2017. The collection ran for a powerful eleven seasons and, with the extra spin-off reveals, The Strolling Lifeless continues to earn for AMC, making it one of many highest-grossing tv collection that’s nonetheless raking within the money.
27
Yellowstone (2018-2024)
Created by Taylor Sheridan
Kevin Costner stars in Yellowstone as sixth-generation rancher, John Dutton, who’s the patriarch of a strong and rich household and the proprietor of the most important ranch in Montana. Dutton is all the time being focused by somebody or some firm that wishes a bit of his household’s land and, whereas he’s consistently at odds with individuals outdoors his household, he nonetheless has to take care of tensions and battle between his youngsters and workers.
Taylor Sheridan‘s Western drama, Yellowstone, has earned the Paramount Community over 100 million {dollars} and is one other broadly profitable present that has spawned two spin-off reveals, together with 1883 and 1923, which give audiences a glance into the Dutton household historical past. Yellowstone had an total profitable run of 5 seasons, however attributable to scheduling conflicts between Paramount and Costner, Costner solely made one minor look within the ultimate season, which was an total disappointment for followers. Regardless of the controversy, Yellowstone nonetheless stands to be a moneymaker for Paramount and continues to realize extra viewers and subscribers right now.
26
Home (2004-2012)
Created by David Shore
Hugh Laurie stars within the medical drama, Home, because the brash however good Dr. Gregory Home, who, together with the assistance of his workers, is confronted with difficult and uncommon instances that solely somebody of his caliber can precisely diagnose, deems him to be the Sherlock Holmes of drugs. Regardless that he has poor social abilities and a bent to be brutally sincere, Home is provided with distinctive instincts and intensive information that, regardless of his uncommon bedside method, earn him the respect and admiration of his crew and colleagues.
Home is a black comedy medical present that earned viewers for its uncommon medical instances and the eccentric and sarcastic method of Laurie’s character. The collection ran for eight seasons and because it has gone into syndication, it has earned Fox one billion {dollars}, which additionally contains income from worldwide gross sales and licensing. Throughout its unique run, Home acquired vital acclaim and dozens of Display screen Actors Guild, Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, successful a number of all through the course of the present.
25
Supernatural (2005-2020)
Created by Eric Kripke
Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki star as brothers, Dean and Sam Winchester, who, after dropping their mom to a supernatural power, had been raised by their father to struggle monsters and different unworldly beings. Now, the brothers have devoted their lives to battling demonic and paranormal creatures and should depend on one another in the event that they count on to guard their family and friends from utter chaos and hazard.
Ackles and Padalecki are the last word defenders in opposition to evil within the American fantasy dramedy collection, Supernatural, which ran for a mind-blowing fifteen seasons. The actors’ comedic and pure chemistry is the present’s most important attraction and even right now, Ackles and Padalecki make appearances and present fixed gratitude in direction of their devoted fanbase. The present began out with strong scores and greater than respectable viewership, and by the present’s eighth season, Supernatural had grossed 5 hundred and seventy million {dollars}.
24
Household Man (1999- )
Created by Seth McFarlane
Seth McFarlane‘s animated collection, Family Guy, follows the whacky escapades and ridiculous antics of Peter Griffin and his dysfunctional household who reside in Quahog, Rhode Island. The collection additionally options an array of eccentric characters, together with Stewie Griffin, who has superior information and tact, a speaking canine named Brian, and the Griffin’s womanizing neighbor, Glenn Quagmire.
Initially airing in 1999, Household Man has develop into one of the crucial fashionable animated collection at the moment on tv and, with twenty-three seasons beneath its belt, it is protected to say that the present has turned a fairly penny for the Fox community. Between the present’s syndication, DVD gross sales, and merchandise alone, Household Man has accrued billions of {dollars} and continues to rank amongst tv followers as a must-watch collection. The collection reruns on different networks, together with Cartoon Community and TBS, have earned 4 hundred million {dollars}, cementing Household Man as one of many highest-grossing collection at the moment nonetheless working.
- Launch Date
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January 31, 1999
- Community
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FOX
- Administrators
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Peter Shin, Pete Michels, John Holmquist, Greg Colton, Brian Iles, Julius Wu, Joseph Lee, Joe Vaux, Mike Kim, Steve Robertson, Dan Povenmire, James Purdum, Dominic Bianchi, Dominic Polcino, Bob Bowen, Monte Younger, Zac Moncrief, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bert Ring, Seth Kearsley, Scott Wooden, Chuck Klein, Brian Hogan, Gavin Dell
23
The Actual Housewives (2006- )
Created by Scott Dunlop
Watching a bunch of rich housewives trigger drama doesn’t sound like a recipe for high-grossing TV, however you’d be mistaken. With the primary installment of The Actual Housewives franchise, The Actual Housewives of Orange County, turning into an out-of-the-gate success, the franchise has spawned quite a few installments which have every develop into money-making machines for each the solid and Bravo.
How does The Actual Housewives make its richest? Via advertisements, in fact. When you could have a franchise that’s as scorching as The Actual Housewives, advertisers journey over themselves to connect their advertisements to the present. This rakes in cash, and that gravy-train isn’t going to run dry anytime quickly.
22
Regulation & Order (1990- )
Created by Dick Wolf
Not solely is the opening theme iconic (dun-dun!), however Regulation & Order can be a money-making machine. Premiering on NBC in 1990, Regulation & Order is a residing masterclass in longevity, re-inventing itself throughout quite a few spin-offs.
With so many episodes beneath its belt, it’s no marvel that Regulation & Order has inked numerous syndication offers, which maintain this franchise (and creator Dick Wolf) flushed with money. To this point, the Regulation & Order franchise has earned over $4 billion, largely in syndication offers. It’s proof {that a} present doesn’t want a streaming service to be worthwhile. All you want is the justice system, and a cool theme.
21
Stranger Issues (2016- )
Created by The Duffer Brothers
Premiering at a time when Netflix unique collection had been simply starting to get seen, nobody might have predicted that Stranger Issues would develop into a billion-dollar collection; however, that’s precisely what it turned.
The supernatural collection was an in a single day sensation, and never solely has it been a mainstay as one of many streaming service’s prime reveals, however Stranger Issues turned a merchandising machine, partitioning up with such iconic manufacturers as Lego and Nike to carry to life the ‘80s esthetics that outline the present. With the ultimate season drawing close to, it isn’t unfeasible for Stranger Issues to cross the $2 billion mark when all is claimed and executed.
20
‘The Workplace’ (2005-2013)
Created by Greg Daniels
The Office is a hilarious mockmentary-sitcom collection starring Steve Carell as Michael Scott, who manages a small paper firm in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and is a somewhat unconventional boss who’s surrounded by a singular bunch of staff who every carry one thing to the desk. The collection is predicated on the 2001 BBC collection created by and starring Ricky Gervais and, over its nine-season run, the present gained a number of Primetime Emmy Awards in addition to common reward.
The Workplace finally turned a cultural phenomenon that even those that had by no means watched the present knew the principle gamers and the identify Dunder Mifflin. Carell reportedly made about $87,000 per episode within the first two seasons, and from then on, he earned $175,000 per episode. Throwing within the collection’ merchandise and DVD gross sales, The Workplace reigns as one of the crucial worthwhile that continues to usher in money. Even a number of years after the present’s finale, The Workplace continues to be a beloved sitcom with an enormous loyal fanbase and in 2019, NBCUniversal paid five hundred million dollars to stream the collection.
19
‘ER’ (1994-2009)
Created by Michael Crichton
ER is the second longest-running medical drama collection and follows the traumatic, stress-induced conditions of medical doctors and medical professionals inside the emergency room of a Chicago hospital. Together with the day by day instances and sufferers, the collection additionally focuses on the private lives of the characters in addition to the moral {and professional} points all of them face regularly.
The award-winning collection is broadly identified for its complicated instances in addition to the array of notable visitor stars. ER can be credited as a place to begin for a few of right now’s greatest names, together with George Clooney, Angela Bassett, and Julianna Margulies. As of 2014, ER has grossed over three million dollars in tv income and is at the moment streaming on a number of fashionable platforms, making it nonetheless a worthwhile collection.
18
‘South Park’ (1997- )
Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Since 1997, Trey Parker and Matt Stone‘s hilarious animated collection, South Park, has reigned as one of the crucial fashionable and profitable reveals of all time and is at the moment nonetheless on air. Set within the small city of South Park, Colorado, the collection follows the lives of 4 boys, Kyle Broflovski, Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick (all voiced by Parker and Stone), in addition to the antics of the opposite residents on the town.
South Park‘s catalog is reportedly value over one billion {dollars} and in 2021, Parker and Stone signed one of the biggest television deals in history with ViacomCBS for over 9 hundred million {dollars} in trade for six extra seasons in addition to fourteen movies. Previous to the notorious deal, the creators had already raked in tens of millions from the collection in addition to a 1999 characteristic movie, South Park: The Film, which remodeled eighty million {dollars} worldwide.
17
‘Mad Males’ (2007-2015)
Created by Matthew Weiner
Jon Hamm stars because the dapper Don Draper within the American drama collection, Mad Men, which is taken into account to be one in every of AMC’s biggest reveals of all time. Set within the Nineteen Sixties in New York Metropolis, Draper fights to remain on prime within the annoying, pressure-filled world of promoting. Whereas Draper is among the greatest and most profitable gamers within the enterprise, he is additionally a household man who struggles to discover a steadiness between his skilled and private lives.
Mad Males took audiences by storm with its genuine setting and environment plus well-developed, colourful characters that led to a profitable seven-season run. The collection reportedly earned over one hundred million dollars, which additionally contains DVD and iTunes gross sales, and continues to be streamed on AMC+ and bought on different platforms, together with Amazon Prime.
16
‘The Sopranos’ (1999-2007)
Created by David Chase
The Sopranos is taken into account to be one of the crucial iconic collection of all time and in the end modified the panorama of conventional tv drama. Created by David Chase, The Sopranos follows New Jersey mob boss, Tony Soprano, performed by the fabulous James Gandolfini, who tries to handle his unconventional profession together with his private life as a father and husband, primarily residing a double life stuffed with stress and unpredictability.
The collection was a shock hit, turning into a water-cooler present that captivated American audiences. Gandolfini was reportedly paid about one million dollars per episode (or 13 million a season), however the actor was extraordinarily beneficiant and would usually occasions give different solid and crew members cuts of his earnings or items. In 2005, HBO sold The Sopranos to A&E for over two million dollars per episode, totaling to a few 200 million greenback deal, which, on the time, was a report value for a syndicated collection.
15
‘NCIS’ (2003-)
Created by Donald P. Bellisario and Don McGill
NCIS, standing for Navel Prison Investigative Providers, has been on tv since September 2003. With over 21 seasons and a number of spin-off collection, it is one of the crucial worthwhile reveals nonetheless airing. Via intensive syndication offers, worldwide distribution, and merchandise, NCIS has proved it is definitely worth the funding for CBS.
It’s estimated that NCIS earned over $22.4 million over 440 episodes in 2022. Coupled with the a number of spin-off collection, resembling JAG, which made $11.4, to not point out NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Hawaii, and NCIS: Sydney all introduced in their very own figures. There isn’t any query that NCIS is one in every of CBS’ powerhouse revenue earners.
14
‘Survivor’ (2000-)
Created by Charlie Parsons
Survivor is among the most, if not essentially the most, fashionable actuality reveals working on tv. Pitting contestants in opposition to one another in bodily and psychological challenges is tough on many ranges, however for a present with a mean of 8.3 million viewers, Survivor has made its approach into one of many highest-grossing reveals on tv. Nonetheless, manufacturing for the present is increased than most, seeing as they should get contestants to distant elements of the world, rent workers to arrange and tear down problem programs, and pay the a million greenback prize to the winner, Survivor depends on advert income to bolster its success.
Advertisers were paying around $150,000 per 30-second ad slot at the start of the collection in 2000. Now, greater than 40 seasons later, advertisers are spending practically $700,000 per 30-second advert slot and a single season might pull in over $100 million. All-star seasons might see greater than $170 million. There isn’t any query that one of the crucial fashionable actuality reveals can be essentially the most worthwhile.
13
‘Recreation of Thrones’ (2011-2019)
Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Primarily based on George R.R. Martin‘s guide collection “A Tune of Ice and Fireplace,” Recreation of Thrones shortly turned a world phenomenon, reaching the primary most-watched present on the earth. That includes massive battles and CGI dragons respiratory fireplace down upon townsfolk, each episode cost around $6 million in production, with a complete price range of $1.5 billion.
The present aired on HBO, a subscription-based service, and Recreation of Thrones alone introduced in $3.1 billion from these subscriptions, and a complete of $4.4 billion over the 8 seasons on the community. Nonetheless, the present prolonged past the tv and the franchise offered merchandise from board video games to videogames, which contributed to the broad monetary success of the present.
12
‘Breaking Dangerous’ (2008-2013)
Created by Vince Gilligan
A science instructor discovers he has most cancers and goes on a life-altering journey into medicine and gang members. A vital and monetary success created by Vince Gilligan, Breaking Dangerous skyrocketed to the highest of the charts throughout its airtime. At its all-time peak, the present was making $3 million per episode. AMC was charging $250,000 per 30-second ad slot for the final season with an average of 10.3 million viewers.
Breaking Dangerous was competing with different AMC reveals like Mad Males and The Strolling Lifeless, which had been each monetary successes in their very own proper, however none as massive as Breaking Dangerous. Merchandise additionally contributed closely to the present’s success, with the invention of the enduring blue meth, which turned a well-liked sweet, in addition to Walter’s emblematic Pork Pie Hat.
11
‘The X-Information’ (1993-2002)
Created by Chris Carter
One of many longest-running Sci-Fi reveals on tv and a fan favourite, The X-Information earned its place as one of the crucial worthwhile reveals on tv. Nonetheless, its success is not using on TV income alone, the present additionally had two feature-length motion pictures created that bolstered its place as one of many highest-grossing television reveals.
Since its inception in 1993, The X-Information has introduced in over $500 million in gross income over its 9 season run. In 1998 The X-Files movie was released in theaters, grossing over $198 million. The subsequent film, X-Information: I Wish to Imagine, grossed solely $69 million worldwide, however total your complete X-Information franchise has introduced in over $1 billion by way of TV reveals, motion pictures, books and merchandise, making it one of many highest-grossing reveals to ever air on tv.
10
‘Two and a Half Males’ (2003-2015)
Created by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn
Two and a Half Men is a CBS sitcom that aired for 12 seasons from 2003 to 2015. Charlie Sheen performed the main character for a lot of the collection, however after entering rehabilitation and making derogatory feedback concerning the present’s creator, Chuck Lorre, he bought kicked out of the present and his contract was terminated. Following this incident, the show replaced Sheen with Ashton Kutcher.
Whereas Sheen was making $1.8 million per episode within the ultimate seasons of his time on the collection, Kutcher made less than half per episode, at $700,000. As for the present itself, CBS was promoting 30-second advert spots in Two and a Half Males for $200,000 in 2011 (eighth season), which meant that the present grossed $155 million per season in ad revenue alone.
9
‘All people Loves Raymond’ (1996-2005)
Created by Philip Rosenthal
All people Loves Raymond shortly turned a fan-favorite present not lengthy after it premiered on CBS. The present was so fashionable that within the ultimate two seasons of the present, main actor Ray Romano made an estimated $1.75 million per episode. Nonetheless, this struck a chord with the opposite solid members, who had been an equally necessary a part of the present however had been only getting paid $160,000 per episode, compared to Romano’s whopping salary.
In response to this, Brad Garrett (who performed Robert) and different actors who felt they had been unfairly paid, walked out of set. Solely after a brand new settlement of the solid’s wage was made did the solid lastly agree to come back again to work. And though it has been over twenty years because the present ended, Romano is reportedly still making $18 million per year by way of reruns.
