8 CSI: Miami
From 2002 to 2012, Horatio and his Crime Scene Investigation Unit ruled as the CSI’s most popular show. Although the CBS series did not require fancy stunts or gadgets, they do need prosthetics and other devices. The stars were also impressed.
CSI: Miami had cost the network $3.5 million each episode by the end of its last season. This was due in part to the salaries paid to its actors. David Caruso, the lead actor, was paid $375,000 for each installment. This made him the third highest-paid drama actor on television at that time.
7 Fringe
Many J.J. Abrams supporters believe Fringe to be his greatest work. The series debuted on FOX in 2008. It starred Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, and John Noble. The story followed the FBI’s Fringe Division in Boston as they tried to solve bizarre occurrences.
Some critics didn’t like the show immediately, while others referred to it as boring and dull. As the story unfolded the reviews started to pick up, and many thought it was worth its $4 million episode price tag. Season 5 saw a steady decline in viewers, which led to the cancellation of the show.