Who says a life making TV shows is a second class existence? Though there's traditionally more money in film contracts (even when they turn out terribly), it's now getting to the stage where actors in long-running shows can command contracts with embarrassingly large numbers on them. 2015 saw the elite group of earners cement their positions. Lessons are pretty easily drawn: if you're in a smash-hit comedy that pulls in a big audience and great ratings, you're going to quickly find yourself in a position where you can ask for a lot of pay in return. And being in the most critically acclaimed shows is no guarantee of making the Rich List. It used to be the case that the Friends Pay Grade was a mythical level of achievement, but with more money being pumped into small screen advertising and the general quality of show-making increasing, it's now becoming a reality for more and more stars. But who's the highest earner from 2015?
10. Simon Baker ($12 Million)
Show: The Mentalist After 7 tumultuous seasons, 2015 saw the end of the excellent con-infused procedural, and while star Simon Baker will find himself with a lot more free time, he won't be short of cash. Can we expect to see him in more movies now he's no longer playing Patrick Jane?
