10 TV Shows With Massive Budgets That Failed
7. Camelot
Starz tried to recreate the success of Spartacus with another history-based series, but Camelot didn't fare quite as well.
As any large-scale history show, Camelot required huge sets, lots of props, and a multitude of costumes. All these things cost money, and when you add to it the salaries of all the big names in front and behind the camera, the budget quickly ballooned.
At first, Starz were ready to back it, pumping a reported $7 million per episode into the show, but as it went on new issues kept cropping up and the ratings weren't there to justify all that, so it was cancelled after its debut season. Apart from financial troubles, the network cited scheduling conflicts with some members of the main cast as a big obstacle.
What didn't help was the fact that there was a certain series premiering on HBO at around the same time, covering similar themes.