You’ve probably seen Karine Vanasse in Pan Am or Revenge and thought, "She’s good." But honestly, if you haven’t seen her in the blue moon television show, you’re missing the performance that actually defines her career. Most people outside of Quebec or die-hard French-Canadian TV junkies have never even heard of it. That’s a shame. It’s not some light-hearted procedural. It’s a dark, cynical, and surprisingly violent look at what happens when the government outsources its "dirty work" to private companies.
What is Blue Moon Actually About?
Basically, the show follows Justine Laurier (played by Vanasse). She’s an explosives expert for the Canadian Armed Forces who gets pulled back into the civilian world after her father dies in a "accident."
Except, it wasn't an accident.
She inherits his shares in a company called Blue Moon. It’s a private paramilitary firm. Sounds fancy, right? In reality, they handle the stuff the official government doesn't want its fingerprints on. We’re talking black ops, high-stakes surveillance, and morally gray security contracts.
The conflict starts immediately. Justine is a moral person. A "good" soldier. But the guy running the show, Benoît Lebel (Luc Picard), is a different animal entirely. He’s cold. Calculated. He sees the company as a necessary evil in a world that’s inherently broken. Watching the two of them clash over the soul of the company is basically the engine of the first season.
Why the Pacing Feels Different
If you’re used to American network TV, the blue moon television show might feel a bit jarring at first. It doesn’t do the "case of the week" thing.
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The story is a slow burn.
It lets scenes breathe. Sometimes, the most intense moments aren't the gunfights—and there are plenty of those—but the quiet, tense conversations in glass-walled offices where people are deciding who lives or dies over a coffee.
The Cast That Makes It Work
The acting is top-tier. Karine Vanasse brings this vibrating intensity to Justine. You can tell she’s constantly on the edge of a breakdown, but her training keeps her upright.
Then you’ve got the supporting cast:
- Luc Picard as Benoît Lebel: He’s a legend in Quebec cinema for a reason. He makes you hate him and respect him at the same time.
- Éric Bruneau as Milan Garnier: The "bad boy" operative. Every show has one, but Bruneau plays him with a genuine sense of danger rather than just being a trope.
- Patrice Godin as Bob: The veteran who has seen too much.
The chemistry between these characters feels lived-in. You get the sense they’ve spent months in damp trenches or boring stakeouts together. It’s not that polished, "everyone is a supermodel" vibe you get from some US action shows. It’s sweatier. More grounded.
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A Note on the Setting
It’s set in Montreal. If you know the city, it’s fun to pick out the locations. But even if you don’t, the show uses the city’s unique blend of old-world European architecture and brutalist concrete to create a specific mood. It’s grey. It’s cold. It feels like a place where secrets are buried under the snow.
Why You Should Care About the Blue Moon Television Show Now
Look, the world of private military contractors (PMCs) is more relevant than ever. When the show first aired on the Illico platform in Canada (and later moved to wider distribution), it felt like a niche thriller. Now? In 2026, where we see private security firms all over global news, it feels prophetic.
It asks the hard questions:
- Who holds these companies accountable?
- Can you actually change a corrupt system from the inside?
- What is the price of "national security" when it's sold to the highest bidder?
It doesn't give you easy answers. Most episodes leave you feeling a little bit greasy. In a good way. Like a 70s conspiracy thriller but with modern tech.
Where to Watch It
This is the tricky part. Depending on where you are, it might be on Apple TV, Amazon Prime (via certain channels), or localized streaming services like Club illico. If you have to use subtitles, do it. The original French (Québécois) dialogue has a rhythmic, harsh quality that dubbing just kills.
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The Technical Side of the Drama
The cinematography in the blue moon television show deserves a shout-out. They use a lot of handheld camera work during the action sequences. It’s shaky, sure, but it puts you right in Justine’s headspace. When she’s panicked, the camera is panicked.
The show ran for three seasons.
Each season ups the stakes. By the time you get to the third act of the series, the conspiracy has reached the highest levels of the Canadian government. It stops being about a small company and starts being about the integrity of the country itself.
Final Thoughts on the Legacy of the Series
Blue Moon isn't just "good for a Canadian show." It’s just good. Period. It paved the way for a lot of the high-end drama we see coming out of Montreal today. It proved that you could do big-budget action with a brain.
If you’re tired of the same old police procedurals where the good guys always win and the hero never gets a scratch, give this a shot. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s frustrating.
It’s real.
Practical Next Steps for You:
If you want to dive into the world of Justine Laurier, your best bet is to check your local streaming availability for "Blue Moon (2016)." Be careful not to confuse it with the 2025 Richard Linklater film Blue Moon starring Ethan Hawke—that’s a totally different thing about a Broadway lyricist. You’re looking for the one with Karine Vanasse on the poster looking like she’s about to blow something up. Start with Season 1, Episode 1, and pay close attention to the background details in her father’s office; the clues for the entire series are hidden right there in the first twenty minutes.