Crimes Of Passion By Parcast
Pushing The Parcast Style
Crimes of Passion, hosted by Lanie Hobbs and brought to us by Parcast, is the podcasting network’s nod to the hardcore fans of the ever-ascending genre of true crime.
The show’s motto is “where true crime, meets true love.” Just by definition, the stories told by Crimes of Passion are infamous cases of murders motivated by love, lust, and misguided feelings.
The team at the Parcast network has put a unique stylistic stamp on the true crime podcast genre.
With offerings like Unsolved Murders with Carter Roy and Wendy MacKenzie, Parcast gives their listeners a sanitized and homey feel to the retelling of some of history’s most gruesome crimes.
Now the adjective “sanitized” may seem like a slight, however, in this podcaster’s humble opinion it is akin to a Steven Spielberg film style that plays big and is commercially appealing to the audience.
It is a branded feel for their shows that makes Parcast a leading podcasting network.
The professional broadcasting and production from a Parcast true crime show are like the applesauce that makes the medicine go down easier. In that sense, sanitized is a high compliment.
Crimes of Passion, though, pushes the boundaries of a typical Parcast true crime production in all the right ways for the true crime diehards.
Between the nature of the content on Crimes of Passion and the method of delivery, this is by far and away Parcast’s most risque offering within their true crime genre catalog.
I have written previously that shows like Hostage and Serial Killers have that unique style of the host and co-host having different roles serving a dramatic and psychological deep dive into our favorite true crime stories.
Crimes Of Passion
The very first case I listened to on Crimes Of Passion took a was a two-part, comprehensive look into Harold Nokes and his wife Ena Nokes.
I had never heard of this case referenced on any of the other multitudes of podcasts I listen to and was floored.
Just as advertised, the case involves an unfulfilled housewife Kay Hein who gets involved with the swinging Nokes couple.
Hein, who was not receiving the attention and emotional support she needed in her own marriage became intoxicated with the attention that Harold Nokes was giving her.
As their somewhat innocent flirtation devolved into a full-on affair, Kay Hein and Harold Nokes began to escalate things.
Eventually, in order to please him and in an attempt to get Nokes to leave his wife Ena Nokes, Kay Hein agreed to engage in a sexual escapade with the couple in hopes that he would one day leave his wife so they could be together forever.
Lanie Hobbs pulls no punches and holds down double duty here as the host and narrator of the series.
It is commendable and quite impressive how Hobbs goes about delivering in both roles, never to the detriment of either, and nails the Parcast hallmark of a clinical, psychological breakdown of the case.
The Controversy Of True Crime
The subject matter of Crimes of Passion raises the stakes for Parcast and puts the show in the same vein as some of their contemporaries in true crime who produce content of a more graphic nature.
As you can imagine, the second case they take on, which is Jodi Arias, goes even further into the psychological depravity, sexual lust, and yes, the ultimate crime of passion.
True crime shows can be a controversial subject.
Often, there is a fine line between glorifying and sensationalizing the crimes versus investigating and understanding the darker side of humanity.
There are concerns that the genre profits from the tragedy of others while the listeners are faced with the moral quagmire of being entertained by some of the most horrific events that have happened in our society.
Does true crime serve any public good? Is it OK to be entertained by events that have ruined peoples lives?
Parcast walks these true crime balancing acts dutifully and consistently delivers entertainment while giving the listener a rare and fascinating glimpse into the perspective and psychological dynamic of the perpetrators of these perplexing crimes.
For instance, Lanie Hobbs tells us that Jodi Arias exhibited the traits of a woman with a borderline personality disorder.
This may explain all of the bizarre and possessive behavior leading up to the murder. In this sense, Parcast throughout its array of shows serves as a public service in re-telling of these stories not solely for sensational, shock value.
Jodi Arias. Enough said. Listen to this week’s episode now on @ApplePodcasts or wherever you listen! https://t.co/0rG72i1hM4 pic.twitter.com/b8bb5DfELy— Parcast (@ParcastNetwork) March 10, 2019
Make no mistake, though, most listeners arrive to consume podcasts for the sake of being entertained or to be taken away from the daily grind of life but we must also deconstruct these cases as a society.
We may never fully understand the mindset of certain criminals but we have to gain a certain level of awareness and recognition of the patterns that play out in these crimes.
Marcia Clark Interview
To help further underscore the recurring themes and elements throughout the various cases on Crimes Of Passion, Parcast landed a fitting interview with famed prosecutor Marcia Clark who rose to prominence through the notorious O.J. Simpson case.
Clark, who is coming out with her own television drama The Fix, a show steeped in court cases and crime, lent her experiences and expertise to the interview with the Crimes Of Passion team as a value-add of bonus content at the end of the Jody Arias episode 2.
Exciting news Parcasters! Make sure you stay tuned after today’s episode of Crimes of Passion for a special Q&A with Prosecutor, Author, Executive Producer & Co-Creator of @ABCNetwork‘s #TheFix, @thatmarciaclark! So excited to share this with you!
🔥 https://t.co/m31T5VaiAZ pic.twitter.com/yWFRxYrpZF— Parcast (@ParcastNetwork) March 13, 2019
Parcast Continues To Deliver
If you thought that some of the Parcast offerings were somewhat watered down or pasteurized by its unique style of storytelling, then I would suggest listening to Crimes of Passion.
Lanie Hobbs deserves an award for her ability to take on the host, narrator, and commentator roles.
I would be remiss to leave out a mention of respect also to the folks from Crimes of Passion that are behind the writing and production of the show as well.
I appreciate and enjoy shows like Hostage, Serial Killers, Unsolved Murders, and now Crimes of Passion because not only do they explain some compelling tales of true crime, but the insight into the psychological component of the perpetrator gives the listener a sound understanding behind the crime.
It is that thoroughness in detail and perspective of the retelling of the crimes that give the Parcast shows in their roster that unique and branded feel.
Kudos to the entire Crimes of Passion team and to Parcast for raising their own bar and pushing their own limits in the highly-competitive world of true crime podcasting.
