Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Carrie.Prime Video’s Carrie is one of the strongest iterations of the Stephen King novel so far, but it takes a few big swings away from the source material. One even involves introducing a character that no other version of the story has, including the original. Mike Flanagan’s TV show uses its runtime well in that regard, expanding on threads present in King’s book. The show doesn’t lose sight of King’s vision, but it digs deeper into the people around Carrie White (Summer H. Howell) and the lore surrounding her psychic powers.
It also alters Carrie’s home life, making Margaret White (Samantha Sloyan) far more sympathetic than the source material and prior adaptations. More notably, it officially introduces Ralph White (Tahmoh Penikett) for the first time. Carrie’s father is already dead when King’s story begins, and most adaptations stick to that. He’s mentioned, but until Flanagan’s show, no version of the story goes further. Prime Video’s Carrie finally shows Ralph on-screen, beginning its story with his death. It’s the first time viewers actually get to meet him, and while it’s short-lived, it’s a change that makes sense and fits with the others.
Mike Flanagan’s Adaptation Uses ‘Carrie’s Missing Father to Fuel Its Story
The introduction of Ralph White is exactly what Flanagan’s Carrie needs, as it makes sense of another significant change. The show introduces Carrie as a girl who’s been homeschooled her entire life, not someone who attends public school already. To get this isolated, out-of-touch version of Carrie to the backdrop where her bullying takes place, Flanagan uses Ralph’s death as the catalyst for his story. After Ralph is killed in a construction accident, officers search his home, where they find Margaret and Carrie hiding in their prayer closet.
It’s a concerning sight, and it’s enough to get a social worker involved. In order for Margaret to keep custody, she must get a job while Carrie attends school. It’s a clever setup, explaining how Carrie could possibly be so uninformed in the Prime Video show’s modern-day setting. It also reshapes the dynamics of the White household in ways that make this 2026 adaptation feel fresh and believable.
Ralph’s presence lingers beyond the opening, haunting both Carrie and the narrative as the series continues. Carrie keeps seeing apparitions of him, and the grief adds weight to both her character arc and Margaret’s. In many ways, it makes their tragedies sadder, as they’re already grappling with loss. All the changes that emerge in its wake deepen that.
Ralph’s inclusion also shines a new light on Carrie’s mother, explaining why she feels so justified in their isolation: because they were isolated as a family unit beforehand. And Margaret’s need to cling onto her daughter even tighter also makes sense after the loss of her husband. Given that Flanagan presents her as less of a religious zealot and more as a deeply flawed parent, it all fits together nicely.
Including ‘Carrie’s Dad Is the Right Choice for Prime Video’s New Show
Including Carrie’s father is the right choice for the latest adaptation of King’s book, and that goes beyond how it impacts the characters. It helps smooth over some of the biggest changes made to the story’s major players, but it’s also another detail that sets this take apart from the prior ones. With Carrie being adapted multiple times before, including in the classic 1976 movie, Flanagan needed ways to make the newest addition stand out. Firsts like this help achieve that.
Prime Video’s Carrie also addresses the strangeness surrounding Ralph White in King’s book. He’s not particularly well characterized in any other versions of Carrie, and while this one doesn’t go too far in establishing him as a character, it fills in a gap that’s existed for decades. That’s what any great adaptation should strive for, and this one nails it thanks to changes like this.
- Release Date
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2026 – 2026-00-00
- Network
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Prime Video
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Summer H. Howell
Carrie White
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Samantha Sloyan
Margaret White
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Alison Thornton
Chris Hargensen
