There are certain comforts in life, and for many, rewatching Grey’s Anatomy is one of them. It’s easy to get lost in the show’s familiar setting – the bustling hospital, the intense surgeries, and all the drama. But recently, it’s become a little more difficult to enjoy. Actor Eric Dane, who played a beloved character on the show, sadly passed away on February 19, 2026, at the age of 53, after a battle with ALS. Many fans are now revisiting his work as a way to remember him.
Eric Dane first became known to audiences as Dr. Mark Sloan, the charming and handsome plastic surgeon who joined Seattle Grace Hospital in 2006. He quickly earned the playful nickname “McSteamy,” which proved incredibly popular. Dane himself said he rarely used the nickname, but fans couldn’t stop saying it! His performance was both humorous and heartfelt, transforming what could have been a minor character into a fan favorite on Grey’s Anatomy. When the show renamed the hospital Grey Sloan Memorial in his honor, it felt like a fitting tribute and resonated with viewers.
While Eric Dane is best known for his role in Grey’s Anatomy, he’s shown impressive range throughout his career. He delivered a more intense performance as a Navy commander in The Last Ship, and completely transformed himself for Euphoria, playing the troubled and complex Cal Jacobs in a way that stunned audiences. He’s also appeared in films like X-Men: The Last Stand and Burlesque, and the TV show Charmed. Despite all of these roles, Eric Dane will likely always be remembered for Grey’s Anatomy, and revisiting his ten best episodes from the show feels especially poignant now.
“Song Beneath the Song” (Season 7, Episode 18)
ABC
The episode “Song Beneath the Song” begins with a dramatic car accident that brings a heavily pregnant Callie Torres to Seattle Grace Hospital. Doctors rush to save her, but the situation is critical, and those performing the surgery are also her close friends. While she’s undergoing emergency surgery, the episode takes viewers inside Callie’s mind, portraying her subconscious as a series of musical numbers featuring her colleagues singing songs like ‘Chasing Cars’ and ‘How to Save a Life’.
The latest episode of the show is incredibly powerful and emotionally raw, focusing on a crisis in Arizona and Mark’s intense reaction. A baby’s well-being is at risk, adding to the high stakes. While the episode explores the complex relationship between Callie and Arizona, the actor playing Dane delivers a particularly desperate performance that keeps the more dramatic moments feeling real. Despite the episode’s musical elements, which could have felt artificial, his performance keeps everything grounded and believable. Notably, Mark doesn’t have any singing parts in this episode.
“Death and All His Friends” (Season 6, Episode 24)
ABC
“Death and All His Friends” continues the intense season finale of Grey’s Anatomy. Picking up right after the previous episode, “Sanctuary,” the hospital is still in chaos as Gary Clark, a grieving widower seeking revenge, holds a gun. The episode shows Cristina being forced to perform surgery on Derek while under threat, Owen attempting to de-escalate the situation with the shooter, and Meredith experiencing a heartbreaking early miscarriage she wasn’t aware of.
This episode feels rushed and overwhelming. With so much happening across these two parts, it’s easy to lose track of the fact that Mark Sloan is seriously injured for a large portion of the story, starting with the gunshot wound in the previous episode. While Dane’s role wasn’t flashy, his character’s impact is strongly felt. Lexie’s unwavering dedication to Mark highlights their important connection.
“Sanctuary” (Season 6, Episode 23)
ABC
In the episode “Sanctuary,” things begin to fall apart at Seattle Grace before the major crisis hits. The arrival of Gary Clark immediately creates uncertainty and a growing sense of dread. The tension rises steadily with small incidents – a gunshot, a lockdown – quickly escalating into widespread chaos. Gary unexpectedly shoots Reed in the hallway, then Alex, leaving him critically injured. He continues his rampage, shooting Derek on the catwalk. The episode is paced like a suspenseful thriller, transforming the familiar hospital corridors into a frightening and dangerous place.
In this episode of Grey’s Anatomy, Mark Sloan is unexpectedly shot, which is shocking because it happens so abruptly without any warning or confrontation. This suddenness makes the scene feel realistic and emotionally powerful. Many consider “Sanctuary” a standout episode because it portrays violence in a gritty, unglamorous way. Eric Dane’s performance is particularly strong, as he convincingly portrays physical pain throughout much of the episode.
“Dream a Little Dream of Me” (Season 5, Episode 1)
ABC
The Season 5 premiere, “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” starts with a dreamlike opening. We see Meredith, Cristina, Izzie, and others experiencing scenes that mix their hopes and fears. Meanwhile, life at Seattle Grace Hospital continues normally. Meredith and Derek are figuring out their relationship, and Cristina is struggling emotionally. Throughout the episode, we also see Mark Sloan dealing with a hidden burden that’s clearly weighing on him.
This episode of Grey’s Anatomy feels more relaxed and subtly emotional than usual, and it’s effective. It’s a turning point for Mark Sloan, as we finally see he’s in love with Lexie Grey, though he’s still figuring out how to deal with those feelings. Eric Dane portrayed this realization with a gentle touch, preventing it from becoming overly dramatic – it’s both humorous and a bit awkward. After being a playful newcomer in Season 3 and having a complex past in Season 4, this episode finally allows us to see Mark as a fully developed person.
“Desire” (Season 3, Episode 21)
ABC
Season 3 of Grey’s Anatomy is full of drama both at work and in the personal lives of the doctors, with relationships causing complications even during surgeries. A lot of the tension revolves around Mark Sloan and a love triangle involving Callie and George. At the same time, Izzie is making some bad decisions, and Meredith and Derek continue to struggle in their relationship.
The episode doesn’t offer easy answers or take sides; it acknowledges that everyone has a point of view. It uniquely captures the vulnerability hidden beneath Sloan’s confident exterior – his desire for things he hasn’t worked for, and Dane DeHaan portrays this internal conflict beautifully. This episode also develops the important relationship between Callie and Mark, a friendship that becomes central to the show’s story.
“Hook, Line and Sinner” (Season 6, Episode 20)
ABC
After seasons of a will-they-won’t-they dynamic, the tension between Mark and Lexie finally comes to a head in this episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Mark’s world is turned upside down when he discovers he has a daughter, Sloan Riley, who is pregnant and considering adoption. He suddenly has to deal with being a father, first to an adult daughter and then to a grandchild.
He speaks hesitantly and seems insecure, often stumbling as he tries to express himself. The episode also features a lighthearted subplot about a fisherman with a fishing hook stuck in a sensitive area, adding some humor to contrast with the more serious emotional story. Importantly, the episode manages to blend these comedic and emotional elements effectively, allowing both to exist without one overpowering the other.
“Going, Going, Gone” (Season 9, Episode 1)
ABC
The ninth season of Grey’s Anatomy begins with the fallout from the plane crash that took Lexie’s life. Mark is now fighting for his life, and Seattle Grace Hospital feels different – changed in ways that are both expected and unsettling. New doctors have arrived, shifting the relationships within the hospital, and everyone is still deeply grieving. Meredith is trying to keep everything running, but she’s completely drained from having endured so much trauma.
Mark Sloan is in a coma, and remaining alive in that state feels even more difficult for everyone. The episode handles his story with sensitivity, keeping him present while also acknowledging the possibility of his passing. The scenes with him in the hospital are incredibly emotional. Choosing to focus the premiere on this uncertain time – where Mark isn’t quite here, but not gone either – was a brave storytelling decision. It honors both the character and the viewers by portraying grief as a gradual process.
“Remember the Time” (Season 9, Episode 2)
ABC
In Grey’s Anatomy Season 9, Episode 2, “Remember the Time,” the show cleverly uses flashbacks to reveal what happened in the five weeks following the plane crash. The episode shows us the struggles of the survivors in the woods and what they went through, filling in the gaps between the crash and the current timeline.
This episode of Grey’s Anatomy was especially powerful, and Eric Dane delivered some of his most impactful performance throughout the entire series. He’s truly outstanding here. The scene of Mark holding Lexie in the woods as she passes away is deeply moving. The show made the right choice by showing the aftermath of the crash rather than skipping over it, allowing the audience to fully feel the weight of Mark Sloan’s grief. It’s a difficult episode to watch, but it gave Dane a fitting farewell scene, and he portrayed it with incredible skill.
“Flight” (Season 8, Episode 24)
ABC
Focusing on the “Flight” episode is logical because the story begins after the plane crash. The team was traveling between Seattle and Boise to perform surgery on conjoined twins when the disaster occurred. The aftermath is devastating: Meredith is wounded with a piece of metal in her leg, Cristina dislocates her shoulder, Arizona suffers a broken femur, Lexie is pinned under debris, and Derek goes missing, later found with a severely injured hand that jeopardizes his career as a surgeon.
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Mark discovers Lexie and holds her hand, confessing his long-held love and belief that they were meant to be together. Tragically, she dies in his arms in the woods while he’s speaking. Back at the hospital, no one is aware of what has happened. The episode drew a massive 11.44 million viewers, with critics particularly praising Eric Dane’s emotional performance alongside Ellen Pompeo and Chyler Leigh. The scene of Mark finding Lexie is incredibly heartbreaking, and Dane delivered a powerful portrayal. Shonda Rhimes later revealed that writing this finale was even more difficult than writing the Season 6 shooting episode, a sentiment that resonates with anyone who has witnessed the scene.
“Yesterday” (Season 2, Episode 18)
ABC
The story kicks off with a new character approaching Meredith while she’s at the nurses’ station. He confidently checks a patient’s chart and starts flirting with her, quickly revealing who he is. Before long, Derek Shepherd punches him, and Meredith learns his name: Mark Sloan. She’d already heard stories about him, so now the rumors have a face.
The first episode of a highly-regarded medical drama centers around a teenager with a rare bone condition that dramatically altered the shape of his face. A skilled surgeon, Mark, is called in to attempt a dangerous operation, but unfortunately, the boy doesn’t make it.
Mark performs the surgery to reconstruct the boy’s face after his death, fulfilling a lifelong wish. However, Mark’s true reason for coming to Seattle is to be with Addison, with whom he’s in love. This episode is where the nickname ‘McSteamy’ originates. Meredith, Cristina, and Izzie come up with the nickname while talking in the hallway, and it quickly catches on.
Casting director Linda Lowy explained that actor Dane was initially hired for just one episode of the show. However, the incredibly positive reaction from viewers after it aired made it clear he needed to become a regular cast member. Looking back at that first episode, titled “Yesterday,” it’s easy to see why. In just a single appearance, without any prior explanation, Dane perfectly captured everything that defines the character of Mark Sloan – his charisma, confidence, skill as a surgeon, and underlying vulnerability. That one episode felt like a natural launchpad for the seven seasons that followed.
Hey Mark Sloan fans! Let’s talk Grey’s Anatomy – which episodes are you planning to watch tonight?
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2026-02-20 22:21