There are long-running shows, and then there's Grey's Anatomy. The medical drama (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) is still running to this day, although most fans agree that the single-digit seasons were the best. Following actor Eric Dane's death, I think it's time to talk about why he was so incredible as Mark Sloan a.k.a. McSteamy.
Grey's stars have been paying tribute to Dane since his passing, and so have the generations of fans out there. While characters like Derek Shepherd and Owen Hunt might have had longer runs on Grey's Anatomy, I personally think that Sloan is one of the show's very best characters. Allow me to explain why.
McSteamy Is One Of The Most Complicated And Endearing Grey's Figures.
Sloan made his entrance onto Grey's back in Season 2 and he's a bit of a scoundrel. The former best friend of Derek shows up at Seattle Grace and flirts with Meredith, before being revealed as the person Addison had an affair with. While he's originally all ego and sex appeal, the character was ultimately an onion whose deeper feelings were methodically revealed throughout the course of his tenure on the show.
It turns out that he was actually in love with Addison, and wanted to be with her. Despite this, he was insistent that he'd find a way to repair his familial-like relationship with Derek. While he and Meredith might be in the Dirty Mistress Club, it soon became clear that he was much more than that. Eric Dane masterfully pivoted between these two sides of Mark, resulting in McSteamy becoming instantly popular among viewers.
It would end up being Sloan's relationships with both Callie Torres and Lexie Grey that would ultimately result in him being a beloved doctor on Grey's Anatomy. While he and Sara Ramirez's character started off as a casual hookup, a beautiful friendship was formed out of their sexual attraction. They even became parents together, with Mark making it clear that he's always wanted a family of his own. Aside from Cristina and Meredith, it's probably my favorite friendship duo in the entire show.
Anytime I re-watch classic Grey's, I'm reminded about how we all owe Lexie a big apology. Most of the cast treats her like dirt, but her love story with Sloan is one of my favorite of the entire show. While they had ups and downs and ultimately both perished in the plane crash episode, seeing the way McSteamy adored Lexipedia was touching. And, it provided a much-needed will-they-won't-they after Meredith and Derek finally settled down.
Throughout his years on Grey's, Eric Dane found a way to bring charm, comedy, and tons of heart to Mark Sloan. The character's death still hurts to this day, and the fact that now the actor has also passed brings new power to the end of the surgeon's story. There are plenty of fans who are re-watching now to see just how much magic Dane brought to the role.
Grey's Anatomy airs new episodes Thursdays on ABC as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Dane's tenure as McSteamy can be seen on Hulu, including his return during Meredith's beach hallucinations in Season 17.
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