Eric Dane first appeared on Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on February 19, 2006, in season 2, episode 18, titled “Yesterday.”

Quick Scoop

  • Eric Dane’s start on Grey’s Anatomy: February 19, 2006 (season 2, episode 18, “Yesterday”).
  • That debut was originally just a guest spot, but fan reaction was so strong that he was bumped up to series regular in season 3.
  • He then stayed on the show through season 8 and into the first episodes of season 9, with his character Mark Sloan exiting in the season 9 premiere.

A bit of context

When Dane walked into Grey Sloan Memorial (then Seattle Grace) as the confident plastic surgeon Mark Sloan, the character instantly picked up the nickname “McSteamy,” mirroring Derek Shepherd’s “McDreamy” and sparking lots of fan chatter at the time. His towel-only entrance in early season 3 became one of those classic “watercooler TV” moments that helped cement his status as a fan favorite.

In fan circles and forum threads, people still pin his official start date on Grey’s Anatomy to that February 19, 2006 guest appearance, since that’s the first time Mark Sloan shows up on-screen.

TL;DR: Eric Dane started on Grey’s Anatomy on February 19, 2006, with his first appearance as Mark “McSteamy” Sloan in season 2, episode 18 (“Yesterday”), later becoming a series regular in season 3.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.