McSteamy's Departure: A Grey's Anatomy Legend Says Goodbye
If you're a Grey's Anatomy fan, you'll remember McSteamy - that's Dr. Mark Sloan. And you know that great guy who played McSteamy? Eric Dane? Yeah, well, McSteamy had to go for the long goodbye back in season 8. Sadly, he ended up dying after getting injured! For sure, the fans were bummed out, but it was a truly emotional send-off and even if we were sad about his departure, McSteamy definitely lived out a well-defined arc! The show has been super dramatic ever since McSteamy passed, which brings us to a pretty intriguing question. Would he come back in season 21?
If you're wondering, the answer is NO. At least, for now, and that's according to Eric himself. Dane says in an interview for his movie "One Fast Move" (releasing on Prime Video in August), that he feels good about his run in Grey's Anatomy and that he did what he had to do. He said it felt like he stayed long enough. Maybe that makes sense because Grey's Anatomy has this crazy, intense energy that takes a lot out of actors - I can totally relate. Maybe there is no room left to reintroduce his character, as well.
The Ghost of McSteamy Returns
That said, we’ve seen Mark Sloan show up again already. When Meredith Grey was trapped between life and death in the hospital during that 'beach arc' of season 17, we saw the return of some of Meredith’s deceased loves! Mark and his super awesome girlfriend, Lexie, showed up as a power couple to tell Meredith she was okay, to let her go and stay. That episode made all those McSteamy fans cry - it was such a beautiful closure. You know what they say - some relationships live on beyond death.
Plus, it’s been amazing seeing the hospital grow from Seattle Grace into Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. You have to give credit to McSteamy, it really cemented the name, as well as reminding fans about this dramatic story that just keeps happening.
Could We Get McSteamy in Season 21? No Chance, According To Dane
Now, Eric has been talking about feeling a little less involved in Grey's Anatomy for quite some time, though. We know his career has taken on a whole new dimension, which has kept him on projects like the smash hit "Euphoria". But, even before then, he didn’t really watch the show while he was a part of the main cast! So, for some reason, the 'getting out while the going is good' approach has always felt right for McSteamy. Eric seems to think there’s no need to do another guest role on the show right now – and we’re kind of seeing why!
We gotta give credit where it’s due though, Eric always seems like he's up for returning to his old stomping grounds when it's important. You can bet the actor could get roped back in for a cameo or an emotionally powerful scene like what happened during the 'beach' arc - especially considering he does say he enjoyed working on the show. So we're not ruling it out entirely, just as the Grey's Anatomy team hasn’t quite stopped surprising us over the years, after all.
Why We Love McSteamy and the Whole Grey's Anatomy Cast
McSteamy always was this great balance of “the handsome bad boy” and, “Hey, this dude actually has a big heart under those charming good looks". That made for some really engaging, dramatic storylines.
It’s easy to see why McSteamy had such a big impact! But the "Grey's Anatomy" legacy wouldn’t be the same without the entire crew. Seriously, the entire cast is just legendary! Whether they’re saving the lives of their patients, saving one another, falling in love and losing love – you get it all, with a whole bunch of those dramatic hospital scenes! And now, the story's moved on to season 21, meaning we’re in for more of the same — the thrills, the drama, the laughs (you’d be surprised!), and yes, sometimes the heartache.
