Grey's Anatomy has said goodbye to many characters over its two decades on the air, but the real-life death of Eric Dane has shaken up longtime fans and cast members. The actor passed away from a battle with ALS at the age of just 53 in February, and former co-stars like Patrick Dempsey, James Pickens Jr., and Sarah Drew all shared tributes to him. It felt all but guaranteed that the first new episode of Grey's Anatomy in the 2026 TV schedule after Dane's death would honor him in some way, but the show went above and beyond what I even imagined.
The first episode in the wake of Eric Dane's death aired on February 26, and I expected that it would either open or end on a simple "In Memoriam" card on screen for a few seconds. Instead, the episode ended with enough time left for a minute-long video showing some of the greatest hits of Dane's years as Dr. Mark Sloan, all set to one of the songs that Grey's Anatomy fans will know well: "Chasing Cars." Take a look:
