New Grey's Anatomy Regular Is McSteamy

ABC's new ratings heavyweight and champion of Thursday nights has taken on a fresh regular after only the first few episodes of its third season. Eric Dane first appeared as Dr. Mark Sloan in the second season's episode 18, and he resurfaced in the second episode of this season with a scene that had "Grey's" fangirls overheating. Thus, earning his character the nickname McSteamy. The McMoniker is a further and contrasting play on the fact that Patrick Dempsey's lead male character on the show, Dr. Derek Shepherd, has held the nickname McDreamy.

Fans of the relationship-driven medical drama seem very enthusiastic about Dane's McSteamy coming aboard on a more permanent basis. The soapish primetime hit is a more dramatic and high profile change from other television shows on which Dane has appeared such as "Las Vegas," "Charmed," "The American Embassy," and "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane." If Dane's face is familiar, it's because you might have seen hundreds of him in "X-Men: The Last Stand" as Multiple Man, and speaking of his recent cinematic efforts, he is also in "Open Water 2."