How to Watch Eric Dane in Brilliant Minds, Grey’s Anatomy Online

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Beloved actor Eric Dane died Thursday at 53 years old, 10 months after publicly disclosing an ALS diagnosis. He was a vocal advocate for the neurodegenerative disease, lobbied at Capitol Hill for more federal funding to research potential cures, and delivered a performance as a firefighter battling ALS on NBC’s Brilliant Minds (Season 2, Episode 9), in what would be his last television role.

Many will also remember Dane through his big break in Shonda Rhimes’ decade-spanning television series Grey’s Anatomy. He came on the show temporarily in its second season — as the rakish, charismatic, and womanizing Dr. Mark Sloan — and quickly became a series regular after an overwhelmingly positive reception.

His character was just as promptly nicknamed “McSteamy,” alluding to the fictional plastic surgeon’s good looks and one of his most famous on-screen moments: a particularly steamy sequence in which he walks out of a shower with only a towel on. Reflecting on this fan-favorite scene years later, Dane said, “I put on a towel every day, so I was pretty good at that. Dane died on the 20th anniversary of his Grey’s Anatomy debut.

At a Glance: How to Stream Eric Dane in Brilliant Minds and Grey’s Anatomy

In light of Dane’s untimely, tragic death, millions of fans are expressing eagerness to rewatch both his Brilliant Minds episode and the Grey’s Anatomy seasons in which he had considerable airtime: becoming romantically involved with intern Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), reconnecting with childhood best friend Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey), and navigating a new relationship with his estranged daughter. It’s possible to stream Brilliant Minds and Grey’s Anatomy online thanks to a range of platforms that offer free trials, including DirecTV, Hulu, and Peacock (with a Walmart+ trial).

The actor will also make a posthumous return in Euphoria as the closeted father of Jacob Elordi’s Nate Jacobs. The third season of the show will premiere on April 12.

How to Watch Eric Dane in Brilliant Minds Online

Brilliant Minds airs on NBC, and Dane can be seen in Season 2, Episode 9 of the show as the ALS-stricken firefighter Matthew Ramati, who has a profound change of heart about accepting help for his condition.

Below, we break down the benefits of each live TV destination on which you can watch NBC, including trials that will allow you to do so for free.

DirecTV

DirecTV carries NBC in all of its packages, including Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate, and Premier. Whatever tier you choose, know that they all come with a five-day free trial that you can use to watch medical drama Brilliant Minds in homage to Dane. After the five days wrap up, plans start at just $49.99 (which reflects an up-to-$40-off discount for new users’ first month).

Peacock (Free With Walmart+)

You can also stream Dane in Brilliant Minds using Peacock (every previously released episode is available there). Though the brand isn’t offering complimentary trials right now, we found a workaround in the form of a Walmart+ free trial, which is good for a whole month. Once the 30 days are over, users are typically charged $98 a year unless they cancel, but Walmart is running a promotion that entails a one-year plan for just $75 (college students are treated to even better rates). A Walmart+ subscription gets you Peacock privileges alongside free, next-day shipping with no purchase minimum, savings on gas, exclusive deals, and more.

How to Watch Eric Dane in Grey’s Anatomy Online

Grey’s Anatomy is now in its 22nd season, though Dane was a crucial part of Seasons 2-9 of the ABC show. While you can’t use live TV services to retrospectively catch up on his greatest Grey’s hits, it’s possible to do so with a Hulu subscription.

Hulu

Hulu lets you watch your favorite shows and movies anytime, anywhere — even years after they first went live. That being said, it includes all 22 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy that can be enjoyed at whatever pace you choose. Hulu comes with a 30-day free trial for sampling its extensive library without having to commit. Should you want to bask in Dr. Mark Sloan’s magic longer than that, Hulu with ads clocks in at $11.99 a month, with the Premium, ad-free version being $7 more monthly.

More on Eric Dane’s Death

After Dane’s passing was announced Thursday evening, tributes from friends, family, and colleagues started rolling in immediately.

“He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world… He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received,” his family shared in an official statement.

Dane’s Grey’s costar Dempsey, meanwhile, gave insight into the 53-year-old’s final days. “He was really starting to lose his ability to speak, he was bedridden and it was very hard for him to swallow. The quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly,” Dempsey told Virgin Radio UK on February 20.

“He was such a joy to work with, and I want to just remember him in that spirit because any time he was on set, he brought so much fun to it. He had a great sense of humor… First scene was him, you know, in all his glory, coming out of the bathroom with the towel on looking amazing, making you feel completely out of shape and insignificant,” Dempsey added.

Notes of gratitude, fond memories, and grief also poured in from Rhimes, Ashton Kutcher, Nina Dobrev, Sam Levinson, Selma Blair, and other stars. Former Grey’s Anatomy executive producer Krista Vernoff offered the following in an Instagram post: “What I will remember most about Eric Dane are his hugs. The best hugs. Oh my friend. I wish you peace.”