A late summer day's heat beat down on the cast and crew of The Mentalist as they toiled in the scenic wilds above downtown Los Angeles.
Perspiration dotted their faces as they manoeuvred down an uneven brushy trail, filming a scene involving a murder.
But as others sweated and swatted away flies, Simon Baker, who plays the title role, looked cool - even in a dress shirt and vest.
Although make-up artists rushed in between takes to wipe his brow, Baker didn't look like he needed touching up.
His relaxed air matched the demeanour of his character - an investigator who solves crimes with his extraordinary observational skills.
His latest show marks Baker's second shot in drama.
The Guardian, which ran for three seasons, featured Baker as a hard-edged corporate lawyer sentenced by a judge to perform community service at a legal services firm.
The Mentalist is a move back to leading-man status for Baker, who despite taking on a lesser role in The Devil Wears Prada, managed to impress audiences as the film's charming seducer.
His Mentalist character, Patrick Jane, fits snugly within his gallery of men who hide deeper, sometimes devilish, intentions behind blue eyes and good looks.
"I've always liked roles like that," the 40-year-old Australian said.
"It keeps it interesting, playing guys where there's always something else going on."
The series is lighter in tone than most police procedurals, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Minds and Without a Trace.
Tossed into the mix is a bit of romantic and sexual tension between Jane and his no-nonsense colleague, California Bureau of Investigation senior agent Teresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney).
"That's what drew me in," said Tunney, who has previously appeared in Prison Break.
"Yes, it's a procedural, but it's also a show that cares about the relationships between people as much as it does about the case.
"What we often lose in shows like this is the human element."
For show creator Bruno Heller, The Mentalist is a dynamic change from his previous work, the epic historical series Rome.
"I wanted to try the other pole of American entertainment," Heller said.
"Rome . . . was all about being edgy and pushing boundaries.
"There are all kinds of crutches, the sex and violence.
"Doing a detective show . . . is a completely new set of challenges.
"It's the difference between a cabaret show and an act for an arena."
For Baker, the Jane character was attractive because it reminded him of the detective shows of his youth - Quincy, Perry Mason, Hawaii Five-O - that centred on quirky investigators.
"There are conflicting and contrary elements to Patrick that are fun to play," Baker said.
"He's also got a touch of the prankster."
The actor said he's grateful to portray a man who isn't shaded by an inner darkness.
"In The Guardian, that guy was barely keeping his head above water," he said.
"He was a depressed character, and the amount of hours I had to spend playing him rubbed off on me.
"This guy is a fun character, so it makes work a lot more enjoyable."
