The Guardian (Saturday, Five, 8pm). Is somebody at Five Simon Baker’s number one fan? Or even a relation of his?

Maybe so. After all, not only is the channel broadcasting The Mentalist on Thursday evenings, it’s also about to show his previous series, The Guardian.

Baker may seem like an overnight success, but his rise to fame has been a slow and steady one, beginning with roles in Home and Away and Heartbreak High in his native Australia.

After leaving his home country, he landed roles in LA Confidential, Ride with the Devil and Red Planet. Then came the lead role in this series, which made his name.

Baker plays Nick Fallin, a high-powered thirtysomething lawyer whose life is turned upside down by one fateful event — he’s arrested on drugs charges.

Unable to talk himself out of trouble, Nick is ordered to carry out community service, and working in Children’s Legal Services proves to be an amazing experience.

Countryfile (Sunday, BBC One, 8pm). Some viewers were surprised when it was announced that this series was being moved from the mornings to a primetime slot, but in retrospect, it makes perfect sense.

Sunday nights have long been the home of cosy dramas set in picturesque rural areas, so why not give viewers a taste of the genuine article? Not just that, it proves that even confirmed townies take an interest in country matters.

This week, presenters Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury visit Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire to get an insight into the challenges of managing a historic property in the 21st century. As luck would have it, the property is also hosting the CLA Game Fair, an event which celebrates traditional country sports — maybe the presenters will be tempted to take part in a couple of games.

Dispatches: The War Against Street Weapons (Monday, Channel 4, 8pm). In this eye-opening new documentary from the Dispatches team, high-profile QC Cherie Blair revisits the alarming issue of the increasing numbers of young people carrying weapons on Britain’s streets.

Following the ex-PM’s wife’s involvement in the Street Weapons Commission (which Channel 4 set up to act on the findings of earlier series The Truth About Street Weapons, and which gathered evidence for a Home Affairs select committee report on policing in the 21st century) recommendations for a series of practical approaches to tackling the problem were made.

This programme sees Blair joining police patrols on the country’s toughest streets, talking to young offenders and visiting a pioneering scheme combating Glasgow’s gang culture in an effort to find out about the steps being taken to reduce the use of weapons among teenagers.