Back-to-school TV

Back-to-school TV

WGN Channel 9 plays host to its eighth annual "Back-to-School Kids Fair" from 6 to 9 a.m. today at its north-side studios at 2501 W. Bradley Place, Chicago. Channel 9 goes on to carry the 81st annual Bud Billiken Parade, Chicago's annual south-side end-of-summer kids' celebration, live from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday kicking off at King Drive and 39th Street.

Swan song for 'Monk'

Tony Shaloub's whimsical whodunit "Monk" returns for its eighth and final season at 8 p.m. Friday on USA. It's probably too late for the comic mystery to regain its serious underpinnings with the mystery over Monk's murdered wife, but there is good news in that his original sidekick Bitty Schram will be putting in an appearance as Sharona. It's at 8 p.m. today, followed by the return of the equally endearing "Psych" at 9.

Ladies on sports

Newly promoted WLS Channel 7 weekend sports anchor Ryan Chiaverini is looking for a spokeswoman for his weekly football magazine show "The Sports Huddle." He'll hold open auditions to fill the role at 11 a.m. Tuesday at ESPN Zone, 43 E. Ohio St., Chicago. The show will tape Fridays at 4 p.m. at the restaurant and air at 10:30 a.m. Sundays starting Sept. 11. Interested women must be 21 and bring a resume and photo. ... Jonathan Hood has rejoined sports-talk WMVP 1000-AM as co-host of "Chicago Baseball Tonight" with Ben Finfer at 7 p.m. weekdays.

Where's there's smoke

Bette Davis has never been more smoldering than she is in "Now, Voyager" - not with romantic interest Paul Henreid lighting cigarettes for her two at a time. Davis is great in the melodrama as a psychologically tormented spinster, with Claude Rains as the shrink who gets her back on her feet - with a little help from Walt Whitman. It's at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on Turner Classic Movies.