LOS ANGELES -- Cue the iconic theme music: Forty years ago, on September 8, 1966, "Star Trek" lifted off into TV and cultural history.

Over the subsequent decades, the sci-fi adventure series has amassed millions of fans and emerged as a relentless entertainment empire.

To mark the anniversary, classic-TV network TV Land on Friday showcased four episodes from the original "Star Trek" series, including the premiere and the historic episode featuring TV's first interracial kiss. "Star Trek" episodes will begin airing regularly on the channel on Nov. 17. Episodes will also be available online at TVLand.com.

In the show's first season, ratings and reviews were somewhat lackluster, as was communication between the leading men. The second season, William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy agreed, was the show's strongest.

The "Star Trek" movies that followed were hit-and-miss critically, but most were commercial successes.

Subsequent "Star Trek" TV series were all hits, except for the last, "Enterprise," which debuted in 2001 and went off the air in 2005, failing to find a sizable audience.

"Lost" creator and "Mission: Impossible III" director J.J. Abrams has reportedly been signed to direct a new big-screen "Trek" feature.

"He's a very talented man," said Nimoy, himself a successful director of the blockbusting "Three Men and a Baby" and other films. "I think he should get in touch with us right away."

"And pay our price," said Shatner, dryly.

"That would make us happy, to be helpful," added Nimoy, laughing.

In addition to the TV Land airings and upcoming movie, high-definition versions of the original "Star Trek" shows, complete with updated special effects, are set to debut in syndication Sept. 16.