Network will mark show's 40th anniversary in September

TV Land is going where, well, quite a few networks have gone before, acquiring rights to the original "Star Trek" series.

The iconic sci-fi show will join TV Land's regular rotation in November, but the classic-television network will get an early start on the voyages of the starship Enterprise on Friday, Sept. 8 -- the 40th anniversary of the show's premiere on NBC.

That night, TV Land will show four episodes from the series, including "The Man Trap," the episode that began the series on Sept. 8, 1966.

"'Star Trek' forever changed the landscape of television and science fiction, and to this day remains a cornerstone of pop culture," says Larry Jones, president of TV Land. "It continues to attract passionate fans, and we are thrilled to mark this monumental anniversary on TV Land."

In addition to the premiere, TV Land will show the fan-favorite episodes "City on the Edge of Forever," in which Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) time-travel to 1930s New York, and "The Trouble with Tribbles," featuring the little fuzzballs that take over the Enterprise. The anniversary marathon will conclude with "Plato's Stepchildren," which featured the first interracial kiss, between Kirk and Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), ever shown on television.

"Star Trek" will begin airing regularly on TV Land on Nov. 17. Episodes will also be available online on a new broadband channel at TVLand.com.