Ming Ming, Linney and Tuck rescue the ‘fab four’ from an undersea entanglement.

THE WONDER PETS: SAVE THE BEETLES

The average Nickelodeon viewer wasn’t born in the same century as the Beatles, but that doesn’t stop the creators of the “Wonder Pets!” series from sharing some good old-fashioned Fab Four fun this evening.

And in the spirit of the Wonder Pets, they naturally do it all with a little help from their friends.

In the 15-minute episode “Save the Beetles,” our three Wonder Pet heroes learn that the famous pop band the Beetles - whose members are Pete, Jack, Greg and Wingo - are in trouble.

No, they aren’t having issues over a female beetle named Yolk-O.

Seems they were on their way to play a concert in the Octopus’ Garden when their yellow submarine became entangled in kelp, which has made them cry “Help!”

That, of course, is just what the Wonder Pets are for. Ming Ming the duck, Tuck the turtle and Linny the guinea pig fashion an underwater craft out of toys, with a straw for a breathing tube, and set out to meet the Beetles.

The ongoing mission of the Wonder Pets, for those who haven’t followed the series closely, is saving other animals through teamwork.

But their first attempt to dislodge the submarine doesn’t work. They try to just yank it loose, which only causes a small leak in the floor of the yellow submarine.

Then they remember they just need to work together. So the Wonder Pets get out and unwrap the kelp while the Beetles, inside, fix the hole.

At the risk of a serious spoiler, we can reveal that everyone lives happily ever after. Just a day in the life of the Wonder Pets.

The episode does not include any full or partial Beatles songs. It does include short snatches of songs in the style of the Beatles, both lyrically and musically. The Beetles characters speak in voices very much like those of the real-life Beatles, not that the average 4-year-old would know that.

In familiar Nickelodeon style, a number of the jokes and references are designed to make matters more interesting to parents of the children the show is helping to keep occupied.

The Beetles, for instance, joke about which one is their favorite Wonder Pet, reversing a line the real-life Beatles heard for years. They also offer the Wonder Pets jellybeans, a subtle reference to candies young girls once tossed onstage at Beatles concerts.

In terms of audience suitability, there’s nothing here that should trouble any child. The only mild threat, the leak in the submarine, is brief and not ominous. There are no harsh or cross words.

The half-hour program includes a second Wonder Pets adventure, in which they help care for a cute baby pig.

So it’s a hard day’s night for the Wonder Pets. But for the series, it’s getting better all the time.

dhinckley@nydailynews.com