A method and apparatus for controlling the playback of interactive television applications associated with a recorded program when a viewer is using trick play modes of operation is disclosed. When a viewer activates a fast forward operation. All events that the application would normally receive are supplied to the application at a faster rate than normal. When the viewer activates a rewind operation, the application is either paused until the playback of the rewound program returns to the location where the rewind operation began, or the application is loaded with a previous saved valid state for the location to which the program is rewound.