Sorbo started his acting career in the late 1980s making guest appearances in several television series such as 1st & Ten, Murder She Wrote and The Commish. He was considered for and lost out to Dean Cain as Superman in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and was a possible contender for the role of Agent Mulder in The X Files which went to David Duchovny.

In 1994 he shot to fame for playing the role of Hercules in the television film Hercules and the Amazon Women. This was the first in a series of television films that served as pilots for the TV series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys which ran from 1995 to 1999. The series was a huge ratings success throughout different countries becoming one of the most popular syndicated shows in television history and becoming Sorbo's most well-known role. He also guest-starred as Hercules in episodes of the spin-off series Xena: The Warrior Princess and provided the voice of Hercules in the animated film Hercules and Xena