Starting with Smith means you get to start with higher production values and overall better acting that series 1. The problem then is going back to "when it was crap for a while there". Which it wasn't. It's always been silly and low budget, and should be viewed as such. How many episodes did he watch? If he got to "The Empty Child" and still didn't like the show, odds are he won't at all.

EDIT:

My viewing order was Eleventh Hour, and THEN Rose. Both after I got the general gist of the show from the Rowan Atkinson 1999 comedy special. I liked Smith enough, liked Eccleston even more. Once you know how the show works, you appreciate the characters and story over the production value.