The first season featured 18 semi-finalists cut down to nine finalists who got into the mansion. Each week one of them was told to "hang up (her) boa, (as she would) not be the next Pussycat Doll" by Robin Antin based on talent as well as much speculated image criteria. The winner, Asia Nitollano, decided not to join the group and go solo after only a few weeks after the season finale aired, leading many fans to speculate about whether or not she did it willingly.