Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet and cook the shrimp through; set aside.

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven or large, deep saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Lightly pat dry and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same pot and let it melt. Add the green onions and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender, about 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Sprinkle the flour over the top of the onion mixture, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Slowly pour in the milk, a few splashes at a time at first, stirring out any lumps. Stream in the rest of the milk, then add the corn kernels, cream-style corn, and cayenne. Stir and bring to a gentle boil. Let bubble until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the shrimp, bacon, and potatoes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the thyme and half-and-half.

Serve hot garnished with bacon, green onion tops, and/or a dash or two of hot sauce as desired.